64 Peter Buck Road, New Windsor, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
New Windsor Playcentre is a parent-cooperative service that operates adjacent to New Windsor Primary school. The centre provides five morning sessions and one afternoon session each week. Programmes for children are underpinned by the Playcentre philosophy of parents and children playing and learning together. The centre is able to cater for 30 children including 15 up to two years of age.
The centre is part of the newly established Auckland Central Playcentre Region. Regional systems support centre members to manage their centres and to provide educational programmes for their children. Playcentre personnel also provide training programmes for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications.
Recommendations from ERO's 2015 report helped current leaders to make some strategic changes. These included strengthening bicultural practices, using children's ideas more frequently in planning and evaluation, and centre members engaging with Playcentre courses. These continue to be priorities for members in this centre.
This review was part of a cluster of three Playcentre reviews in the Auckland Central Playcentre Region.
Children are settled, confident and friendly. They respond well to the flow of the centre and the day has a calm unhurried pace. They enjoy the freedom they have to explore the space and the activities on offer. Resources are easily accessed. Long periods of uninterrupted play allow children to initiate and sustain their own learning experiences.
Children display a strong sense of belonging. They help adults and each other, share stories about home and whānau and show care, especially older children for younger and smaller children. They are supported to take learning risks and to make decisions about their play.
Sensory play is a prominent part of the programme for children under two. They are able to follow their individual sleeping and feeding patterns with opportunities for self-management skills woven into the routines and rituals of the day. Oral language and communication is fostered in various ways.
New families are warmly welcomed into the centre and a buddy adult supports their inclusion into the wider life of Playcentre. Centre members value families sharing their home languages and cultures with the children to enrich their learning.
Planning and assessment processes include using children’s portfolios to record stories about their time in the centre and to focus on the experiences they have enjoyed. Adults use evaluation meetings at the end of each session effectively. They discuss children’s learning and plan for future ways of supporting their development. Centre members could now consider ways to focus on individual children’s interests, to revisit and link stories, making progress more visible.
Parents/whānau make decisions collectively at regular meetings. The recently appointed group of office holders undertakes centre responsibilities, with many new to their roles. Centre members have developed strategic and annual planning to guide their progress. While members regularly reflect on these plans, they could rationalise their strategic plan to align better with their aspirations for children's learning.
The regional management team takes responsibility for supporting effective operations. The team is aware of the strengths and needs of each centre and provides professional leadership to promote improvement and growth. Centre support workers are guided by regional centre support coordinators. Individual and effective support helps each centre to continue to develop quality programmes for children, and sound health and safety monitoring requirements.
In order to build on current good practice, the members agree that next steps for the centre include:
strengthening planning processes to more consistently show how children's individual interests are progressed over time
implementing intentional bicultural practices and continuing to use, and achieve a higher level of competency in, te reo Māori.
To enhance practices in all Auckland Region Playcentres, the regional manager and support personnel should consider ways to continue to:
better support adult education, with consideration about the timing of workshops
provide additional support to increase centre members' understanding and use of effective assessment, planning and evaluation processes, bicultural practices and internal evaluation
support centres to further develop and link strategic and annual planning to create more systematic consideration of the long-term needs within their centres.
Before the review, the staff and management of New Windsor 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 Windsor Playcentre will be in three years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
17 January 2019
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 Windsor, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
22029 |
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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 |
29 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 16 Boys 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
0-49% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2018 |
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Date of this report |
17 January 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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Education Review |
October 2008 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
New Windsor Playcentre operates in the grounds of New Windsor Primary School in a multicultural residential suburb of West Auckland. The centre is licensed for 30 children with a maximum of 15 up to two years of age in a mixed age group. Recent increases in membership of New Windsor Playcentres have enabled the centre to be opened for a fifth session each week. One of these sessions is an ‘outdoor nature session’ when members take children to natural areas or walking tracks.
The centre follows the Playcentre philosophy and has also developed their own centre philosophy to guide their work with children. The centre aims to provide a child-led, holistic programme that supports children to become confident and capable learners.
New Windsor Playcentre has a history of positive ERO reports. Although the centre has at times, been short of trained members, the centre has continued to strive towards quality for their children. The Association supports members to engage with Playcentre adult education to increase the value of the teaching and learning programmes provided for children.
The centre is part of the Auckland Playcentres Association which provides Playcentre adult education, frameworks of policies and procedures and support from Association personnel. Each Playcentre contributes to the make-up of the Association and has representatives at Association level.
At present the Playcentre Federation is undertaking a restructure with the aim of maintaining the viability of Playcentres throughout New Zealand. This is likely to change the current structure of the Auckland Playcentres Association.
This review was part of a cluster of nine Playcentre reviews in the Auckland Playcentre Association.
Children are settled, engaged and confident in the centre. The programme provides opportunities for them to explore and to make choices about their play. While younger children play predominantly alongside other children, friendships between children are evident. Friendly and open relationships amongst adults provide good models for children.
Several parents/whānau attending the session are new to Playcentre. The centre is ably led by a few long serving members. More purposeful sharing of leadership roles would support newer centre members to have a greater sense of ownership of the centre.
Children respond positively to play opportunities offered to them. Some adults provide interesting and exciting activities in the programme. Children are confident to talk to adults. Parents are starting to engage children in conversations that prompt their thinking and invite their contributions.
Children frequently choose books to be read to them. This supports their growing vocabulary and understanding of language. Adults’ occasional use of te reo Māori with children and centre displays show members’ intention to reflect the Playcentre commitment to bicultural practices.
Adults arrange the environment to provide appropriate activities and play spaces to meet children’s interests and needs. For example, they provide a quiet space for non-mobile infants, as well as offering more challenging opportunities for older children in outdoor activities. Adults provide suitable resources and are developing the environment to be more inviting for children.
Parents/whānau work together in assessment and planning processes. All children have portfolios and parents regularly add learning stories to these. At the end of each session, adults evaluate the programme and share their knowledge about their own children. This would be a good time for parents to also discuss what children are learning and how adults can further support children’s interests.
The Association’s strategic plan provides a guide for governance and is regularly monitored. Management and governance processes are well established. The Association provides assistance for centres, and appropriate Playcentre training courses. It provides regular termly visits from a curriculum and programme supporter. Association office holders are highly committed to the Playcentre philosophy and to maintaining Playcentre as a valuable early childhood education option for parents/whānau.
Centre members identified key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of New Windsor 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:
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 Windsor Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
25 May 2015
|
Location |
New Windsor, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
22029 |
||
|
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 |
35 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 22 Girls 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā other |
4 25 6 |
|
|
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 |
March 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
25 May 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
October 2005 |
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:
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.