22 Ward Street, Palmerston North
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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Puddleducks’ Ward Street are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding |
The service is one of seven within the Manawatū in the Aspiring Services Ltd group. The centre is supported by a senior leadership team and board, with day-to-day management overseen by a centre leader. The service role is ethnically diverse and almost a quarter are Māori learners.
Children experience a rich curriculum based in responsive relationships. Children’s growing social competence and curiosity are well supported. Leaders and teachers enact a shared approach to meet the needs of children, taking collective responsibility for their wellbeing. Children’s learning is enhanced though exploration alongside their peers.
Assessment practices effectively capture children’s progress and learning over time. Teachers revisit children’s interests and respond in meaningful ways. Children benefit from teachers working in partnership with families to connect learning between centre and home life. Whilst there are some examples of culture and language being affirmed throughout the curriculum, this is an ongoing focus for improvement. Leaders and teachers have identified that a fuller response to cultures, particularly for Māori learners, is required.
Learning and development for children is enriched by a centre culture of inquiry. A range of experience and knowledge in the teaching team support in-depth internal evaluation and positively impacts assessment practices and centre growth. Children’s engagement and learning experiences are enabled by the teaching team as they grow in collective capability.
Children and their families benefit from intentional actions of senior leadership and governance to support inclusion and equity. Stewardship provided at this level supports ongoing development for the varied experience of teachers and leaders. Positive and consistent outcomes for all children are the basis for decision making at a strategic level. The relationship the centre has with its community informs strategic planning across the wider organisation. Organisational leaders are yet to utilise evaluation findings to understand progress toward strategic priorities.
Puddleducks’ Ward Street will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Further develop the centre local curriculum and centre priorities in partnership with families to reflect and celebrate the places, people and stories relevant to their area.
Align internal evaluation practices to the centre priorities, to understand what has worked, why and for which groups of children.
Senior leadership utilise findings of centre level evaluation to monitor, understand progress toward, and evaluate strategic priorities.
Before the review, the staff and management of Puddleducks’ Ward Street completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
17 January 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Puddleducks’ Ward Street |
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Profile Number |
52515 |
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Location: |
Palmerston North |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
46 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
17 January 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2019; Education Review, June 2016 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Puddleducks - Wananga is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Puddleducks - Wananga is located in Palmerston North. It was purchased by Aspiring Services Ltd in July 2018. It is one of six centres privately owned by this organisation.
The service is licensed for 40 children over two years. The current roll of 23, includes six who identify as Māori.
A board of directors undertakes the governance role. A managing director, supported by a human resources and educational leader have responsibility for overseeing strategic operation and professional practice in the centre. The centre leader is responsible for the day-to-day running of the service.
The philosophy guiding teaching and learning has been reviewed and is underpinned by the service's core values and beliefs. There is an emphasis on authentic relationships and providing a stimulating homely environment that promotes a sense of belonging. Cultural diversity is acknowledged and valued.
Aspiring Services' organisational structure empowers and supports staff to implement systems and processes to promote positive learning outcomes for children. There is a considered approach to implementing change. Policy development, implementation and review have prioritised children’s health and safety, and strengthening the quality of teaching and learning.
A well-developed annual plan guides improvement. Goals focus on strengthening relationships and learning partnerships with parents and whānau, culturally responsive practices and assessment, planning and evaluation. Regular review and monitoring of progress in relation to these goals should enable management, leaders and teachers to celebrate successes and ensure positive outcomes for children remains a priority.
Respectful and caring relationships support children's engagement in self-initiated play. Children enjoy being physically active and confidently explore the new outdoor environment. They access a good range of activities and resources that enable them to follow their interests and engage in imaginative and creative play.
Teachers are responsive to the needs of children. They engage with children at their level and talk to them about decisions that affect them. Regular communication with parents and whānau maintains links between the home and centre and supports children's sense of belonging.
Assessment, planning and evaluation is appropriately identified as an area for further development. Leaders and teachers are working to improve processes and practices. They are trialling an approach to better respond to the individual needs of each child.
Children requiring additional learning support are well catered for in an inclusive environment. Teachers actively engage with parents and whānau to support children's participation in the programme. The service should develop a more proactive approach to their engagement with external agencies.
There is a considered approach to supporting the transition of children in to the centre. More time is given to the process especially for children and families from non-English speaking backgrounds.
A new professional growth and development programme is being implemented. This has been strengthened to better support provisionally certificated teachers. It is an appropriate process to support renewal and issue of practising certificates. Teacher inquiry aligned to centre priorities is usefully included as part of the evidence base.
A framework to guide internal evaluation practice is in the early stages of implementation. Strengthening a shared understanding of the purpose and use of internal evaluation across all levels of the organisation should enable managers, leaders and teachers to know the impact of new developments and how they promote positive outcomes for children.
Management, leaders and ERO have identified the need to:
regularly review and monitor progress of the annual plan to ensure positive outcomes for children remains a priority
continue to review and develop frameworks to support centre operations and practices
continue to strengthen internal evaluation to identify what is working well and what further improvements are needed.
Before the review, the staff and management of Puddleducks - Wananga 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.
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
13 May 2019
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 |
Palmerston North |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
52515 |
|
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
23 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Male 15, Female 8 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
March 2019 |
|
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Date of this report |
13 May 2019 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2016 |
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.
Wananga Preschool is located in Palmerston North and provides education and care for children aged from two to five years. Sessions are offered five days a week. The centre is licensed for up to 40 tamariki. At this time, 12 Māori children were enrolled at the centre.
The February 2013 ERO report identified areas requiring further improvement including: strengthening assessment planning and evaluation, enhancing self-review and appraisal. The centre continues to make progress in addressing these areas.
The management structure has been reviewed and changes made. As a result, the centre manager oversees this centre and its associated service Rewanui Private Kindergarten.
Day-to-day operation of the centre is now the responsibility of the team leader, who supports two assistant team leaders. Teachers are fully qualified and represent a diverse range of cultures.
Wananga Preschool is a privately owned centre that focuses on offering a whānau orientated, kaupapa Māori based education and care service.
Tamariki experience a play-based curriculum that is planned to meet their needs and allows them to lead their own learning. Opportunities are taken to use community resources to enrich curriculum experiences. Literacy and mathematics are valued and woven throughout learning experiences.
The philosophy, based on kaupapa Māori aspects, is highly evident throughout the centre. Children are empowered to take responsibility for their wellbeing and that of others. Teachers engage with children and their parents to understand their language and culture, and seek to make experiences meaningful to all.
A whānau like atmosphere enables children to interact confidently with adults and their peers. They are encouraged to be independent and respectful of others and the environment. Teachers support children to problem solve and provide feedback that acknowledges their effort and success.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are highly valued and evident through the centre and the curriculum. Teachers use te reo Māori in general conversations with tamariki. Waiata Māori are popular activities.
Leaders have identified the need to consult with whānau Māori and their Pacific community to ensure aspirations for their children are captured by the centre. ERO agrees. Consultation should assist teachers to define what educational success looks like for these children in this context.
Learning profiles provide a useful record of children's learning and participation in the programme. The introduction of an online assessment tool has enabled parents and whānau to contribute more frequently to their child’s learning profile. Leaders and teachers have identified the need to continue to strengthen their assessment, planning and evaluation processes. ERO agrees with this direction.
Parents have opportunities to contribute and participate in centre activities. Strong relationships with parents and whānau have been nurtured by all staff at the centre. Developing learning partnerships with parents and whānau is a key next step.
Leaders are focused on improving the quality of education and care through an ongoing, systematic approach. A key next step is for leaders to build teachers' evaluative understanding and capability. This should assist them to better evaluate how well their practices impact positively on children's learning.
Children with English as a second language are supported to both develop their home language and to hold meaningful conversations in English. Those with additional learning needs are well supported by teachers and external agencies.
The recently developed appraisal system includes the Practising Teacher Criteria for supporting and developing teaching staff to gain and maintain registration. Key next steps for strengthening this process include:
Leaders are improvement focused. They are beginning to use evidence to inform change. Leaders actively work to grow teachers' practice and develop consistency across the centre. Policies and procedures are regularly reviewed. Documents provide a good level of guidance for staff.
Priorities for improvement should continue to include:
strengthening Māori and Pacific educational success
developing learning partnerships with whānau and parents
improving assessment, planning and evaluation
building teachers' internal evaluation capability
enhancing the appraisal process.
Before the review, the staff and management of Wananga 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 Wananga Preschool will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
8 June 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 |
Palmerston North |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
52515 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children over two years of age |
||
|
Service roll |
36 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 19, Boys 17 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Niuean Asian |
12 12 1 11 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
8 June 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Supplementary Review |
February 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
||
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.