58 Aorangi Road, Paeroa
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Paeroa Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Paeroa Playcentre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 30 children two days a week. This includes 14 children up to the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review, there are 13 children enrolled, including half from range of ethnicities.
The Playcentre Aotearoa philosophy, ‘whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this the centre philosophy is to welcome each family into the Playcentre to learn, play and build lasting friendships.
Since the October 2016 ERO report, the New Zealand Playcentre Federation has restructured by amalgamating all associations to form Playcentre Aotearoa. Paeroa Playcentre is part of the Central 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.
This review was part of a cluster of eight reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region.
Children benefit from reciprocal and trusting relationships with familiar adults. There are opportunities for tuakana teina learning in the mixed-age setting, where older and younger children learn from one another. Adults support children's oral language development in learning conversations. Centre families are welcoming and inclusive. Leaders are developing relationships with local schools, and information available supports families to transition their children to school. Children have easy access to resources, encouraging exploration. Literacy, science, mathematics, creativity and learning about the natural world and sustainability are interwoven in daily experiences. Children are encouraged to be confident and independent learners.
The rich curriculum is driven by the knowledge and interests that the children and families bring with them. Trips into the local community and visitors to the centre enrich the programme. Māori and Pacific children are supported to achieve success as their parents and whānau bring their language, culture and identity with them into the centre. The bicultural curriculum has been supported by professional development, including visits and resources provided by the local iwi. A recently upgraded space for infants and toddlers is comfortable and suitably resourced, providing heuristic, natural and sensory play. Children develop a strong sense of belonging.
Children's learning is well represented in individual portfolios and wall displays. Children's emergent interests during the session are responded to. Portfolios reflect home life and the knowledge and skills children bring with them. Planning and evaluation of learning requires strengthening to result in a more intentional approach to teaching and learning. This would be further supported by adults gaining more knowledge of the learning outcomes of the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki.
A shared leadership approach, including joint decision making, promotes positive learning outcomes for children. Leaders have focussed on the centre's sustainability, maintaining operations with a fluctuating number of parents. Internal evaluation has been strengthened and the new process adopted should now be embedded, with a focus on outcomes for learners. Further alignment between the annual and strategic plans should support members to monitor their progress against their goals. Leaders should continue to work with the centre support worker to embed new systems and processes, including self review and the annual plan.
The revised parent education programme is becoming more accessible to centre members. At this centre members are engaged in adult education and are involved with a local cluster of playcentres, sharing ideas and knowledge. Appraisal processes for session support staff have recently been strengthened to better evaluate performance in relation to specific roles and responsibilities, identify professional learning and development needs and focus on achievement of goals.
The national restructuring process continues to require significant 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. Ongoing support is required to enable parents to understand and implement these procedures to meet licensing requirements.
The key steps for Paeroa Playcentre leaders and members are to strengthen:
knowledge and use of the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki and the intentional planning and evaluation of children's learning
the alignment of the centre annual plan to the strategic goals
internal evaluation, with a focus on learning outcomes for children.
Playcentre Aotearoa should continue to build knowledge and understanding of policies and procedures to ensure licensing requirements are upheld.
Before the review, the staff and management of Paeroa 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.
Since the on-site phase of the review, members have provided ERO with evidence of action taken in relation to:
the outdoor playground soft-fall surface addressed to meet licensing requirements, poisonous plants were removed and hazardous materials in the shed are no longer accessible for children (HS12)
items that could topple or fall and cause injury were secured or removed (HS6).
Darcy Te Hau
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
19 March 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.
|
Location |
Paeroa, Waikato |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
32007 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
13 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Male 11 Female 2 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2019 |
|
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Date of this report |
19 March 2020 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2016 |
|
Education Review |
April 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
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.
Paeroa Playcentre is located in the rural township of Paeroa. It is licensed to provide two sessions a week for 30 children including up to 14 children under the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review there were 23 children enrolled, including seven identified as Māori. The centre's philosophy of child-initiated play is evident in practice. Parents, caregivers and whānau take responsibility for all aspects of centre operation and play an active part in promoting the holistic wellbeing and development of their children. Diverse cultures are well supported and the language and identity of each child is acknowledged and respected.
Paeroa Playcentre is affiliated to the New Zealand Playcentre Federation and is one of 13 centres governed by the umbrella organisation known as Thames Valley/Coromandel Playcentre Association (TVCPA). The centres in this association cover a wide geographical area which presents challenges for both the governance/management body and individual centres.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation and TVCPA continue to provide good quality governance and management. The association provides comprehensive policies and guidelines, and employs a liaison officer who effectively assists families to operate the service in the best interests of children and their parents and whānau.
Since the previous Education Review in 2013 the TVCPA has under gone a complete restructuring. It has employed key personnel to undertake the day-to-day management of the association and centres. This change has allowed the governance board to plan more strategically, effectively manage their finances, property, personnel and health and safety requirements.
Paeroa Playcentre has a positive reporting history with ERO and has responded well to areas for development identified in the 2013 report.
This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the Thames/Valley Coromandel Playcentre Association.
Children, parents and whānau benefit from a welcoming, inclusive and family-like culture at the playcentre. This fosters a strong sense of belonging, and encourages parents and whānau to take an active role in their children's learning. New centre leaders are building relationships that are respectful, and which reflect the shared parent leadership model promoted through the playcentre movement.
Children choose freely from a wide range of activities in the indoor and outdoor learning areas. Children are developing as competent, confident learners. They follow their own interests, and are supported by caring adults to explore and investigate.
The programme is responsive to children's interests and integrates early skills and concepts in literacy. Children actively participate in storytelling, and are encouraged to express their ideas through creative and imaginative play. Areas of play such as carpentry, construction, baking activities and the extensive range of puzzles facilitates this learning. Children learn through play in meaningful contexts that reflects their home and rural community life.
The outdoor environment is spacious, attractive, well planned and inviting for children. It offers many opportunities to appreciate and explore the natural and physical world. Parents set up equipment to meet children's interests, provoke curiosity and provide physical challenges for all age groups. Children cooperate to redesign the environment to sustain their interests and further their play and learning.
Babies and toddlers are included in all aspects of the programme. They benefit from warm, caring relationships with all adults. Mothers' wellbeing is supported as they nurture and care for their babies, and as they enjoy the company of other parents and whānau. Babies and toddlers have easy access to an environment that is well resourced and encourages exploration, movement and intellectual stimulation through seeing, touching and hearing new things. This inclusive programme enables babies to develop their social and communication skills.
All adults are engaged in playcentre education programmes that empower them to be well-informed, first educators of their children. The high ratio of adults to children ensures quality learning conversations with adults who listen and extend children's vocabulary, and use open-ended questions to further develop children's oral language and communication skills.
New centre leaders have created a culture where children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Emergent leadership is fostered and new members are well supported to take on roles and responsibilities. The parent support network is an integral part of the playcentre culture. The liaison officer provides inspiration and motivation. This approach is contributing to professional leadership about teaching and learning. There are opportunities to share good practice from other centres and support for members undertaking new roles and responsibilities.
Centre members need to continue to review and develop the planning and evaluation process, and build on the good examples in the centre that show how parents are extending their children's learning by adding complexity to their ideas and interests over time.
Parents need to strategically plan to build their knowledge and confidence to increase the level of te reo and tikanga Māori practices into the programme. This should enhance outcomes for Māori children and their whānau, and support other children to develop an appreciation, understanding and empathy for the bicultural heritage of New Zealand.
Before the review, the staff and management of Paeroa 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 Paeroa Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
13 October 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 |
Paeroa, Waikato |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
32007 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
23 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 16 Girls 7 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
7 12 4 |
|
Review team on site |
August 2016 |
|
|
Date of this report |
13 October 2016 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2013 |
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
|
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.