Stout Street, Riverdale, Gisborne
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.
Riverdale Kindergarten (Gisborne) is adjacent to Riverdale School. It opens from 8:30am to 2:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 12.45pm on Friday. The service is licensed for up to 40 children aged from two to school age. Of the 43 children currently enrolled, 36 identify as Māori.
The centre philosophy has an overarching mission statement 'Kei te rere te wairua o te tamaiti, me te ora o te Māori', 'the uniqueness of the child flies within their spirit'. Five key learning areas reflect the strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and show a connection to the key competencies of The New Zealand Curriculum.
The outdoor learning space has undergone some significant redevelopment since the September 2014 ERO evaluation.
A head teacher oversees day-to-day operation of the centre. All teachers are fully qualified. Staff have participated in professional development provided by the Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association) that has included learning about te ao Māori, working with younger children and assessment, planning and evaluation.
Riverdale Kindergarten is one of 11 kindergartens governed and managed by the Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association). Two senior teachers provide ongoing professional support and guidance to individual kindergartens. A pouawhina has been appointed on a fixed term contract to guide kindergartens implementation of tikanga and kaupapa Māori practices.
The September 2014 ERO report identified a number of areas for review and development at kindergarten level, including; continuity and extension of learning; understanding of the philosophy; self review; the bicultural programme; success for Māori and Pacific children; assessment, planning and evaluation. Good progress has been made in all areas. At association level, it was identified that strategic self review needed further development. This is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Gisborne Kindergarten Association.
Children confidently engage in a play-based curriculum. Teachers work closely alongside individuals and groups, supporting their learning. Interactions are respectful, responsive and fun. Children's growing independence and social competence are well supported. They have opportunities to challenge themselves and take risks.
The nature-based setting is a strength, with the learning environment thoughtfully resourced to invite children’s exploration and engagement.
Aspects of kaupapa Māori are valued and promoted in the centre. Tikanga practices are well understood by children. Techers use te reo Māori in meaningful conversations. Leaders and teachers continue to build their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori, to assist in the development of a meaningful bicultural curriculum that reflects its local context. Specific professional learning and develop and annual noho marae visits are key strategies for enhancing their knowledge and understanding.
Strong reciprocal, responsive, and respectful learning partnerships are formed with whānau Māori and families. Teachers provide opportunities for families to contribute to their child’s learning as valued partners.
Planning for learning is focused on children’s needs and interests. Parents' aspirations are recorded soon after enrolment. Teachers and whānau work in partnership to develop specific learning goals aligned to the five key learning areas that underpin the valued outcomes of the centre’s philosophy. Children's learning journals record how they progress towards meeting their identified learning goals. Teachers should continue to strengthen these practices to better demonstrate high expectations for children as learners and their learning.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. External agencies are accessed when required to support their progress.
Well-considered practices support children's transition into the centre and on to school. A useful range of strategies and information is used to support children and their parents during this time.
A collaborative leadership approach is evident. The teaching team work well together to respond to children and family's needs.
Teachers are well supported to grow their practice. There is a strong commitment to developing staff knowledge and skills through ongoing professional learning and the sharing of good practice. Senior teachers regularly identify actions and provoke thinking in relation to children's learning. The newly developed appraisal system, when fully implemented, should strengthen teacher inquiries into their own practice.
Association leaders have a well-considered approach to progressing strategic objectives. Connections to the community are strong and maintaining these continues to be a focus. Leaders are committed to Treaty-based partnerships and acknowledging Māori as tangata whenua. The association has identified that developing shared understanding of internal evaluation is a priority. ERO's evaluation confirms this.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the priorities are to:
review and develop a curriculum that reflects its local context and includes te ao Māori perspectives
continue to strengthen the quality of assessment and planning for children's learning.
The association should:
fully implement the revised appraisal system
continue to develop shared understanding and use of internal evaluation across all levels.
Before the review, the staff and management of Riverdale Kindergarten (Gisborne) 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 Riverdale Kindergarten (Gisborne) will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
1 May 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 |
Gisborne |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5561 |
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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 year of age |
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Service roll |
43 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 24, Girls 19 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
36 |
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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 |
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Review team on site |
March 2018 |
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Date of this report |
1 May 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
August 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Riverdale Kindergarten is located in Riverdale, Gisborne and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. Since the August 2011 ERO report, there have been changes to the operating hours of the kindergarten. It is now licensed for up to 40 children and operates for six hours, Monday to Thursday and for four hours and fifteen minutes on a Friday. Over half the roll identify as Māori.
As a result of the change in kindergarten operating hours, additional staff have been appointed. The teaching team is fully qualified and is supported by a teacher aide. The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO.
Over the past three years, Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association) has provided in-service support for teachers focusing on assessment, planning and evaluation.
The kindergarten is governed by the association. Two senior teachers are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. This review was part of a cluster of four kindergartens in the Gisborne Kindergarten Association.
Children engage in a child-focused and play-based programme for sustained periods of time. They work and play together well, cooperating on shared tasks. Literacy learning experiences are well integrated into the programme. Children’s effort and success is celebrated and teachers view children as capable and confident learners.
The head teacher leads a collaborative team. Teachers are welcoming, responsive and respectful to children and parents. They work alongside children and draw on a range of effective teaching strategies to support and extend their play and learning. Teachers should give greater consideration to how they can promote continuity and extension of learning experiences over the day.
Independence is promoted. Considerable work has been put in to developing effective strategies to encourage children to regulate their own behaviours. This positively affects the tone and interactions at the kindergarten. Children with additional learning needs are well supported to learn happily and successfully. Teachers work with families and external agencies to improve outcomes for the child.
Teachers have established “critical areas of learning” that are valued and strongly promoted in the kindergarten programme. It is unclear how these areas fit with the teaching philosophy. Further strengthening the clarity of the philosophy should assist the evaluation of the curriculum.
Some teachers use te reo Māori and integrate aspects of tikanga Māori into the programme. The bicultural programme should continue to be enhanced through teachers investigating local iwi connections. This should then provide a foundation to explore what success for Māori as Māori might look like in this context. Teachers should also consider how strongly Pacific cultures are reflected in the environment, as a first step in supporting success for Pacific children.
Group planning provides a shared direction for the programme. This process should be developed further through exploring models of planning that support a more child-initiated approach. Profiles information shows that ongoing observation of children in everyday activities builds a picture of their engagement, developing friendships and learning. A next step is to maximise opportunities to embed whānau aspirations into the planning cycle. Teachers should also continue to build on recent initiatives to strengthen goal setting and evaluation of the impact on learning.
Parents have access to transition to school information in the kindergarten. Clear processes are in place to support the child as they transition to school. Teachers should work to establish partnerships with a wider range of contributing schools.
Children’s mathematical learning is enhanced through meaningful and interesting opportunities to use mathematics in everyday life and through the use of resources for exploration. Teachers' further investigation into the knowledge and language of mathematics should strengthen children’s mathematical learning.
Self review is developing. Teachers should continue to strengthen their understanding of the self-review process and their knowledge of evaluation. This should provide additional information to judge the effectiveness of kindergarten operations and practice and inform future decision making.
The association provides high levels of guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. This includes:
Senior teachers should undertake strategic review and evaluation across the association and use this information to inform decision making. They should also support teachers to build their evaluative capacity to regularly enquire into the effectiveness of their practice to further improve positive outcomes for children.
Since the first cluster of these kindergartens the association has reviewed the implementation of the appraisal process. A revised approach is beginning to be put into practice and formal documentation is developing.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the key next steps are to strengthen:
The association next steps should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Riverdale 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 Riverdale Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie National Manager Review Services Central Region
3 September 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 |
Gisborne |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5561 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children over 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
38 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 20, Boys 18 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Cook Island Māori |
24 13 1 |
|
|
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 |
July 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
3 September 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 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.