Port Chalmers Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5502
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
28
Telephone:
Address:

30 b Albertson Avenue, Port Chalmers

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Port Chalmers Kindergarten - 22/05/2020

1 Evaluation of Port Chalmers Kindergarten

How well placed is Port Chalmers Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Port Chalmers Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Port Chalmers Kindergarten provides early childhood education for children aged two years to school age. It is licenced for 43 children, and currently has a roll of 43. Nine children identify as Māori.

The teaching and learning philosophy states that children will have knowledge about their community and its people and history (as tangata whenua); have fun as learners (ako); be curious, innovative and creative (wananga); and embrace nature and their place in it (manaakitanga). Teachers seek to achieve this through building responsive relationships with whānau, children learning through play, supporting children to make discoveries about the world, and using the outdoor environment as a learning space.

The teaching team has made good progress in addressing most of the areas for development identified in the November 2015 ERO review report. These included strengthening self review by using indicators more effectively, ensuring the kindergarten's philosophy makes clear what learning is valued and includes a bicultural commitment, and strengthening records of parent partnerships for children's next learning steps. Strengthening group planning and evaluation to make children's learning outcomes clear still needs further work.

Port Chalmers Kindergarten is one of 24 kindergartens governed by Dunedin Kindergartens (DK). Day-to-day operations are led by a head teacher, with the support of three qualified teachers. A senior teacher from DK provides support for professional and operational practice. Since the November 2015 ERO review, there have been some changes in the teaching team.

This review was part of a cluster of seven DK kindergartens reviewed at the beginning of 2020.

The Review Findings

Children show a strong sense of belonging and identity. Children who identify as Māori are acknowledged as peer leaders in taha Māori. Diversity is valued and incorporated into the learning programme. Children’s responses and ideas are frequently recorded and responded to within activities. Their working theories are validated and explored, as individuals and in the wider group. Teachers invite children to be involved in kindergarten routines and ensure they have easy access to any equipment they want or need, which further fosters their sense of ownership of their kindergarten.

Teachers have established warm relationships and learning partnerships with parents and whānau. The kindergarten is welcoming, and whānau are confident to be part of the programme and contribute to learning. Leaders and teachers have implemented flexible ways to communicate with parents so they can inform planning for learning. They ensure parents know about their children's progress through regular assessment records. Teachers demonstrate a commitment to their ongoing learning of te reo and tikanga Māori so they can continue to build their bicultural practices and relationships.

The kindergarten’s curriculum promotes independence, curiosity and sustainability. Its vision is brought to life through group planning for its valued learning priorities and making use of local people and places to enrich children's experiences. The Māori world view is explored as part of children making sense of their community and environment. Teachers provide a variety of literacy opportunities that enable children to enjoy and develop language through play. Children can visit and revisit their learning through multiple contexts. Effective systems are in place to support consistency of care within the kindergarten.

Children with additional learning needs benefit from teachers' close partnerships with parents and external agencies. Teachers plan deliberate actions to move children towards achieving their goals and monitor their progress, while planning increasing levels of challenge.

A centre-wide approach to internal evaluation leads to shared understanding of ideas and improvements to children's learning and wellbeing. Evaluation is well supported by its clear alignment to the kindergarten's vision and philosophy and leads to effectively targeted professional learning. Areas for inquiry and development are strategically selected to meet learner and teacher needs. Teachers use current research and integrate new resources into their internal evaluations, along with the purposeful collection of multiple voices to inform their decisions.

The DK board has made good progress in addressing the governance recommendations from ERO's 2016 reviews. The DK's mission and strategic priorities are well known and reflected in each kindergarten's strategic and annual plans. It has a sound policy and procedure framework that provides guidance for kindergartens and sound systems to monitor health and safety. Leaders and teachers benefit from relevant professional development and leadership support. The DK actively supports equity of outcomes for all children by funding additional teaching resources to support children with additional needs.

Key Next Steps

To further improve outcomes for children, the next step for teachers is to evaluate the effectiveness of the targeted teaching strategies that are intended to engage and extend children's learning in individual and group settings. They will then be better assured of what works well and what is not working.

The DK board has clearly identified, and ERO agrees, that the key next steps for DK to further improve outcomes for children are to ensure that:

  • reporting and monitoring at all levels are evaluative, to clearly show how desired outcomes for children have been improved in relation to the DK’s and kindergartens’ priorities for learning and other strategic priorities

  • a robust and systematic quality assurance framework is implemented to inform and monitor ongoing improvements in each kindergarten.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Port Chalmers Kindergarten 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

22 May 2020

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Dunedin

Ministry of Education profile number

5502

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

43 children over 2 years of age

Service roll

43

Gender composition

Female 23, Male 20

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other

9
29
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

N/A

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2020

Date of this report

22 May 2020

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

November 2015

Education Review

July 2012

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Port Chalmers Kindergarten - 23/11/2015

1 Evaluation of Port Chalmers Kindergarten

How well placed is Port Chalmers Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Port Chalmers Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Children attending Port Chalmers Kindergarten benefit from teachers’ commitment to fostering positive relationships with their families, and the connections they make to the Port Chalmers community.

This kindergarten is one of 24 in the Dunedin Kindergarten Association (DK). It is located in Port Chalmers next door to the school. Up to 40 children travel from surrounding areas to attend the daily sessions. Children may attend for some or all of the day. Children come from a diverse range of family backgrounds.

Since the 2012 ERO review, the outdoor area has continued to be improved and has a variety of interesting places for children to play and challenge themselves. Teachers have been working on the recommendations from this review and these continue to be an ongoing focus. Teachers and children have settled well into the new building. The teaching team has mostly stayed the same.

This review was part of a cluster of 24 reviews in the DK.

The Review Findings

Children have fun with their friends as they learn at Port Chalmers Kindergarten. Teachers have created a place where families feel comfortable to spend time with their children as they settle. Teachers are very aware of children needing individual support and extra care in the programme and have created an inclusive environment. Teachers give families ideas to help them support their child’s learning at home.

Children’s learning is well supported. Teachers:

  • arrange the day to allow minimal interruptions to sustained play
  • respond to children’s play ideas and provide resources to extend these
  • actively support children to develop necessary skills to be friends with one another
  • use their knowledge of children to respond to them in meaningful ways
  • encourage older children to take on leadership roles in the kindergarten.

The philosophy states that teachers aim for children to be successful learners and communicators and to be curious about the world around them. They plan a programme to meet these aims. Children enjoy a wide variety of interesting experiences suitable for all children in the mixed-age setting. These include:

  • early literacy
  • gardening and sustainability
  • art and creativity.

Children regularly go on trips within the local community, such as to the Orokonui eco-sanctuary and Quarantine Island. These provide a shared platform of experiences for teachers and children to talk about together, and for children to use as play ideas. They also take part in local community events, including an artist-in-residence programme and Matariki celebrations.

Teachers are committed to deepening the bicultural curriculum and have plans to ensure this is built on and extended. For example, they have introduced a weekly kapa haka session supported by a parent.

Teachers have useful systems for planning to meet the interests and needs of groups and individual children. Aspects of group and individual planning and evaluation require strengthening to make the desired learning more evident. Children’s profile books show many moments of learning. They are accessible to children and enjoyed by them.

The head teacher leads the vision for the kindergarten. There are systems in place for the smooth operation of the daily programme and practices. Teachers work well together. They have a strong focus on continuing to improve their teaching. A noted strength is the way teachers make positive changes to their practice as a result of professional learning.

Teachers have a useful format for self review. They have made some positive changes as a result of self review. There is still further work to do for this to be fully effective.

The vision of the DK is to provide excellence in early childhood education for all children. The DK is governed by a board and managed by a long-serving general manager. The kindergarten teachers told ERO they appreciated the support they receive from the association and the advice and guidance of the senior teachers.

The board, general manager and senior teachers:

  • provide appropriate opportunities for parents and staff to contribute their ideas about matters in the association

  • are responsive to the identified needs of children and families within the association, and provide funding and support to enable these to be met

  • have developed a useful framework to guide their work

  • take all reasonable steps to ensure safe environments for children, teachers and other staff

  • maintain their professional learning and provide ongoing professional learning for teachers in the association.

Key Next Steps

The teachers, senior teacher and ERO agree the next steps for the kindergarten’s ongoing improvement journey are to:

  • strengthen self-review practices by making more effective use of indicators throughout all stages of the review
  • ensure the philosophy makes clear what is valued as important learning for children and include their commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand
  • strengthen group planning and evaluation to make clearer the intended learning outcomes for children
  • strengthen children’s records to show more clearly how teachers work in partnership with parents to determine the next steps for learning and the strategies to achieve this learning.

Next steps for the board, with the support of the general manager and senior teachers, are to:

  • continue to define what excellence in education looks like in the DK

  • further develop strategic planning to better show future goals and priorities and how these will be achieved in the association and in the kindergartens

  • ensure that the reports they receive show how well the association’s vision and goals are met, are evaluative and inform future planning

  • continue to strengthen the appraisal process and be assured that appraisals are rigorous and consistent throughout the kindergartens.

With the appointment of a new senior teacher it is timely for the board and general manager to review the role of the senior teachers and strengthen systems to ensure consistent, high-quality practice across all kindergartens within the association.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Port Chalmers Kindergarten 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Port Chalmers Kindergarten will be in three years. 

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Dunedin

Ministry of Education profile number

5502

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

43 children, aged two-to-five years

Service roll

51

Gender composition

Boys: 26

Girls: 25

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other

10

36

5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

N/A

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

October 2015

Date of this report

23 November 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

July 2012

Education Review

November 2008

Education Review

February 2006

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years

Well placed – The next ERO review in three years

Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years

Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.