71 Wainui Road, Silverdale
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Woodlands Education is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Woodlands Education in Silverdale is a privately-owned service. It provides education and care for 25 children, including up to 10 children under the age of two years. Small numbers of Māori children attend the service.
The service operates in two separate learning areas with a shared outdoor play space. The owner is currently undertaking plans to develop the outdoor play area. The service was previously licensed as Plum Tree Preschool.
The philosophy is based on Christian beliefs and a holistic view of learning and development. The centre owner leads a team of four qualified full-time teachers and three part-time relief teachers. The centre owner is supported by a centre manager, who maintains the daily operations.
The 2016 ERO report highlighted a strong sense of belonging among children and positive attitudes towards learning. The report also highlighted strong communication with parents and whānau, and good systems to build teacher capability and professional growth. These positive aspects have been maintained. Next steps included teachers making use of the environment to provoke children's interests and extend their learning and fostering parent partnerships. There has been good progress made in these areas.
Children are enthusiastic and active participants in their own learning. There are many opportunities for them to develop independence and learning of social competency skills. Children approach teachers confidently when requiring reassurance or assistance. Children play cooperatively with others and are competent at solving problems. Friendships among children are evident.
Infants and toddlers experience opportunities to engage and play alongside their older peers. The programme offers some structure while maintaining flexibility to respond to children's individual needs. Children benefit from consistent staffing and respectful practices.
Leaders and teachers interact with children in positive and sensitive ways. Teaching practices demonstrate knowledge of children as individuals. Working collaboratively, teachers plan curriculum experiences based on children's interests. Teachers enact the shared philosophy, providing children with consistent messages that promote their participation in the programme. Teachers could now consider how the programme supports transitions for younger children.
Teachers are developing their knowledge of culture and context for individuals. Teachers are aware of indigenous knowledge unique to Aotearoa and are implementing practices to support Māori learners to achieve success. Several staff have engaged in professional development to grow their capability in this area.
The service is strengthening its understanding of the diversity in Pacific heritages and how the curriculum provided maintains connections to children's cultural identity.
Parents and whānau have access to relevant information about their child. They have regular opportunities to be involved in their children's learning. Learning stories provide a record of children's participation in the programme. Teachers could consider ways to strengthen assessment information to ensure it is specific for individual learners.
Centre leaders have established an organisational culture of ongoing improvement. Teachers are offered a wide range of professional learning and development opportunities. Leaders could strengthen evaluation processes to better inform their understanding of how well the curriculum supports the learning and development of all children.
The centre has structures in place to support ongoing internal evaluation. An appraisal system supports individual teacher and collective staff capability. Leaders should consider how evaluation could be used to further strengthen these processes.
Key next steps include strengthening:
Before the review, the staff and management of Woodlands Education 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
12 June 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.
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Location |
Silverdale, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45824 |
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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 |
25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 years |
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Service roll |
24 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2020 |
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Date of this report |
12 June 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review (previously Plum Tree Preschool) |
May 2016 |
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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:
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:
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.
Plum Tree Preschool, in Silverdale, offers sessional and full day care and education. It is licensed for 25 children, including six children under two years. The centre operates as two separate rooms, in an adapted house, catering for different age groups. The owner has recently purchased land next to the property to develop as larger playground areas and car parking for the centre.
The centre works closely with the nearby Plum Tree Preschool Millwater and both centres operate using the same administrative and management systems.
The centre’s philosophy is based upon Christian beliefs. Teachers aim to provide children with meaningful learning experiences that supports their transition to school. They have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and valuing of all cultures.
The 2011 ERO report noted the welcoming and caring environment for children and their families. The centre manager and staff responded positively to the report’s recommendations for improvement to management processes and programme implementation.
Children are confident, have a strong sense of belonging and a positive attitude towards learning. They approach teachers with trust and affection when requiring reassurance or assistance. Children are happy, have fun and play cooperatively. They are socially competent and show respect for others.
Teachers provide a nurturing, friendly environment where children learn with support from attentive adults. Teaching practices facilitate children's exploration, language development and engagement with learning. Infants and toddlers benefit from individualised care and responsive attention from staff. Programmes and routines are flexible to cater for these young children’s developmental stages and parent preferences.
Teachers have recently been reviewing the way that resources and the environment are set up to promote children’s interest and learning. Children now have very good access to outdoor areas that allow for a range of engaging activities. Good use is made of the available indoor and outdoor spaces. Teachers nurture, promote and specifically plan for children's physical and emotional wellbeing.
Teachers have continued to develop planning and assessment practices that guide curriculum programmes. There is a balance of structured and child-led learning. The curriculum is underpinned by Christian beliefs and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Planning approaches are flexible, allowing teachers to respond to children’s interests alongside topic-based planned programmes. Planning is well documented and evaluated and visible for children and parents.
Teachers integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into the programme. Teachers are keen to continue to enrich their bicultural practice. This has the potential to foster Māori children’s identity as Māori, while enabling all children to experience and learn about New Zealand’s bicultural setting.
Centre leaders and teachers value parental and community involvement. Parents/whānau receive good information about their child’s learning and development. They are encouraged to contribute to the centre programme and join in events. There is a high level of parent satisfaction and appreciation of teachers and the programme.
The centre owner/manager is actively involved in the centre, provides professional leadership and is supportive of the teachers. She demonstrates strong, purposeful management focused on building the centre’s physical environment and teacher effectiveness. Teachers have leadership opportunities through their individual centre responsibilities. The centre manager and the supervisor regularly meet with the managers of the Millwater centre. Good systems to support teacher professional learning and self review are often carried out across both centres.
An efficient framework of administrative, personnel and support systems guides centre operations. Personnel provide regular professional development for leaders and staff to grow in their roles. Useful processes for internal evaluation are followed to monitor licensing requirements and teaching effectiveness. These processes appropriately include staff perspectives and ideas. Clear expectations in relation to the Practising Teacher Criteria should help guide teachers as they further develop and document their reflective practice.
Centre leaders have identified appropriate development priorities that include further:
Centre leaders could also continue to enhance self review with a clearer focus on identifying the effectiveness of centre systems and processes using indicators of success.
Before the review, the staff and management of Plum Tree 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.
To improve current practices the centre manager must ensure that all non-registered staff are vetted by the police every three years. At the time of this external evaluation there was one staff member who did not have a current police vet.
The next ERO review of Plum Tree Preschool will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
18 May 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 |
Silverdale, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45824 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 6 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
29 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 15 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
24 |
|
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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 |
March 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 May 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2013 |
|
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.