4 Charntay Avenue, Clover Park, Auckland
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Redoubt North Kindergarten is located in Manukau next to Redoubt North School. It is licensed for 40 children over two years of age, and open for six-hour sessions that are similar to school hours. The community is culturally diverse, with predominately Māori and Pacific families. There has been an increase in the number of under three year olds attending the centre. The kindergarten teaching team includes four registered teachers, an administrator and a teacher aide.
Teachers continue to provide the high quality practices noted in the 2013 ERO report. They have strengthened their planning and internal evaluation. Children continue to be competent, independent learners. Strong partnerships with families have been maintained. There have been many improvements to meet the changing needs of children and their whānau.
A fundamental aim of the kindergarten’s philosophy is to foster a positive and culturally rich environment in which children are curious and active participants in their learning. The philosophy promotes the development of children's learning dispositions, knowledge and skills. Teaching practices are guided by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Redoubt North Kindergarten is part of the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association and operates within the policies and management framework of this organisation. An education manager (EM) visits and provides leadership and curriculum support for teachers.
This review was part of a cluster of six kindergartens reviewed in Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association.
Children learn in a stimulating, very well resourced environment that fosters critical inquiry and creativity. This supports their sustained engagement in play and learning. Children have many opportunities to experience literacy, mathematics, science and technology in authentic learning opportunities. They play cooperatively, show empathy for others and have a strong sense of belonging and leadership. Children are excited about learning, eager to try things out and show pride in their discoveries and achievements.
Teachers provide high quality, culturally responsive, child-led programmes that are underpinned by Te Whāriki and well established partnerships with parents/whānau. Teachers seek and respond to children’s ideas and goals and their parents’ aspirations. They have high expectations and engage children in sustained conversations. Teachers skilfully provide appropriate challenge for children in response to emerging interests or spontaneous events. Authentic relevant learning opportunities are integrated into children's play.
Teachers value the strengths every whānau brings, and place the best interests of the child and family at the heart of everything they do. They celebrate cultural diversity and promote the successful inclusion of children with additional learning needs. Teachers use families' home languages where possible and this contributes to children sharing and building on their prior knowledge.
Teachers have embedded aspects of te ao Māori in the kindergarten. They affirm Māori children’s cultural identity and celebrate the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Teachers continue to work collaboratively with whānau and the community in deepening their understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori. Pacific children and families are well supported and their languages and cultures are visible in the environment, documentation and teacher practices.
Children’s leadership and cultural strengths are reflected in programme documents and in their portfolios. The belief in children being competent, capable learners within a culture of child-led planning is clearly evident in teacher's comprehensive assessment, planning and evaluation documentation.
Robust internal evaluation, which includes in-depth research, guides teaching practice and programme developments. Teachers are very reflective, innovative, and value professional development. Teachers' practices reflect the kindergarten's philosophy. They are committed to children being successful in their learning, have a strong sense of social justice and are advocates for children. Teachers work collegially and benefit from the head teacher's strong pedagogical leadership. They are also encouraged to be leaders.
The association continues to provide very good support for the kindergarten. Its systems and support personnel, ongoing review and monitoring contribute to efficient management. Long-term goals enable teachers to align their annual plan with the Association's strategic direction.
The association is responsive to changing community needs. It supports teachers to meet the needs of younger children and to provide variable and often longer hours of operation. It is expected that teachers will use evidence based, reflective practices. Teachers appreciate the professional support and guidance of association personnel. Leaders continue to adapt personnel systems to meet new legal requirements, including those of the Education Council.
The association has a strong commitment to equity, bicultural practices, partnerships with whānau and community, and continuous improvement in educational outcomes for children. There is a focus on strategies to promote success for Pacific learners. Personnel and resources such as whānau workers and a Play Truck are targeted to meet the specific needs of children and communities.
The teaching team has identified appropriate strategic goals and is eager to explore ways to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Redoubt North 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 Redoubt North Kindergarten will be in four years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
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.
| Location | Manukau, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5130 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 40 children over 2 years of age | ||
| Service roll | 57 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 30 Boys 27 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Samoan Fijian Cambodian Vietnamese Chinese Tongan Niuean Indian Cook Island Māori | 13 2 8 7 5 4 5 5 4 3 2 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | November 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 8 February 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | August 2013 | |
| Education Review | April 2010 | ||
| Education Review | March 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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Redoubt North Kindergarten is a well-established service that provides education and care for children over two years old in Manukau, South Auckland. The kindergarten has operated the kindergarten day model since June 2012 which enables children to attend sessions that match school hours. The centre is part of the Counties Manukau Kindergarten Association and operates within the policies and management framework of this organisation. A professional practice manager (PPM) visits and provides management and curriculum support for teachers.
The multicultural teaching team reflects the diverse community. Most of the teachers have been in the kindergarten for several years and have established trusting relationships with families. The teachers, who are all fully registered, regularly participate in professional development opportunities together. This learning enhances their practice, helps teachers develop shared understandings of cultural differences and strengthens their skills with information and communication technologies (ICT).
In 2010 ERO identified many positive features of the service. Inclusive practices, strong literacy foundations and skilful teaching engaged children in programmes that fostered their problem solving skills and extended their interests. At this time ERO recommended teachers further develop their self-review processes, and improve assessment practices and programme documentation. Teachers have responded effectively to these challenges while sustaining their established good practices.
The kindergarten philosophy to ‘promote a positive and culturally rich environment where everyone is of value and respected’ is thoroughly enacted by teachers.
Children are competent, independent learners. They arrive enthusiastic to engage in activities and quickly find an interest to explore. Despite many of them having English as a second or third language, children are articulate and readily converse with teachers and their peers. They confidently work alone or in culturally mixed groups and benefit from the rich variety of resources they can independently access. Teachers have high expectations that children will respect and help each other, keep play areas inviting and abide by agreed promises. In this inclusive environment children are valued for who they are, and several children with special needs are integrated and supported very well.
Teachers skilfully prompt children to be curious investigators. They use open questions very well to foster problem solving and challenge thinking, often encouraging tuakana/teina relationships and enabling the more capable children to tutor their peers. Teachers use mat time activities, singing and story reading very effectively to support children's language acquisition and early literacy skills. They also recognise the benefits of children using ICT as learning tools and teachers plan to further develop their own capacity to promote this aspect of their curriculum.
Families support the kindergarten very well. Teachers have established effective partnerships with the kindergarten community through an inclusive parent support group. Teachers also provide frequent family and cultural events, and extensive information about children's learning and kindergarten operations. Parents interviewed by ERO enthusiastically endorse the quality of children's learning, the warmth of relationships and the authenticity of cultural respect. Parents express appreciation for teachers who encourage first languages and value the experiences children bring to the kindergarten.
The head teacher leads a collaborative teaching team with a shared vision for learning. They communicate effectively and use complementary skills well to develop challenging projects to extend children's skills, knowledge and learning dispositions. Teachers are reflective practitioners who critique their work continually to improve their practices. They are building their capacity to assess children's learning and progress effectively. They recognise that strengthening the links between children's individual learning stories will help them to track progress better. More specific documentation of their teaching roles in extending play would enable teachers to better demonstrate their valuable contributions to children’s learning.
The kindergarten is well managed. The systems in place for centre operations, ongoing self review and association support contribute to efficient management of the service. Teachers are guided by their teaching and learning statement, the Association’s strategic goals and their own annual planning to promote sustained development. They use the appraisal process well to identify goals and are encouraged by their PPM to be innovative and reflective in their practices. A current review of the appraisal process at association level should result in further challenges for teachers to demonstrate their competency as teachers of Māori learners.
The teachers, the PPM and ERO agree that the key next steps for the kindergarten include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Redoubt North 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 Redoubt North Kindergarten will be in four years.
Graham Randell National Manager Review Services Northern Region (Acting)
28 August 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 |
Manukau, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5130 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
58 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 37 Boys 21 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Indian Samoan Chinese South East Asian Cook Island Māori Niue Other |
20 5 9 6 4 4 3 2 5 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
June 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
28 August 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2003 |
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.