Nga Poutoko A Mua

Education institution number:
47399
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
24
Telephone:
Address:

20 Malcolm Avenue, Te Puke

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Nga Poutoko A Mua

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Nga Poutoko A Mua are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

Learning Conditions

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Nga Poutoko A Mua is a privately-owned, education and care service. It is nestled on the grounds of Te Paamu Marae, affiliated to Ngāti Marukukere of Tapuika. Three directors of Nga Poutoko A Mua Ltd and a centre manager lead a teaching team of five within a mixed-age setting. A full licence was issued in January 2021.

3 Summary of findings

The kaupapa Māori philosophy and goals of the service successfully promote positive learning outcomes for tamariki. Te reo and tikanga Māori are naturally woven into teaching and learning. Parents and whānau actively contribute to an inclusive and responsive programme that values and recognises their culture. Tamariki show a strong sense of whanaungatanga.

Tamariki have ongoing opportunities to experience the tikanga of Ngāti Marukukere in play-based contexts. Their learning and development are well supported through caring, learning focused partnerships with kaiako. They know the tamariki well and gather a range of information to follow their learning progression over time. Tamariki are responded to as capable and competent learners. Consistent use of the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, is yet to be embedded in assessment and planning.

Strong relational trust and reciprocal communication promote a high level of team cohesion. A commitment to continuous learning and development enables ongoing reflection to improve culturally responsive practice. The centre manager and teachers work well together to build their professional knowledge and shared understandings of practice, to uphold and enhance the mana of the tamariki.

Leaders and teachers are guided by effective systems and processes that adequately maintain management of the centre. There is useful alignment between strategic direction and annual planning. Kaiako continue to strengthen their understanding and processes for effective internal evaluation. They are not yet consistently considering within their evaluations the impact of policies, programmes and practices on improving learning outcomes for tamariki.

4 Improvement actions

Nga Poutoko A Mua will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Consistently draw on the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to reflect the developing capabilities of tamariki over time within documented assessment, planning and evaluation.
  • Increase the input of multiple voices within the internal evaluation process and monitor how well the changes in practice are contributing to the desired outcomes for tamariki.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Nga Poutoko A Mua 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:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

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.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

10 March 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Nga Poutoko A Mua

Profile Number

47399

Location

Te Puke

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

30

Ethnic composition

Māori 23, NZ European/Pākehā 6, other ethnic groups 1.

Review team on site

February 2022

Date of this report

10 March 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akanuku | Assurance Review, June 2019

Ngā Poutoko Ā Mua - 18/06/2019

ERO’s judgement

Regulatory standards

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Ngā Poutoko Ā Mua is a privately owned, all-day education and care service, located in Te Puke, on the grounds of Marukukere Marae. It is licensed for 30 children, including up to eight under two years of age. There are four trained registered teachers. The centre’s roll consists of mostly Māori children who whakapapa to the Marukukere Marae. This is the centre’s first ERO review.

Summary of review findings

The curriculum is based on Te Whāriki and responds to tamariki learning interests, strengths and abilities. Tamariki are encouraged to be confident in their language, culture and identity. Positive steps are taken to acknowledge the aspirations of whānau.

The centre takes all reasonable steps to ensure that appropriate procedures are in place for health and safety.

Governance and management provide clear vision and guidelines for centre direction. Ongoing self-review processes contribute to maintaining and improving the quality of education and care for tamariki and whānau.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.

Phillip Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

18 June 2019

Information about the service

Early Childhood Service Name

Ngā Poutoko Ā Mua

Profile Number

47399

Location

Te Puke

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 8 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff / children

Under 2

1:3 Better than regulatory standards

Over 2

1:6 Better than regulatory standards

Service roll

16

Gender composition

Female 8

Male 8

Ethnic composition

Māori 15

Other 1

Review team on site

May 2019

Date of this report

18 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

No previous ERO reports

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include:

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Assurance Review process in any service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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:

  • curriculum

  • premises and facilities

  • health and safety practices

  • governance, management and administration.

As part of an Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.