Redwood Playcentre

Education institution number:
70110
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
31
Telephone:
Address:

40 Dunedin Street, Redwood, Christchurch

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Redwood Playcentre - 21/05/2020

1 Evaluation of Redwood Playcentre

How well placed is Redwood Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Redwood Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Redwood Playcentre operates as a parent-led cooperative under the governance and management of Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa - Playcentre Aotearoa. The playcentre employs coordinators to facilitate the sessions. Playcentre Aotearoa employs a centre support worker and an administrator who regularly visit the playcentre to support the parents and coordinators.

The playcentre is licensed for 25 children, including 15 children up to two years. It operates four mornings a week and includes one session known as Reo Rua. Parents are rostered to help at each session. Children play and learn together in the shared indoor and outdoor areas.

Since the 2014 ERO review, the coordinator and parents have made good progress towards meeting the key next steps. They have developed a new strategic plan and continue to work on strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation.

This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the Northern South Island Regional Hub of Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa - Playcentre Aotearoa.

The Review Findings

The playcentre's philosophy is highly evident in the way it operates. Emphasis is placed on whānau being the first educators of their tamariki and the importance of their commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. It values the provision of a rich learning environment based on the principles and values of whanaungatanga, ako, manaakitanga and kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment).

Children are settled and closely involved with adults who know them well. This helps to build their strong sense of belonging and wellbeing at the playcentre. Children confidently choose from a wide variety of activities in the thoughtfully presented environment. They play cooperatively together and experience respectful, caring interactions with adults and each other.

There are many opportunities for children to play alone and explore resources and equipment at their own pace. The indoor and outdoor areas are very well resourced. The spacious playground is designed with interesting spaces that invite children to explore and engage in imaginative play.

The coordinator and parents are welcoming and inclusive. They willingly support each other as a friendly, collaborative group. Parents regularly write learning stories about children's interests and participation in the activities provided. With the support of the coordinator, they could now place a stronger emphasis on children's progress and learning in assessment portfolios and planning.

There is a strong emphasis placed on language development, including both te reo Māori and English. A strong feature of the playcentre is the way te reo and tikanga Māori are woven seamlessly into the learning programme. The coordinator offers weekly reo rua sessions to develop and extend understanding of the language and te ao Māori. Children and parents participate in waiata, games and activities with enthusiastic enjoyment. New whānau and visitors are sensitively guided through the centre's well-embedded kawa.

The playcentre has a newly developed strategic plan that sets clear priorities. The centre is planning to evaluate the effectiveness of its implementation. Internal evaluation is becoming established and results in positive outcomes for children and whānau.

Playcentre Aotearoa has a well-established philosophy that acknowledges and values parents as the first educators of their children. It provides a broad range of support for playcentres including nation-wide training courses and personnel who liaise with and assist centres. The effective implementation of a recently reviewed policy and procedure framework will help parents and whānau to ensure that children have safe and healthy learning environments while at playcentre.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for the playcentre include:

  • strengthening the focus on learning in assessment and planning, and the evaluation children's learning progress over time

  • further supporting children to develop self-management and independence skills.

Key next steps for the Northern South Island Hub are to provide better support to playcentres in relation to planning for learning, internal evaluation, strategic planning and, health and safety practices including relevant risk assessment and management for excursions.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Redwood 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:

  • 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region - Te Tai Tini

21 May 2020

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70110

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

30

Gender composition

Boys 17, Girls 13

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnicities

2
27
1

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

0-49%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2019

Date of this report

21 May 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

April 2014

Education Review

September 2010

Education Review

April 2007

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Redwood Playcentre - 28/04/2014

1 Evaluation of Redwood Playcentre

How well placed is Redwood Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Redwood Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

This playcentre operates under the guidance of the Canterbury Playcentre Association. The playcentre is a parent cooperative with parents encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the centre’s programme and operation. The playcentre philosophy is based on the belief that children reach their full potential when their parents understand their development and take part in the learning process. Adults with higher playcentre training take responsibility for coordinating the programme each session. The parent committee makes good use of parents’ skills and has members who are experienced and knowledgeable about the playcentre philosophy and practices.

Redwood Playcentre operates five mornings a week. It is currently exploring ways of increasing the number of older children attending sessions.

This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Canterbury Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

The playcentre philosophy is highly evident in the way this playcentre operates. A good number of parents are actively involved in the daily programme. Relationships among parents are nurtured and parents have a strong focus on supporting each other. The parent group is building centre leadership through effective teamwork and sharing of responsibilities and roles.

Participation in playcentre parent education courses is actively promoted. The centre is making good use of the knowledge gained by parents through these courses to raise the quality of education for children.

Children benefit from positive interactions with adults during the programme. These interactions are supported by affirming and responsive relationships that promote children’s sense of wellbeing and belonging.

Children’s learning is supported by adults who:

  • take time to build relationships with children other than their own and fully involve themselves in children’s play

  • ask useful questions to help children think and explain their ideas

  • encourage and support infants and toddlers to take part in all playcentre activities

  • help children extend their play by adding extra resources and equipment.

The playcentre programme provides good opportunities for children to follow their own interests and ideas, be leaders in their play, and be involved in indepth play for long periods of time.

Adults plan for a wide range of interesting learning experiences and activities based on what they observe children are interested in. They make good use of local resources, such as links with a local school and inviting visitors to the playcentre, to extend children’s experiences. The playcentre environment is well organised with a good range of play equipment and resources.

Since the September 2010 ERO review, there has been an increased commitment to, and visibility of, Māori perspectives in the programme and environment. Adults are now more knowledgeable about tikanga Māori, use more te reo Māori with the children and have a greater understanding of some Māori concepts such as Turangawaewae (our place in the world).

Self-review systems have been strengthened. Adults have clearer guidelines and are now using self review to reflect more deeply on practices and develop useful plans for centre improvement.

Key Next Steps

The parent group and ERO agree, that the following developments would help them to maintain and build on the best of current practices.

Programme planning and assessment practices need further development. Such development should include giving greater emphasis to identifying and responding to children’s learning in the activities they undertake.

Extending the playcentre’s long and short term development plans would help to better support parents’ commitment to ongoing centre improvement, focus actions and provide continuity as office bearers change.

There is significant change occurring in the structure of governance and management at association level. The recent review of governance and management has been supported by useful and consultative processes.

The association has identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps for the association include association staff:

  • providing more documented feedback to parent groups about the quality of teaching and learning, with a particular focus on interactions

  • developing a stronger understanding of the government's focus on priority learners so that it can better support parent groups to respond more effectively to these children

  • helping parent groups more effectively sustain the developments in bicultural practices

  • providing more useful guidelines to parent groups about supporting children's transition to school.

In addition a system for the regular appraisal of Centre Support Team members should be re-established.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Redwood 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:

  • 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.

In order to improve current practice ERO recommends that the parent group more closely monitors the implementation of the centre’s sun safe policy in regard to wearing sunhats.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Redwood Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

28 April 2014

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Redwood, Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

70110

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 10 aged under two

Service roll

35

Gender composition

Boys 19 Girls 16

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

4

31

Review team on site

November 2013

Date of this report

28 April 2014

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

September 2010

 

Education Review

April 2007

 

Education Review

June 2004

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.