137 Runciman Road, Pukekohe
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pukekohe East Playcentre is a well-established, parent-led early childhood education service. It is situated in a semi-rural part of Pukekohe adjacent to the local primary school. The playcentre offers three supervised sessions per week, catering for up to 30 children from birth to school age in a mixed-age setting.
Through the playcentre philosophy centre members promote a safe and caring environment that is focussed on child-led play and learning. Parents aim to provide a fun and attractive space for children to achieve learning outcomes.
The previous ERO report in 2013 identified areas for development about processes for planning, assessment and evaluation. In response to these processes, a buddy system has been developed that supports members with training so that they are better able to recognise, and respond to children’s learning.
The playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association (CPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation and the CPA provide governance oversight for the centre. This includes strategic direction, management support, documentation and adult education programmes. The centre receives regular visits from association personnel whose role is to provide advice, guidance and support to centre members. The New Zealand Playcentre Federation is currently undergoing restructuring, and this has implications for CPA governance actions in the future.
This review was part of a cluster of five playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
Children benefit from a well-resourced, deliberately planned learning environment. This focuses on their interests, play and learning alongside their peers, and promotes social competency and self-management. Parents respect children's rights to express a point of view and be involved in decisions that affect them, and create many opportunities for children to learn through problem solving and inquiry. Children's sense of belonging is enhanced through positive and respectful relationships with all of the adults in the centre.
There is equitable provision for children up to the age of two years. While younger children are encouraged to play and learn alongside older children there is also a quiet safe place for the very young to be able to freely explore their world.
Transition to school is well supported. Ongoing informal discussions between the playcentre and the adjacent school inform both playcentre and school programme design. Children's growing ability to communicate is strengthened through good oral language support. Their literacy and numeracy skills are enhanced by a rich visual print environment. Visits to the community enrich the varied learning experiences that extend children’s interests.
Parents are at the beginning stages of enacting culturally responsive practices. Support for children to understand and value New Zealand's bi-cultural heritage is evident. A recently appointed bi-cultural officer has implemented a number of strategies to increase the amount of Māori language used by parents. They are developing a commitment to using te reo Māori in sessions, and learning about local Māori history and celebrations such as Matariki. ERO supports the intention by leaders to identify and evaluate language promotion strategies that have been most effective in increasing the use of te reo Māori by parents and children.
Effective leadership of learning is contributing to a quality programme for children. Parents are deliberate in the way that they support their own and other children's learning. ERO observed examples of parents promoting sustained and engaged play where children are supported to make inquiries and to be curious. The use of open-ended questioning encourages children's thinking and reasoning. An attractive and inviting outdoor environment provides many opportunities for developing and enhancing physical skills.
Centre leaders provide effective guidance for assessment and planning of the curriculum and the way that children learn. There is good support for ongoing assessment of this learning. They share useful templates that encourage parents to notice, recognise and respond to learning opportunities. Termly plans ensure that children's interests are followed, and weekly evaluations deepen parents' understanding of how to extend learning.
A CPA liaison worker regularly visits the centre to provide members with advice and guidance and support with aspects of playcentre training. The centre education officer has maintained continuity of day-to-day centre operations through a period of challenge and change. She is encouraging emergent leadership and building the confidence of new members as they take increasing responsibility for centre management. This shared leadership approach is contributing to centre sustainability and fostering ongoing commitment to training amongst centre members.
Playcentre leaders provide good support for parents to understand children's learning and promote further training through playcentre course work. They skilfully facilitate collegiality and teamwork. Ongoing strategic and spontaneous self review has led to improved outcomes for children. There is a well-written strategic plan that has an appropriate focus on ongoing improvement not just of property but also the curriculum. Leaders promote collaborative ways of working with children and their families who attend the centre.
ERO and playcentre leaders agree that in order to improve provision for learning parents should;
focus on tracking children's learning over time in learning stories and portfolios
make greater use of the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to identify and extend learning
investigate ways to include aspects of local Māori history and sites of significance in the programme. This is necessary to enhance Māori children's sense of identity and belonging, and further promote New Zealand's bicultural partnership
ERO recommends that CPA:
develops strategies to ensure that its centre members are kept up-to-date with obligations and expectations in relation to current regulatory requirements and policies.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pukekohe East Playcentre 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 Pukekohe East Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
15 August 2017
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 |
Pukekohe, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25284 |
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|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
28 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 13 Boys 15 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
|
|
Date of this report |
15 August 2017 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
December 2013 |
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2007 |
|
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
With help from the Counties Playcentre Association and as centre members rebuild the roll and lift their training levels, the centre should be in a better position to build on current practices that support positive outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pukekohe East Playcentre is situated alongside Pukekohe East School in rural Pukekohe. The centre offers three sessions each week for up to 30 children. It is cooperatively managed and programmes for children are implemented by the families who are centre members.
The playcentre philosophy of parents and children learning together underpins centre operations. The centre has a history of positive ERO reports. Since ERO’s 2010 report the roll has fallen and the centre is now managed and run by a group of 16 families.
Pukekohe East Playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association. The association provides a management and policy framework for centre operations. Liaison workers and other elected association officers provide support for centres. Association members deliver the playcentre adult education programme to help centre members build their understanding about children’s learning.
Centre members have worked hard to upgrade the building and grounds to meet requirements for relicensing under the 2008 early childhood education regulations.
This review was part of a cluster of 8 playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
Centre members have established a strong sense of family. They value the sense of belonging children have in the centre and appreciate the learning opportunities for themselves and their children. They provide support for each other in their parenting and educator roles.
Children are confident to relate to a variety of adults. They are supported to develop friendships and positive social skills.
Members are considering ways to recognise and include te reo Māori and the diverse home languages of centre members.
Adults share their knowledge about children and support and respond to children’s current interests. They follow children’s lead as they choose from the wide selection of good quality resources. The spacious and attractive outdoor area offers a variety of interesting, useful spaces and physical challenges. Centre members could consider ways to provide safe spaces for infants to play during busy sessions.
Centre members use a practical programme planning process that involves noticing and recording children’s interests at each session. As members increase their levels of training and develop more collaborative approaches they will further develop shared understandings about ways to support, extend and plan for children’s learning.
Parents share decision making about managing the centre and all have opportunities to take leadership roles. They have established a mission statement and a management plan, and have used action plans to help them to achieve their goals. Members are developing meaningful self review that is resulting in improvements.
Association management practices are well established. Self review involves centre members, and contributes to decision making. A strategic review is currently underway, with a view to streamlining Association systems and practices and making them more manageable for playcentre members. This review could also consider how the Association can provide earlier, more focused support for centres that are facing challenges. Liaison workers should consider ways to help centres establish effective strategic and annual planning, and strengthen self review practices. Monitoring and supporting the quality of programmes in centres should be a more central aspect of the liaison worker role.
Centre members recognise that ongoing Association support is needed to assist them to:
As a result of this cluster of reviews, ERO recommends that the Counties Playcentre Association access support from the Ministry of Education and the NZ Playcentre Federation to refine the Association’s structure, systems and practices.
Before the review, the management of Pukekohe East Playcentre 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.
The next ERO review of Pukekohe East Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
9 December 2013
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 |
Pukekohe, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25284 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
20 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 12 Boys 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā |
20 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2013 |
||
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Date of this report |
9 December 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2004 |
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.