100a Rosedale Road, Albany, North Shore City
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Pascals Albany is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pascals Albany is licensed to provide all-day education and care for 125 children, including up to 50 aged under two years. It operates from a purpose-built facility organised into five different rooms catering for children of different age groups. The centre's roll reflects the increasingly multicultural community.
The centre was previously known as Leaps and Bounds Albany. Since the 2015 ERO review the centre has had a change of name. It has been part of Evolve Education Group (EEG) since 2014. Visiting personnel from EEG support the centre in its day-to-day operations and long-term planning and development projects.
Centre leaders are the manager and head teachers in each room. The teaching team is made up of 14 qualified teachers, two teacher trainees and seven unqualified teachers, many of whom have extensive work experience in the early childhood sector.
The centre philosophy has recently been reviewed. It focuses on recognising the knowledge children bring with them and preparing them for the future through play-based learning. Teachers in each of the five rooms have developed a philosophy relevant to the age group of the children in that space. These sit alongside the overarching centre philosophy.
The service has a positive reporting history with ERO. The 2015 ERO report acknowledged the respectful care for children and the strong recognition of their language, culture and identity. The curriculum focused on developing children to be competent, confident learners. These positive aspects have been maintained.
Areas for review and development included continuing to promote an inclusive environment responsive to the diverse community and embed changes in management systems. There has been good progress in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of ten reviews in the Evolve Education Group.
Children enjoy positive, responsive interactions with their teachers. They understand the expectations of their place and are friendly to one another. They benefit from good adult to child ratios that allow one-to-one attention. Children are well settled in the welcoming centre environment.
Children under two are well cared for in small groups. Teachers are responsive to and recognise the communication styles of each child. A recent review of indoor environments has resulted in well-considered spaces for these younger children. They have easy access to resources and photos that allow them to see themselves at play and with their whānau.
Teachers provide a wide range of learning experiences for children. Out of centre excursions are a regular feature of the programme. Visitors from the local community also bring diverse interests and knowledge to share with the children. Teachers and children regularly visit the neighbouring native bush to engage with the natural world. Outdoor environments for all rooms have received attention to ensure spaces are well utilised and accessible to children.
Leaders and teachers are caring and inclusive of all children. They provide authentic opportunities to celebrate cultural festivals and use home languages. They know children and their whānau well. Leaders role model a deep commitment to embracing te reo and te ao Māori. The centre philosophy has been translated into six different languages to enhance understanding for all families.
Parents who spoke with ERO were very positive about the service. They enjoy the different cultural celebrations and how well children use te reo Māori and enjoy singing waiata at home. They feel welcome in the centre environment and see centre staff as approachable, supportive and responsive.
Teachers are focused on making planning more individual to each child. Learning outcomes are set for each child and progress towards these is evaluated. Teachers could more clearly document how learning outcomes reflect their observations of children's interests, strengths and dispositions. They could act on their reflections of how children might be empowered to lead their own learning.
Leaders and teachers engage well in internal evaluation that results in positive outcomes for children. Strategic and annual plans continue to be developed. EEG provides a framework of policies and procedures to guide centre practices. This framework continues to be reviewed. An effective process for staff appraisal is in place. EEG needs to support managers to implement this process effectively.
Key next steps include:
continuing to deepen the evaluation of the effectiveness of centre processes and how they impact on children's learning
engaging more deeply with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to refine programme plans for the individual child based on interests, strengths and learning dispositions.
Evolve Education Group Senior Managers have agreed that key next steps include:
ensuring the company's vision and values, goals and principles reflect the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi
addressing staffing issues in some centres to ensure quality teaching practices are evident, promoting positive outcomes for all children and ensuring sustainability of quality practice
reviewing how effectively the levels and quality of learning resources in centres promote collaboration amongst children and promote more complex thinking
providing professional learning and development for leaders and teachers to ensure a deeper engagement with Te Whāriki.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pascals Albany 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.
To improve current practice, Evolve Education Group Senior Managers must take steps to ensure that health and safety policies and procedures are implemented rigorously across all services.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
13 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 |
Albany, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45419 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
125 children, including up to 50 aged under 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
111 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 51% Boys 49% |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
12% |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 March 2020 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
||
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.
Leaps and Bounds Albany offers full day education and care for children from birth to school age. The centre caters for up to 125 children, including a maximum of 50 children under two. It is a purpose-built facility, with the premises organised into five rooms that cater for different age groups of children attending. The centre’s roll reflects its multicultural community.
Since its first ERO review in 2012, the centre has been bought by the Evolve Education Group (EVOLVE) and re named from New Shoots Albany to Leaps and Bounds Albany. The Evolve Education Group provides administrative and professional support. A centre manager leads the day-to-day centre operations. Team leaders have responsibility for care routines, teacher appraisals, and the programmes provided for children. Over 80 percent of the staff are qualified early childhood teachers.
The centre’s philosophy statement is based on theories of learning which trust the child to be an explorer and self learner. It promotes respectful and trusting relationships, with a focus on building partnerships with parents and whānau. The philosophy also recognises Māori as tangata whenua and emphasises the importance of promoting children’s language, culture and identity.
Centre leaders have responded positively to suggestions for improvement identified in the 2012 ERO report. These suggestions related to further use of self review to enhance the quality of the centre’s teaching and learning practices.
Leaps and Bounds Albany caters very well for children. Children receive respectful care and are affirmed in their language, culture and identity. Children relate very well to each other and enjoy making choices about their play. They are supported to become independent, competent and confident learners. They enjoy helping each other and engage well in conversations with adults as they participate in centre activities.
The pace is unhurried and the programme invites children to explore. The welcoming environment encourages parents and children to feel a sense of belonging and enjoy their time at the centre. The programme promotes children’s learning, curiosity and celebrates their interests.
Good self review processes have led to positive changes in the programme and centre environment. There are high expectations for teaching and learning. A focus on developing children’s early literacy, numeracy and self management skills is appropriately woven into the programme.
Teachers know children and their families well and are focused on meeting their needs. Good systems allow teachers to manage their time well. Teachers work together to create a programme that is flexible, stimulating and responsive to children’s interests and needs.
Parents are encouraged to share their views and aspirations with teachers. This supports teachers to plan an appropriate programme for children. Effective communication keep parents well informed. Parents are invited to contribute their expertise to enhance the programme.
Families who have English as an additional language are provided with good support as their children transition into and through the centre. An effective transition to school programme, known as the Koru Club programme, has been developed. The centre-wide focus on children’s readiness for literacy and numeracy learning and the promotion of self management skills is particularly evident in the Koru Club programme.
The centre provides a curriculum that is focused on extending and developing children to be competent and confident learners. Teachers have established very good processes for planning, assessing and evaluating the programme. A curriculum advisor leads the development of the curriculum and implements centre-wide systems to support team leaders and teachers. The programme includes a bicultural focus. Teachers continue to review their practice and build their capacity to promote Māori language and culture in the daily programme.
Effective leadership is a prominent feature of the centre. The centre manager sets high expectations for maintaining positive relationships with staff and families and for fostering positive outcomes for children. The smooth transition during the change of ownership process further reflects the effective leadership skills of centre management. The centre benefits from EVOLVE support through ready access to advice and guidance from the group’s professional services and business managers.
There are many opportunities for staff to build their capability through participation in internal and external professional development courses. The centre’s performance appraisal process also helps identify relevant new learning for teachers. Appraisal goals are well aligned to priorities documented in the centre’s strategic planning.
Self review is well understood by centre leaders and has been a major developmental focus for staff. Leaders ensure that staff and parent perspectives are reflected in reviews. A shared ownership of review outcomes is evident. Planned and spontaneous self reviews are well documented and lead to ongoing improvements.
ERO and centre leaders agree that key next steps for further improvement include continuing to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Leaps and Bounds Albany 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:
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 Leaps and Bounds Albany will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
21 August 2015
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 |
Albany, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45419 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
125 children, including up to 50 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
122 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 54% Boys 46% |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese European Korean Pacific other |
8% 52% 27% 2% 2% 2% 7% |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
21 August 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2012 |
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.