6 Jarden Mile, Wellington
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Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Nurtured at Home-Wellington 1 is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Nurtured at Home-Wellington 1, previously known as Nannies Plus, is one of three home-based education and care networks owned and operated by Nurtured at Home (Wellington) Ltd (the organisation). The organisation has home-based education and care services throughout the North Island. This network is licensed for 80 children, including up to 80 aged under two years. The majority of children, and many of the educators, are of African descent and speak English as a second language.
The owners take responsibility for the business aspects of the organisation, with one also retaining oversight of teaching and learning. Two senior leaders provide additional national support. Oversight of local operation is the responsibility of a Wellington-based team leader who is supported by a 'community consultant'. In this network, three qualified and registered visiting teachers (VTs) support a team of nannies and in-home educators to provide suitable care and learning programmes for children. Two of the VTs were appointed in 2019 as a result of rapid roll growth which also led to the expansion and restructure of the Wellington networks. A translator is employed to support the visiting teachers to work with Somali and Ethiopian educators and families.
The service philosophy emphasises the importance of high quality learning environments, learning through play, responsive relationships with families, and celebrating diversity.
Prior to 2018 this network was known as Nannies Plus Wellington. This is its first review under the new ownership, Nurtured at Home (Wellington) Ltd.
Children's placement is carefully considered to meet their needs and determined by their families in collaboration with the service. Extra teacher support is put in place to assist them and their parents to become familiar with the organisation's operation and home-based setting. Children's wellbeing is the focus during this transition time.
The development of positive reciprocal relationships among children, families, educators, teachers and leaders is prioritised to support successful implementation of the education and care programme. The VT makes regular contact with each family about their child's learning. Comprehensive newsletters and use of on-line platforms inform, educate and invite families' participation, and that of educators, in events and decision making.
Children benefit from the variety of learning opportunities provided in both the home setting and out in the community. Organised excursions and playgroups enrich the learning environment and enable educators to network and children to socialise with peers. In this service, leaders have identified the need to review playgroup provision to better support non-travelling educators and acknowledge the needs of all learners. This should include a review of the daily planning and evaluation of these sessions.
The quality for provision for learners with diverse needs is well developed. Authentic acknowledgement of culture, language and identity is a focus for teachers' learning. Children and educators from Somali and Ethiopian backgrounds are ably supported, with the assistance of the translator, to communicate their needs and make progress in their learning. Leaders are continuing to work on the development of treaty-based practice and stronger acknowledgment of te ao Māori in teaching and children's programmes. While leaders have good knowledge of best practice for infant and toddler care, it would be timely for the new teaching team to undertake professional development to enable them to promote shared understanding amongst educators.
Children's transition to school is supported by carefully developed documentation which gives families up-to-date information to prepare them for the new environment. Establishing links with some local schools should support VTs to continue to progress their approach.
Provision for children's learning is well facilitated by VTs. Ongoing and carefully targeted support is enabling educators to progress in their practice. This includes effectively documenting how they are noting and responding to children's interests, strengths and ongoing learning. Progression of learning is well illustrated in best practice examples. Leaders and ERO have identified the need to further support parents' contributions to their children's learning programme and make te ao Māori more visible in documentation. In addition, it would be timely for the new team to work with educators and families to identify the learning that is most valued in this community and achieve shared understanding of the values underpinning the care and education programme.
A strong sense of team is evident and has been sustained through leaders' collaborative and professional approach. VTs are well supported in their roles through a carefully considered induction process and professional development opportunities. Appraisal is robust, enabling them to reflect on their practice in relation to professional requirements, and identify next steps for their development.
The owner and leaders are highly improvement focused. Ongoing review and reflection result in positive change. Further refinement of internal evaluation processes should better support decision making about development. VTs in this network would also benefit from support to develop their understanding and use of internal evaluation.
The professional approach to governance and management strongly acknowledges the importance of high quality provision for children. Roles and responsibilities are well defined. A range of up-to-date guidelines and systematic processes supports consistent practice and operation. Innovative exemplars support shared understanding of expectations. Regular meetings, unscheduled visiting and structured reporting provide assurance that requirements are being met. Implementing an improved approach to annual and strategic planning that includes reference to children, identifies desired outcomes in relation to goals, and better aligns with planned internal evaluation, should strengthen decision making about direction for teaching and learning.
Priorities are to continue to develop:
Before the review, the staff and management of Nurtured at Home-Wellington 1 completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
25 November 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.
| Location | Wellington | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 45157 | ||
| Institution type | Homebased Network | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 51 | ||
| Standard or Quality Funded | Standard | ||
| Gender composition | Male 26, Female 25 | ||
| Ethnic composition | NZ European/Pākehā African Other ethnic groups | 6 36 9 | |
| Number of qualified coordinators in the network | 3 | ||
| Required ratios of educators to children | Under 2 | 1:2 | |
| Over 2 | 1:4 | ||
| Review team on site | October 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 25 November 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| No previous ERO reports | ||
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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes 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.
Nannies Plus is licensed to provide home-based education and care for 80 children, from birth to school age, in the greater Wellington region. Currently there are 70 children on the roll, six of whom are Māori. The children are cared for in their own homes by either qualified or student nannies. Most of the older children also attend another early childhood service.
The service is privately owned. The ownership of the business has changed twice since the February 2013 ERO report. The owners also operate New Zealand Career College's nanny programme that works alongside Nannies Plus and its sister service Nannies Plus 2.
Three fully qualified and registered visiting teachers provide support for the nannies through monthly visits to observe children and regular phone and online communication.
Sound progress has been made in meeting the issues identified in the previous ERO review. These included developing bicultural practice and engaging parents in self-review processes.
This review was conducted at the same time as that for Nannies Plus 2 service.
Nannies Plus is well placed to provide children with high quality education and care within a home environment.
Children experience a curriculum that is responsive to individual needs and choices. As learning takes place within the child's home, consistency with family culture, values and aspirations is enabled. Nannies know the children well and work collaboratively to meet parent aspirations.
Opportunities are taken to extend children's interests through excursions that include the local library, museum, and park. The service also operates a playgroup. This enables children to socialise and nannies to share and learn about good practice.
A strength of the service is the partnership with the New Zealand Career College that provides a range of tertiary courses and qualifications to support nannies in their educator role. Nannies are also closely monitored and supported by visiting teachers who provide curriculum guidance and maintain links with the family.
Children's learning stories, written by nannies, show the development of children's skills, knowledge and progress over time. These are attractively presented. Input from the families is evident.
The service's revised philosophy now expresses a commitment to the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi. Since the 2013 ERO review, considerable steps have been taken to raise nannies' and visiting teachers' awareness of bicultural perspectives. Teachers have enrolled in courses offered by Māori providers and encourage nannies, who identify as Māori, to contribute to the group's knowledge.
The service provides support for nannies working with children from Pacific ethnic groups. The next step is to evaluate how well the programme to promotes educational success for Pacific children.
Children's health and safety is a priority for the service. Sound systems and processes are in place. Nannies keep detailed records that are monitored by the visiting teacher. Spot checking practice is also undertaken. Areas of concern are discussed with families and support is provided to remedy potential hazards.
The service has a rigorous and developmental appraisal system for visiting teachers, who receive professional development to support continuing professional knowledge. It is timely to document the process to facilitate consistency and make the service's expectations for performance clear.
Nannies have an annual appraisal that includes comments from the family.
The service is improvement focused. There is an established culture of self review. Over recent years Nannies Plus has conducted a range of spontaneous and strategic reviews that have led to positive change. The next step is to use a more evaluative process to better inform decisions that support sustained improvement to practice.
ERO and the manager agree that the next key steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Nannies Plus completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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 Nannies Plus will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
12 August 2016
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 |
Wellington |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45157 |
||
|
Institution type |
Homebased Network |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
70 |
||
|
Standard or Quality Funded |
Standard |
||
|
Gender composition |
44 girls, 26 boys |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
6 52 7 5 |
|
|
Number of qualified coordinators in the network |
3 |
||
|
Required ratios of staff educators to children |
Under 2 |
1:2 |
|
|
Over 2 |
1:4 |
||
|
Review team on site |
June 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
12 August 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2013 |
|
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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014
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.