5 Cracroft Street, New Plymouth
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Piccolo Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Piccolo Preschool is a privately-owned service, established in 2016. The service philosophy states that secure, reciprocal relationships are valued. Respectful, collaborative partnerships with parents and whānau to support children’s learning are underpinning principles. The philosophy upholds te ao Māori concepts of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and ngā hononga.
Children’s relationships with adults and other children enriches their learning. Teachers respectful, responsive language and actions provide a positive guiding influence. They purposefully design an environment that supports the growth of children’s social abilities as they explore, navigate, create and delve deeply across a broad curriculum. Children engage in and sustain in their play, leading their learning and demonstrating ako. They are viewed as confident, competent, capable learners.
Children’s achievements and progress are celebrated through visual and documented learning journeys. Focused partnerships with parents and whānau are highly valued. Their aspirations, learning journey contributions and meeting conversations inform and influence the curriculum. Teachers continue to build consistency of effective teaching to increase individual children’s knowledge and understanding. The learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the service priorities, interweave to promote children as successful learners.
Children experience te ao Māori values of manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, ako, tuakana teina and kaitiakitanga. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori rituals are authentically woven through the curriculum. Children share pepeha, karakia and appropriate tikanga, and participate in a responsive curriculum that prioritises exploration of tangata whenua landmarks.
Some of the children’s diverse cultures are visible within the centre.
Two-year old children are celebrated as learners. Their individual goals and plans are collaboratively designed with whānau. Progress is reported and shared regularly. Successful transition processes are in place. Leaders and teachers partner with external agencies in developing programmes that enhance learning for children’s additional needs.
Leaders and teachers are effectively embedding internal evaluation processes that support ongoing improvement. Distributed leadership enables teachers to grow their capability; they encourage each other to critically reflect on their practice. The centre’s professional growth policy is being progressed. Relational trust amongst the teaching team and whānau is highly evident. Children experience an encouraging learning environment and positive learning outcomes.
Piccolo Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Piccolo Preschool 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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
13 December 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Piccolo Preschool |
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Profile Number |
50509 |
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Location |
New Plymouth |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
32 children aged over two. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
43 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 28, Other ethnic groups 11. |
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Review team on site |
October 2021 |
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Date of this report |
13 December 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, May 2015. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Piccolo Preschool is a privately-owned service, established in 2016 in Welbourne, New Plymouth. The centre caters for families from within the New Plymouth community as well as students from the adjacent Western Institute of Technology in New Plymouth. It is licensed for 31 children from two to school age. Of the 43 children enrolled ten are Māori.
The owner has responsibility for management and governance. She is supported by the preschool manager with professional leadership of the team. All teachers are qualified.
The service philosophy emphasises the importance of a family-like environment that encourages secure reciprocal relationships through respectful teaching in collaboration with whānau. The preschool is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach.
Key next steps in the May 2015 ERO evaluation, under the service name of Polytots Early Learning Centre, a previous service with the same licence number, were to continue to refine the curriculum and self review. Progress is evident.
This is the first ERO report for Piccolo Preschool.
The valued learning outcomes described in the preschool philosophy are evident in practice. Children are engaged and encouraged to be self-motivated, creative, expressive and imaginative. They confidently participate in the well-established daily routines. Teachers effectively promote children's social skills and behaviour development, encouraging respect for others.
The purposefully developed environment is strongly reflective of the Reggio Emilia philosophy. An emphasis on nature-based learning experiences and environmental sustainability are reflected in the outdoor environment.
The programme is responsive to individual children’s interests and needs. Literacy, mathematics, science and creativity are well integrated into learning experiences and through the use of natural and open-ended resources. There is some weaving of te ao Māori through the programme. Reflecting this learning, through the curriculum, would further support, respect and value the language, culture and identity of Māori children.
A well-connected cycle of assessment of children's learning linked to planning and evaluation of teaching strategies is not yet fully implemented. Teachers use a range of suitable planning and monitoring strategies and make clear and useful assessments of children's ongoing progress. This information is regularly shared with parents. Leaders agree that strengthening programme evaluation by making clear and specific judgements about the effectiveness of teaching strategies, should improve planning for learning.
Children with diverse learning needs benefit from teachers' highly inclusive practices. Close, relationships with whānau and support agencies are in place.
Transitions into the preschool are sensitively managed. Teachers prioritise the development of a strong sense of belonging for both children and their families.
Leaders have developed meaningful relationships with local schools. A range of strategies, including assessment documentation further support children's confidence when transitioning to school.
Effective annual appraisals are in place. Teachers' goals and professional learning opportunities are aligned to the centre’s strategic direction and philosophy. Mentoring and regular feedback challenges them to improve their practice.
Teachers and leaders actively engage in a range of reviews to inform decision making and ongoing improvement. A next step is to fully embed the recently developed internal evaluation framework that should enable teachers to better evaluate the impact of their practices on outcomes for children.
ERO and leaders agree that the key next steps are to continue to strengthen:
the planning and use of intentional teaching strategies, within assessment, planning and evaluation documentation
a stronger focus on the impact of practices on Māori children's learning outcomes
the evaluative aspect of internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Piccolo Preschool 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 Piccolo Preschool will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
7 June 2018
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 |
New Plymouth |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
50509 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
31 children over two |
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Service roll |
43 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 26, Girls 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
April 2018 |
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Date of this report |
7 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
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Education Review |
August 2013 |
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Education Review |
August 2010 |
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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.