Corner SH16 & Parkhurst Road, RD1, Helensville
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 The Homestead Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
The Homestead Early Learning Centre is an established, privately owned service based in an historic villa in Helensville. There are three rooms that cater for the different age groups of children. The owner and a manager lead a team of six qualified teachers and an unqualified teacher. Children attending reflect the ethnically diverse cultures in the community.
Children’s developing social and emotional skills are well supported through nurturing relationships with teachers and other children. Children experience a calm, unhurried, play-based programme, and they are comfortable with centre routines. The environment is richly resourced and homely. Children have frequent opportunities to make choices and to lead their learning for extended periods of time.
Strong relationships between families and teachers are evident. Teachers intentionally respond to whānau aspirations for children’s learning. The experiences and knowledge of whānau and children are valued by teachers and leaders. Their views have contributed to the service philosophy which drives the curriculum. This inclusive practice reinforces mutual respect and impacts positively on teachers’ partnerships with whānau.
Service leaders’ and teachers’ good quality curriculum practices are focused on providing an inclusive, literacy and numeracy rich environment and equitable outcomes for all children. Assessment for learning and curriculum planning show teachers have sound knowledge of current child development theories. This knowledge guides teachers in how to present the environment to engage children in learning.
Children are well supported, and their learning strongly aligns with the outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Their learning is highly visible in the environment and in their learning portfolios. Children with additional learning needs are well supported to access the curriculum.
Leaders and teachers have shared understanding of the service’s philosophy, vision, goals, and priorities for children’s learning. Teachers and leaders demonstrate a strong commitment to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. They integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in daily practice, and this contributes to children’s growing understanding of te ao Māori.
Leaders have established a culture of high relational trust across all levels of service operations. They have created a positive team environment that supports effective team relationships. Leaders have a strong focus on continuous improvement. Internal evaluation processes and practices emphasise examining teacher practice and benefitting learners. Evaluation findings result in positive changes to systems, and identifying meaningful professional learning and teaching practices to enhance equitable outcomes for all children.
The Homestead Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning to sustain high quality practices:
Continue to use evaluation processes to deepen assessment for learning practice that shows the extent to which teachers respond to and document children’s learning, including reflection of their identity, languages and cultures.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Homestead Early Learning Centre 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
A record of excursions that includes evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios (HS17).
A record of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service that includes evidence of parental acknowledgment (HS28).
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
16 August 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
The Homestead Early Learning Centre |
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Profile Number |
46074 |
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Location |
Helensville |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
52 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 33, Asian 4, Pacific 4, |
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Review team on site |
May 2022 |
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Date of this report |
16 August 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, August 2014 |
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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.
Reach Forward Early Learning Centre - Kaipara House is an independently owned centre based in an historic villa in Helensville. It is licensed for 52 children, including up to 12 children under the age of two. Children are grouped in three areas. Older children, closer to five in age, are catered for in two separate 'cottage schools' on the same grounds. The large outdoor area provides opportunity for children of mixed ages to interact together.
The centre's philosophy is based around Christian principles and practices. This is underpinned by an education programme. The programme includes structured group times for all children throughout the day. Developmental play is built into the daily routine.
The centre director owns the centre and provides overall leadership. She is supported by a lead teacher and team of five qualified and three non-qualified teachers.
Areas for development from the 2014 ERO report included considering how well teachers listen and respond to children's learning needs and individual interests, promoting next steps for children that go beyond planned activities, and continuing to strengthen the centre's bicultural curriculum. Progress has been made in strengthening the centre's bicultural curriculum.
Children experience positive interactions with teachers and each other. They learn to initiate and maintain friendships. Children settle well when they arrive. They have some opportunities to make choices about areas of play and to follow their own interests. Children under two benefit from a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
Teachers are welcoming to children and whānau. They foster children's developing social competency and engage in conversations that support children's language development. Teachers show a commitment to bicultural practices. They use te reo Māori and are beginning to integrate te ao Māori concepts through the programme.
Centre leaders have a clear vision that provides direction for the centre's education programme. The programme and daily routines are based on a series of planned, teacher-led group activities, with a focus on literacy and numeracy. Teachers plan programmes and document children's learning with reference to observations of children's interests and with links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It would be timely for leaders and teachers to now review the centre resources and physical environment to ensure that activities provide choice, exploration and challenge to extend all children's learning.
A well-established framework for policies and procedures supports governance and management. The teacher appraisal system provides opportunity for reflection and sharing of practice. Internal evaluation processes and procedures are established.
A next step to strengthen internal evaluation is for leaders and teachers to consider the effectiveness of current teaching practices in promoting positive outcomes for children. In particular, this could include review of how children are empowered to make decisions about their own play, act on their ideas and develop knowledge and skills in areas that interest them.
Centre leaders and teachers should:
strengthen internal evaluation by considering the effectiveness of current teaching practices in promoting positive outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Reach Forward Early Learning Centre - Kaipara House 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 Reach Forward Early Learning Centre - Kaipara House will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
8 June 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 |
Helensville, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46074 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
52 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
57 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 32 Boys 25 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
14 |
|
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
February 2018 |
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Date of this report |
8 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2014 |
|
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.