|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
PORSE Wairarapa Q1 is a home-based education and care network operating under the umbrella of PORSE In-Home Childcare. Qualified and registered programme tutors work alongside educators to implement and support learning programmes for children in homes. PORSE also supports families and educators with professional development, administration and payroll services. A national team provides governance and management support for all PORSE services.
PORSE offers two models of education and care: the Home Educator model, where an educator works in their own home; and a Nanny Educator model, where an educator works in a family’s home. PORSE provides a range of training programmes and workshops for home educators, nannies and parents. There are 109 children enrolled in this network and 23 identify as Māori.
The PORSE vision is ‘expanding the hearts, minds and wellbeing of a nation through nurturing childcare in-home’.
This review is one of a cluster of six home-based network reviews of PORSE In-Home Childcare.
Children can participate in a wide range of learning experiences in educators' homes and the local community. There is a focus on child-led learning that emerges from everyday events. Many children attend PORSE playschools, organised excursions and music sessions which provide new challenges and opportunities to socialise. Programme tutors are aware of local resources to support children with additional learning needs.
Programme tutors’ monthly visits and regular communication with educators give suitable attention to ensuring PORSE health and safety expectations are met, children’s interests are noted and educator practice is acknowledged.
Educators are purposefully supported by programme tutors to identify children’s interests and develop experiences to strengthen these. Children’s journals record special times and provide, along with educator notes, useful information for parents about their child’s play and learning. Extensive use of photographs supports children to reflect on their participation and aspects of their learning. Some educators are linking children’s learning experiences to the goals and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Promoting parent partnership is a development focus across the organisation. Information and communication technologies (ICT) are being explored to support parent participation and voice in children’s programmes. PORSE agrees that further work is required to identify and plan based on parent and whānau aspirations for their children. Whānau partnership and links with mana whenua, when well developed, should support understanding and implementation of practices that acknowledge success for Māori children as Māori.
Programme tutors encourage educators to be culturally responsive. PORSE is developing plans nationally, to strengthen participation of Māori and Pacific families in the organization. A need to support children’s connections with their own cultural identity is acknowledged.
PORSE personnel are developing a more bicultural curriculum for children. Understanding about te ao Māori is actively facilitated. Ministry of Education resources have been accessed. PORSE has plans in place to support understanding and use of these resources to promote improved outcomes for Māori learners.
Further work is needed to develop assessment, planning and evaluation. Professional support is planned for programme tutors. This should include strengthening and clarifying:
A wide range of learning opportunities, documentation and systems support educators and programme tutors to meet legislative requirements and the expectations of PORSE. Roles and responsibilities at various levels of the organisation are clearly defined. A supportive team culture is evident. Career pathways promote professional growth and reward study and achievement. Care is taken to protect the privacy of children and their families and whānau. PORSE continues to develop and refine resourcing to support education programmes in homes.
Programme tutors’ performance management process is being improved to include links to professional teaching requirements. Appraisal should also include regular constructive feedback linked to individual personal and professional goals and PORSE’s strategic intent. Development of systems to better monitor compliance with PORSE expectations is being considered.
PORSE values self review as a tool to promote improvement. Parents’ and educators’ views are regularly sought. Tools have been created and professional learning opportunities offered to support staff understanding. There is a need to further develop knowledge about, and use of, self review across the organisation. Using the existing framework in a more evaluative way to support decisions about development is an agreed next step.
A recent review has increased the focus on outcomes for children in the PORSE vision and strategic intent. PORSE should further unpack this strategic priority to support evaluation of the quality of the outcomes and measurement of progress.
Over the past 12 months PORSE has undergone significant change. A strong focus on developing new initiatives and resources to support a sustainable future continues. There has been increasing provision ICT to support staff practice.
Priorities for the service provider and staff are to continue to develop:
Before the review, the staff and management of PORSE Wairarapa Q1 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.
In order to improve current practice the service provider should:
The next ERO review of PORSE Wairarapa Q1 will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
12 May 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.
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Location |
Upper Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
30142 |
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Licence type |
Homebased Network |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
109 |
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Standard or Quality Funded |
Standard Funded |
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Gender composition |
Boys 59 Girls 50 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
23 76 10 |
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Number of qualified coordinators in the network |
2 |
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Reported ratios of staff educators to children |
Under 2 |
1:2 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:4 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2015 |
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Date of this report |
12 May 2015 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
June 2006 |
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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014
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.