Ranui Station Road, Ranui, Auckland
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.
Ranui Kindergarten is a well-established service located next to Ranui Primary School. It is licensed for 40 children over the age of two. Eighty percent of the children on the roll are from Māori and Pacific families. Children are enrolled in the kindergarten from the age of three and a half years.
The philosophy is based on inclusive practices and the team's commitment to responsive relationships with parents and whānau to support children's learning. Teachers use Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to guide the programme.
Three of the four qualified teachers are new to the kindergarten, including the head teacher. The head teacher oversees daily operations, and three support staff assist teachers in the programme and with administration.
Positive features identified in the 2014 ERO report have been sustained. These included responding to children's interests and the stimulating and well-resourced environment. Good progress has been made in relation to ERO's recommendations to further develop assessments to reflect children's individual learning and progress, and to strengthen relationships with whānau.
The kindergarten is part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA), which provides a governance and management framework. Professional support personnel assist teachers with curriculum, management and property matters. Staff are in the process of adapting to changes in AKA operational practices.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Auckland Kindergarten Association.
Children learn in a spacious and attractive environment. The centre is very well resourced. Children have easy access to resources, allowing them to make choices about their play. Their interests and play are stimulated by the well-defined learning areas. The outdoor area provides good opportunities for children to move freely and actively with appropriate physical challenges. The learning environment supports children to become independent and motivated learners.
Teachers are flexible in their approach and provide a balance between child-initiated and adult-led learning opportunities. They are committed to an inclusive programme that highly values bicultural practices. The languages and cultural identity of Pacific children, and of children from other diverse cultures, are valued in the learning programme. Teachers should make these more visible in records of children's learning.
Teachers facilitate and support child-directed play with strategies that are unobtrusive and effective. Children are encouraged to verbalise their needs, negotiate outcomes, and take responsibility for themselves. They engage in sustained imaginative play and are supportive of their peers. Children are developing confidence and skills in group situations. They are also developing empathy for others and learning to persist with challenging tasks. There are good opportunities for children to develop early literacy, numeracy and science skills.
Staff interact respectfully with children and are responsive and affirming of their efforts and ideas. They have positive interactions and relationships with children and their whānau. Family involvement is welcomed, and this contributes to children's strong sense of belonging in the kindergarten. Children are eager to play with their peers. They are also happy to seek assistance, initiate conversations, or share their work with teachers.
Teachers maintain a wide variety of records that show children’s learning throughout the kindergarten. Vibrant displays of learning stories, photos and examples of children’s ideas inform families, and identify current learning interests. Assessment portfolios provide a source of information for children, parents and teachers to review and reflect on previous learning experiences.
The AKA is reviewing its appraisal processes to align with the new Education Council requirements. As part of this development leaders should ensure that there is depth and an improvement focus in teachers’ reflection and professional goals.
Teachers agree that useful next steps to strengthen the programme for children should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Ranui 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:
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 Ranui Kindergarten will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
8 February 2018
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 |
Ranui, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5094 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
39 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 21 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
8 February 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2014 |
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Supplementary Review |
October 2011 |
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Education Review |
August 2010 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Ranui Kindergarten, in Ranui, West Auckland, is a well established service that provides education and care for children over two years of age. The kindergarten operates sessions whose hours match those of schools. Some children attend for mornings only.
The centre is part of the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) and operates within the policies and management framework of this organisation. A professional services manager (PSM) provides good support for teachers. The AKA has high expectations that teachers will provide a bicultural programme.
The kindergarten’s multicultural teaching team reflects Ranui’s diverse community. Over many years, teachers have established trusting relationships with parents and the wider whānau. Teachers are fully qualified and have a strong commitment to ongoing professional development. This learning enhances their practice and supports their development as a professional learning community.
In 2011 ERO found that effective self review and emerging planning systems were supporting the development of good quality programmes. ERO recommended that language development be a focus of teachers’ work with children. Teachers’ response to this recommendation has raised the levels of children’s oral competency. Teachers have continued to develop effective self-review practices. They continue to work on developing the quality of children’s learning portfolios.
The head teacher sets high professional expectations for herself and teachers to ensure the ongoing development of the centre.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 kindergarten reviews in the Auckland Kindergarten Association.
Children are confident and capable learners. They settle readily and make deliberate choices about areas of play and the resources they need to support them. Many children persist at activities for prolonged periods of time so they can problem solve and experiment with new ideas as challenges arise.
Children work collaboratively, showing tuakana-teina support for each other. They benefit from teachers’ emphasis on their physical development and eagerly participate in planned physical group games and opportunities for movement. Learning spaces invite complex play and encourage children to inquire and wonder about their environment.
Teachers implement a high quality programme. They engage children skilfully in play, supporting them to collaborate and investigate ideas and new thinking. Teachers use open-ended questions to prompt reciprocal conversations and further extend children’s thinking. They provide high levels of appropriate support for children with special needs.
The kindergarten follows well developed, authentic bicultural practices. Te reo Māori is reflected in the centre environment and used confidently by teachers and children. Whānau express confidence in teachers’ commitment to ensuring that bicultural aspects of the early childhood curriculum are maintained in the daily programme.
Children are encouraged to use their first language in the centre and their cultural practices are celebrated. Pacific parent's report they feel welcomed and valued as members of the kindergarten community. Parents frequently assist with the kindergarten’s programme and contribute in many ways to the life of the centre.
Teachers are highly reflective practitioners. They review children’s progress and the centre programme daily. They undertake meaningful strategic self review. They participate in relevant professional development that supports children’s learning.
Teachers provide many opportunities for whānau and families to take part in the Kindergarten’s programme, both formally and informally. Parents are actively encouraged to be partners in their child’s learning, to contribute to reviews and curriculum events, and to be in close communication with teachers about the progress and wellbeing of their children. The Kindergarten has strong relationships with the local community. Teachers have built relationships with local schools, preschools, and the library. They recently led Matariki celebrations for the wider Ranui community.
The kindergarten is well managed and the teaching team is effectively led, with skilful distribution of leadership roles across the teaching team. This good practice fosters collegiality and enables strengths to be developed. The team uses the kindergarten teaching philosophy, annual goals and appraisal processes well to guide their practice. Their reflective, professional culture ensures children are central to all decisions and actions.
The Auckland Kindergarten Association continues to provide strong governance for kindergartens. Positive strategies include effective professional learning and development that is responsive to strengthening teachers’ professional skills, knowledge and practice. Distributed leadership among kindergarten teaching teams is also promoted and the sharing of knowledge and expertise within the Association is encouraged. Association leaders are currently reviewing the appraisal process and continue to explore appropriate ways to support teachers and ensure high quality outcomes for children.
The teachers, the PSM and ERO agree that the key next steps for the kindergarten should include teachers further developing:
Before the review, the staff and management of Ranui 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.
The next ERO review of Ranui Kindergarten will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
28 November 2014
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 |
Ranui, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5094 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
55 |
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|
Gender composition |
Girls 31 Boys 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Tuvaluan Samoan Cook Island Māori Fijian South East Asian Indian |
21 12 9 6 2 2 2 1 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
September 2014 |
||
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Date of this report |
28 November 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Supplementary Review |
October 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
||
|
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.