15 Hori Street, New Plymouth
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
New Plymouth Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
New Plymouth Playcentre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 30 children five days a week. This includes 15 children up to the age of two. Playcentre sessions operate four mornings per week. Playcentre Aotearoa also deliver a Supporting Parents Alongside Children's Education (SPACE) programme three afternoons and one morning per week. At the time of this review, there are 38 children enrolled.
The Playcentre Aotearoa philosophy, ‘whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this, New Plymouth Playcentre has developed a vision statement that promotes 'a welcoming, supportive, engaging environment where tamariki and whānau thrive'.
Since the February 2017 ERO report, the New Zealand Playcentre Federation has restructured by amalgamating all associations to form Playcentre Aotearoa. New Plymouth Playcentre is part of the Lower North Island Region and is supported by a regional manager and support persons.
Whānau and families share responsibility for the curriculum. Day-to-day operation is undertaken by session support personnel and centre-elected office holders. A centre support worker and centre administrator regularly visit playcentres to provide professional support, strengthen practice and promote improvement.
The previous ERO report identified that centre members should continue to promote children's culture, language and identity in portfolios and develop knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori. Centre members continue to develop these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of six playcentres in the Lower North Island Region.
Children lead their learning and confidently determine their level of engagement in experiences, activities and session routines. Adults are responsive to children's interests. Children are supported to play cooperatively. Adults are collegial and focused on engaging with children.
The environment is well resourced, and a recent outdoor upgrade is providing stimulating challenges for children. Programme provision for infants and toddlers focuses on relationships. Very young children are well supported to participate during sessions.
Children benefit from adults use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori during daily experiences, hearing stories of local significance and centre celebrations. Embedding centre initiatives and continuing to grow centre member confidence and capability is an appropriate centre identified priority.
There is a planned approach to supporting children's transitions to school. Information about local schools is made available and individualised support to families is provided.
The curriculum is regularly planned based on individual and group interests. Families are encouraged to share children's culture and first language and incorporate these in planning. This planning is visible in the environment and supports multiple contributions by centre members. Learning documentation shows children's engagement with resources, activities and people. Further development should include building on and responding to children's learning over time.
Centre members engage in internal evaluation and have recently completed professional development. Centre support personnel and centre members should continue to build their understanding of evaluation and to monitor the outcomes of improvement initiatives for children's learning.
The revised parent education programme is becoming more accessible to centre members. Engagement in parent education programmes is valued and supported at New Plymouth Playcentre. Experienced centre members support and build new members' capability through intentional role modelling, mentoring of office holder roles and the considered induction of new centre members. Office holders actively engage in local cluster groups. National policy and procedure support information is accessed.
Appraisal processes for session support staff have recently been strengthened and implemented to better evaluate performance in relation to specific roles and responsibilities, identify professional learning and development needs and focus on achievement of goals. A next step is to continue to strengthen capability building for these leaders.
The national restructuring process continues to require some attention and support to implement an extensive range of systems and processes. Regular communication from Playcentre Aotearoa seeks to keep parents informed of progress, changes and upcoming requirements. National policies and procedures have recently been introduced and parents are in the process of aligning practices to these. Targeted support to embed policies and procedures will further benefit parents and centres.
A recent evaluation of how well the restructure has met the needs of the Playcentre community has resulted in further proposed changes. These are yet to be implemented.
Playcentre Aotearoa should support centre members to:
strengthen internal evaluation for improvement to show the impact of teaching programmes on outcomes for children's learning
enhance assessment, planning and evaluation to build on and extend children's learning over time.
Playcentre Aotearoa should continue to:
implement systematic monitoring systems of policies and procedures
provide leadership and guidance to promote Te Tiriti o Waitangi based practices for all services.
Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth Playcentre completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
New Plymouth Playcentre is progressing a significant project to upgrade the outdoor play space. During ERO's evaluation, the Playcentre has attested to ongoing compliance with all regulatory and criteria requirements. Playcentre members are actively managing hazards to children's safety as they arise. Additional communication strategies are in place to ensure that all centre members are aware of hazard identification, mitigation and management. During the onsite visit, some areas and equipment were not accessible to children until the service receives installation compliance certificates. There remains sufficient outdoor play spaces and equipment available for children to access.
Darcy Te Hau
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
13 May 2020
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
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Location |
New Plymouth |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
50013 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
95 |
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Gender composition |
50 Male, 45 Female |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
0-49% |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2020 |
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Date of this report |
13 May 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2017 |
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Education Review |
January 2014 |
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ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
New Plymouth Playcentre is one of 17 parent-led services under the umbrella of the Taranaki Playcentre Association (the association). A management team of elected volunteers oversees operation at governance level and provides the adult education programme, guidance and support for members.
The playcentre is licensed for up to 30 children, including 15 aged up to two years. Fifty one children are enrolled. Children of diverse cultures attend the centre. The centre opens for mixed-age sessions, five mornings and three afternoons a week. There are four afternoon SPACE (Supporting Parents Alongside Children's Education) programmes and one morning programme for children up to the age of two.
Centre supporters are employed by the association to regularly visit playcentres. Their role is to provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. Parents share the duties associated with implementing the programme.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation is planning a significant restructure for 2017 that includes amalgamating all Playcentre Associations. Playcentres will become part of a regional hub, supported by a regional manager and support persons.
The association philosophy of parent-led education and child-initiated play alongside the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, guide and inform centre practices to generate positive changes for children.
The January 2014 ERO report identified that further professional learning and development to build self-review capability and strengthen assessment and evaluation were useful next steps. Progress in these areas is evident.
The report also indicated that accessing external professional input should support the association to strengthen: annual and strategic planning; assessment, planning and evaluation; Māori success as Māori; teaching and learning understandings; regulatory requirements and self review.
Representatives from the centre have participated in the Taranaki Playcentre Association led internal review titled 'Strengthening Taranaki Playcentres'. The centre has proactive parent, family and community involvement.
This review was part of a cluster of eight playcentre reviews in the Taranaki Playcentre Association.
Children engage with enthusiasm in learning experiences grounded in the playcentre philosophy and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Adults and children know each other well and have a strong sense of belonging.
The centre offers a wide range of learning activities and opportunities for all children's ages. Children follow their own rhythms as they decide, engage, and finish activities to their own satisfaction. The high adult-to-child ratio supports children's engagement and active exploration of their environment. Adults learn alongside children, contributing to sustained play and meaningful conversations.
The curriculum is informed and guided by children's strengths and needs. Children experience purposeful play incorporating literacy, mathematics, science, arts, creative expression and local community visits. Planning for learning is well led by an education officer.
Individual parent contributions clearly communicate their child's interests, strengths and goals. Parents also include strategies to achieve potential learning outcomes. Assessment, planning and evaluation is effectively led by the collective and well supported by the duty team's and parents' collaborative input.
Te ao Māori implementation is well reflected in the centre. Signposts include kupu Māori, artefacts, natural resources, books, puzzles, costumes and posters. Tikanga is woven through rituals involving karakia, waiata and local stories. Centre leaders are aware of the need for members to continue to build te ao Māori knowledge and understanding and te reo capability.
Portfolios are attractively presented. Te Whāriki principles, strands, goals dispositions and learning outcomes are evident. Assessment information includes adults' and children's contribution. These provide rich information about children's interests, progress, and needs over time. Members' deeper understandings of learning are documented and visible in children's patterns of play. Centre members should continue to include and promote children's culture, language and identity in planning and assessment.
Infants and toddlers are nurtured in a culture of care and fully participate in the programme. They are viewed as confident and competent learners who are able to participate fully across the centre. They cooperatively share space and are well supported by tuakana.
Professional development has informed a newly implemented centre transition process. Centre members attend regular meetings with a community of early childhood and primary teaching professionals. This is building collaborative understanding of playcentre and school curricula.
Members' understanding and use of internal evaluation has been supported by an association professional learning programme. Strengthening evaluation to gauge the effectiveness of practice, to inform decision making, is a next step.
The association Māori representative of Puriri Whakamaru o Taranaki, supports centre members to gain further understandings of te ao Māori. This is developing well as an integral part of the curriculum. Association and centre leaders should use strategic planning and internal evaluation to ensure the good practice occurring is sustained and continues to be built on.
The centre support person provides written reports that generally affirm environmental developments and programme practices. These reports should more deliberately focus on outcomes for children and next steps for centre members to improve teaching and learning. This should include a focus on providing centre members with evaluative feedback that assists them to sustain and further enhance the good practice already occurring.
Appraisal for centre supporters requires strengthening. The process should include: more focused goals that build their capability; and more regular and targeted feedback and feed forward about practices that enhance outcomes for children and their families.
Centre members should continue to:
promote and include children's culture, language and identity in portfolios
develop knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori.
The association should:
improve appraisal for the centre support people to support individual needs and identify professional development to support them in their leadership roles
build centre support staff knowledge and capability to undertake effective internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of New Plymouth Playcentre completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of New Plymouth Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
7 February 2017
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
|
Location |
New Plymouth |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50013 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
53 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 27, Boys 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
1 38 14 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
7 February 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
January 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2006 |
||
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.