Palmerston Playcentre

Education institution number:
81030
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
9
Telephone:
Address:

27 Stour Street, Palmerston

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Palmerston Playcentre - 12/12/2018

1 Evaluation of Palmerston Playcentre

How well placed is Palmerston Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Palmerston Playcentre is one of forty-seven playcentres within the New Zealand Playcentre Federation's South Island Southern Region (SISR). The centre operates three sessions a week and is licenced for up to 25 children. Children from birth to school age can attend the centre. The centre is located beside Palmerston Primary School.

The centre operates as a parent cooperative with a paid educator leading the sessions, supported by parents. The centre has regular visits and receives ongoing support from a Centre Support Worker (CSW).

Palmerston Playcentre philosophy is based around the concept of whānau, where parents and the community all work together to support the children, their wellbeing and learning. It states that children are offered choices and have a range of experiences in a happy, safe and healthy environment.

Since the 2013 ERO review, the parents have made good progress in meeting the recommendations in the ERO report. Internal evaluation is well established, parents are more involved in planning for and assessing their children's learning, and the philosophy has been reviewed.

This review was part of a cluster of three playcentre reviews in the SISR.

The Review Findings

Children are well supported in their learning by parents and the educator. They are actively encouraged to lead their learning, experience a wide range of activities and confidently ask for support. Children are active explorers who are fully engaged in their learning.

Infants and toddlers are well included in the programme. High adult to child ratios ensure these young children are always well supervised by a responsive adult. The wide range of resources are positioned in ways that allow young children to access these easily. Infants and toddlers are happy, confident and settled in the centre environment.

Genuine learning partnerships between parents and the educator are clearly evident. Parents are partners in goal setting, planning and assessing their children's learning. Children's home and centre experiences and interests are closely linked and used well to extend children's learning.

Assessment and planning processes successfully support the programme in action, and individual and group learning. Formats for individual planning and assessment are simple and easy to use. They clearly record parent involvement, children's goals, plans and progress. Parents are developing more confidence, and interest in this part of the programme is increasing.

Transition to school is well organised, appropriate and focused on children and families moving smoothly and confidently into the school environment. The playcentre and the school share close professional relationships and are focused on the needs of each child and their family.

Internal evaluation is resulting in well planned, positive improvements to the environment, the programme and children's learning. Useful professional development and support from the CSW have increased parent and educator understanding and use of internal evaluation processes.

At the time of this review the OPA was implementing the New Zealand Playcentre Federation's new operating model. It was amalgamating with Southland and South Canterbury Playcentre Associations to become the South Island Southern Region. While the changes resulted in some disruption to the services provided to individual playcentres in 2017, the OPA is effectively managing the restructure with the resources available to them. Each playcentre now receives regular support from a paid administrator and a centre support worker. There are robust systems in the association for monitoring the progress and performance of individual playcentres, and targeted support is given when needed.

Key Next Steps

ERO's evaluation has identified, and the centre educator and parents agree, that the key next steps are to continue to implement Te Whāriki (2017) The Early Childhood Curriculum by:

  • identifying children's learning priorities (what is important for children in this playcentre to learn and achieve)

  • reviewing and designing a curriculum to include these learning priorities.

ERO, the centre educator and parents also agree that:

  • group plan evaluations need to be more evaluative and focused on outcomes for children

  • parents continue to be encouraged to undertake playcentre parent training and contribute to assessment and planning

  • bicultural perspectives continue to be extended and integrated into the programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Palmerston 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:

  • 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Palmerston Playcentre will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

12 December 2018

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Palmerston

Ministry of Education profile number

81030

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

20

Gender composition

Boys: 12

Girls: 8

Ethnic composition

Pākehā
Pacific

19
1

Percentage of qualified teachers

Parent led

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

September 2018

Date of this report

12 December 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

February 2013

Education Review

November 2009

Education Review

April 2006

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.

Palmerston Playcentre - 19/02/2013

1 Evaluation of the Service

How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?

Palmerston Playcentre is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.

Context

Palmerston Playcentre is one of 37 playcentres administered by the Otago Playcentre Association (OPA). The playcentre is situated beside the local primary school in the small rural community of Palmerston, East Otago. It is one of two early childhood centres in the community.

The playcentre is a focal point for many parents with young children in the community. The educator and some of the parents have been involved in the centre for a number of years. The playcentre is open for three morning sessions a week for children from birth to five years. The sessions are well attended by children and their families. Some families have strong connections within the community and there is good support for fundraising.

The parents and educators have made some good progress in addressing the recommendations in the 2009 Education Review Office report (ERO). They have improved the range of experiences provided to extend children’s exploration and investigation, and their systems for planning for children’s learning.

This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in fifteen early childhood education services within the OPA umbrella organisation.

The Review Findings

Children and their parents benefit from strong supportive relationships with one another. Children play well together in a mixed-age setting. Older children are role models for the younger children with their learning.

Parents and educators are responsive to the children and their interests. They have useful conversations with children to help develop and extend their language and thinking. Children hear and use te reo Māori in routines and group times. Their next step is to reflect their commitment to including Māori perspectives in their centre philosophy and develop a plan to continue to build the bicultural programme.

There is a good range of resources indoors for children to use in their play and learning. This includes dramatic play and early-literacy resources. The outdoor environment has some resources to support children to develop physical skills and exploration. This area could be reviewed in terms of challenge and interest for children.

Each term the educators plan a project to support children’s learning. Children have benefitted from a recent focus on learning about belonging in the Palmerston community. They have enjoyed many trips out and about within the community, such as, visits to the other early childhood centre, the post office, shops and the fire station. Children’s learning about their community has been further extended through literacy experiences including map drawing.

Other strengths of the programme are the way that the educators plan and provide science experiences to delight and excite children and stimulate their curiosity. These experiences include investigating glass prisms, ice and growing seeds. There is good support for babies in the programme with a well set up baby area with resources to support their learning and development. Parents, educators and children are responsive to and enjoy interactions with the babies.

Parents and educators are at the beginning stages of using self review to make improvements. They have a current focus on finding ways to encourage greater parent involvement in planning for individual children. They then need to use this planning to guide their interactions and the experiences they provide for children. Parents and educators should continue to build their knowledge and use of self review. They should review their philosophy and over time review all aspects of their programme and practices.

The management of the centre is well organised and this contributes to the smooth running of the centre. There is ongoing support for parents to take on responsibility within the management and education roles. Some parents are now undertaking playcentre training.

The Centre Advisor provides useful advice and support to the centre.

The Otago Playcentre Association (OPA) provides a comprehensive range of support to this and other playcentres. This includes:

  • developing an action plan for all centres to be relicensed with the 2008 Regulations
  • managing an association-wide system for all aspects of health, safety and compliance
  • ongoing support for employment processes
  • targeted support for playcentres requiring additional assistance
  • ongoing provision of playcentre training.

The OPA executive and personnel hold regular meetings with a specific focus on each centre. They discuss best ways to support individual centres. Records from these meetings could be more specific about what support is provided and the difference it has made.

A strength of the OPA is the ongoing support provided by the centre advisors. The centre advisor effectively supports the parents and educators in developing their understanding of planning and assessment and self review.

Centre advisors should continue to build their knowledge and understanding of self review. They should use each centre's self review as evidence to assure the governors of the OPA how well the playcentre is promoting positive outcomes for children.

OPA personnel need to further develop their understanding of self review and use the findings of self review to assure themselves of the effectiveness of their strategic goals and all aspects of the OPA management and operations.

The OPA governors have a sound policy framework to support the playcentre.

2 Legal Requirements

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Palmerston 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:

  • 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.

3 Next Review

When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

19 February 2013

Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location Palmerston    
Ministry of Education profile number 81030    
Licence type Playcentre - Sessional    
Licensed under Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008    
Number licensed for 25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2    
Service roll 25    

Gender composition

Boys: 15

Girls: 10

   

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

23

2

 

Percentage of qualified teachers

Parent led cooperative

   

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

Over 2

1:1

1:4

Meets minimum requirements

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2012

   

Date of this report

19 February 2013

   
Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

November 2009

April 2006

December 2001

 

General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

About ERO Reviews

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

Review focus

ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:

  • 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 self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.