Whangarei Heads Road, Parua Bay
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.
Parua Bay Playcentre is a well established centre that operates as a parent cooperative. Centre practices are based on the Playcentre philosophy of families learning and growing together. The centre is situated on the edge of the local school grounds. It is open four days a week and includes a transition session for children in preparation for the local kindergarten.
Since the 2013 review the centre has gone through a significant change in membership. Most families are new to the centre and have willingly taken on leadership roles. Housing development in the area has led to many new families becoming involved in this community of learners. Many centre members have completed Course 1 and are moving onto Course 2 of the Playcentre adult education programme.
The centre is part of the Northland Playcentre Association. The Association is the umbrella organisation for 22 centres in Northland, many of which are semi-rural. The Association provides systems to help members manage their centres and support their children's learning. It also provides adult education programmes for Playcentre qualifications. As part of a current Playcentre Aotearoa national restructure there will be a new regional manager and new centre support roles.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Northern Playcentre Association.
Children play confidently together. They choose where they want to play and are comfortable to ask adults for more resources. Adults have a strong understanding about child-initiated learning through play.
Adults focus on extending oral language as they play and have natural conversations with children. There is a good sense of adults looking after and working with each other's children. Parents/whānau recognise the need to work collaboratively for a common purpose of fostering children's learning through play.
Centre members have built up and continue to add to a stock of very good resources. They have thoughtfully arranged resources and equipment so that children can readily access it for use in their play.
This relatively new group of parents/whānau are accepting, inclusive and welcoming towards each other and their children. They see themselves as starting out as a new group together and support each other's needs.
Centre members are developing internal evaluation systems so that they can make informed decisions about areas that need improvement. A recent review of individual children's portfolios has resulted in adaptions being made. Resources are at hand to support parents/whānau in their processes for recording children's learning.
Committee members are committed to the success of the centre. They are clear about their roles and welcome other members to join them as they feel ready. Committee members appreciate the support they have received from the Association. More experienced centre members support others to develop their roles as educators. Continuing education and training for all parents is an ongoing priority.
The Association management team takes responsibility for specific tasks relating to the efficient operation of Playcentres. They actively foster emergent leadership to sustain the Association and centre viability. The Association provides good support to help Playcentres remain well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
Centre members have identified relevant key next steps that include:
continuing to develop assessment, programme planning and evaluation practices
continuing to strengthen bicultural practices in the centre
developing strategic and annual plans for the centre.
To help strengthen operations in all Northland centres, new regional support personnel should consider ways to:
determine the best strategies to encourage centre members to take greater responsibility for all aspects of centre operations, including assessment, programme planning and evaluation
continue to increase emphasis on and financial support for the Kaiāwhina role in supporting centre members' bicultural understanding and proficiency
strengthen members' understanding of the need for succession planning and close alignment between strategic and annual plans for ongoing improvement, as well as operational plans for day-to-day management and maintenance
support centre members to recognise their role as facilitators of children's learning, social competence and independence.
Before the review, the staff and management of Parua Bay 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 Parua Bay Playcentre will be in three years.
Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
15 June 2017
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 |
Parua Bay, Whangarei |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
17675 |
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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 16 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
24 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 13 Boys 11 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā British Dutch other |
15 3 2 4 |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2017 |
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Date of this report |
15 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
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|
Education Review |
February 2007 |
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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.
Parua Bay Playcentre is part of the Northland Playcentre Association. The playcentre operates as a parent cooperative, in which parents and whānau take responsibility for their children’s education and for centre operations. Northland Playcentre Association personnel provide support and organisational frameworks for adult education programmes and centre management.
The playcentre is open three days a week, providing open sessions for children up to six years of age. Since ERO’s 2010 review, a lot of new members have become involved with the playcentre. Many have completed Course 1 training and some continue to upgrade their training levels.
This review was part of a cluster approach to reviews of eight playcentres within the Northland Playcentre Association.
Children demonstrate a sense of wellbeing and belonging. They are very well-supported by members to make choices for themselves and to play independently. Infants move confidently away from trusted adults to explore their environment. Review of the programme for infants has resulted in a place space that is stimulating and responsive to the requirements of these younger children.
Toddlers and older children benefit from a programme that is responsive to their interests. They enjoy mixed-age play opportunities. Adult-planned activities are skilfully integrated into the session to promote children’s interest and participation. Literacy is promoted in a variety of meaningful ways. Adults regularly read to children, including babies, and encourage their enjoyment of books.
The spacious and well-resourced environment provides children with many creative and imaginative experiences. They enjoy regular access to an attractive outdoor area. Members could consider how to more effectively use the building as a resource for learning, by displaying photographs and samples of children’s work.
Members are developing ways to write about children’s experiences at the playcentre. Individual portfolios are attractive records of children’s involvement in the programme. Some experienced members clearly identify the learning that is happening in play situations.
Collaborative management of the centre is evident. A new group of enthusiastic members is working to re-establish a strong membership base. The group plans to guide future direction of the centre by utilising self-review and long-term planning templates provided by the playcentre association.
ERO and centre members agree that key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Parua Bay 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.
The next ERO review of Parua Bay Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
20 November 2013
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 |
Parua Bay |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
17675 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
27 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 14, Boys 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Tongan Other |
2 22 2 1 |
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|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
July 2013 |
||
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Date of this report |
20 November 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2004 |
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.