Cnr Lorneville/Dacre Rd and Kennington/R, Invercargill
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.
Roslyn Bush Playcentre is parent led and provides four morning sessions each week for children up to school age. It is semi-rural on the outskirts of Invercargill. A number of the families who attend come from a wide area, including several who come from town. Many families attend one or two sessions a week and their children are enrolled in other early childhood services.
All sessions are supervised by an experienced child educator with support from parents. Parents are gaining Playcentre qualifications by being involved in the adult-education training programme provided by the Southland Playcentre Association (SPA).
The SPA is experiencing a time of change as all playcentre associations throughout New Zealand merge with the New Zealand Playcentre Federation to reduce duplication and make cost savings. This restructure will mean significant changes at the local association level. An interim board is being established at SPA to support playcentres through this transitional period.
The September 2013 ERO report identified that self review and strategic planning were key next steps for development. Self review is now established practice and has been strengthened. Strategic planning is linked to self review and is based on clear goals for children and the centre. The risk analysis and management systems for excursions beyond the centre needed to improve. The SPA is in the process of updating expectations to better meet agreed accountabilities.
This review was part of a cluster of 13 in the Southland Playcentre Association.
Members follow the general playcentre philosophy in relation to children's education and care. Sessions are child-led through self-choice play where play is valued as meaningful learning. Positive relationships support children to learn alongside each other and adults. They lead their learning and engage in a wide range of experiences within the environment. Members should consider developing their own philosophy focused on expectations for children at Roslyn Bush Playcentre.
Infants and toddlers confidently play and learn alongside older children. Parents guide their participation and encourage them to explore the environment.
Children's interests are noticed by adults and ongoing learning pathways identified. All parents are encouraged to develop goals for children and strategies to support their achievement. A new learning pathway system was introduced in 2015. This has built parents' confidence to contribute to children's record of learning. Centre members should continue to develop these good practices and embed assessment, planning and evaluation to clearly show children's learning over time. Group stories show children's engagement and participation in outings and events. There is a link to the group learning goal. However, there is an imbalance between the number of group stories recorded and individual stories. Children's individual learning over time is not clearly reflected in their portfolios.
The child educator models effective practices and strategies to positively guide children's learning and behaviour. Parents are learning skills from her modelling. A next step to support and acknowledge their growing confidence as their children's first teacher, would be for parents to more frequently guide children's learning.
Children engage in a curriculum where bicultural practices are positively promoted. There are several children identified as Māori on the roll and their parents are leading the centre's ongoing commitment to strengthen bicultural practices.
Self review is now an established practice. Members have worked positively since the previous review to improve review of practice. The development of a strategic plan has allowed for clear focus areas for review. The next step for members is to understand and implement internal evaluation to identify the effectiveness of decisions.
The strategic plan guides members to focus on priorities for ongoing development during the year. The plan should be further developed to indicate who is responsible for the various actions.
Members have developed systems to monitor hazards and regularly check health and safety matters. Generally these are effective. However, members must ensure that these are regularly evaluated so that all reasonable steps are taken to make the centre safe for children. Improvement is needed in areas such as: ensuring the first aid equipment remains current and sterile; all three-pin plugs are made inaccessible to children; developing an emergency plan and evaluating the effectiveness of drills in relation to the plan.
The SPA board has actively engaged with playcentre members to consider how they can best support services through the impending restructure. The board has been proactive in developing processes to assist in the smooth transition for playcentres to work under the Playcentre Federation.
The board has identified a number of systems and processes have lapsed and need improvement. Immediate attention is required to review policies that guide the appointments procedure and health and safety practices. The appraisal process has also lapsed or not been robustly implemented. These improvements are a priority to meet licensing criteria, and for monitoring the quality of centre practices.
More consistent, timely and evaluative reporting should be provided to the board to assure them that accountabilities are met and to better inform their decision making.
The playcentre supervisor and members agree areas for strengthening include:
developing a Roslyn Bush Playcentre philosophy
assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning
supporting parents to be more active in guiding children's learning
internal evaluation for improvement.
Key next steps for the association are to:
review SPA policies prioritising those related to appointments and health and safety practices
re-establish the appraisal process
facilitate the evaluative reporting to the board.
Before the review, the staff and management of Roslyn Bush 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:
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.
ERO also identified areas of non-compliance for the Southland Playcentre Association in relation to governance and management. To meet requirements the association needs to:
implement a system of regular appraisal. [Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7]
To improve practice the Southland Playcentre Association should:
ensure policies and procedures for travel by a motor vehicle clearly specify the person responsible for excursion approvals has verified all drivers have a current full New Zealand driver licence and each vehicle is registered and has a current warrant of fitness.
The next ERO review of Roslyn Bush Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
7 April 2017
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 |
Invercargill |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
90018 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
45 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 25, Boys 20 |
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|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Fijian |
8 36 1 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2017 |
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Date of this report |
7 April 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
September 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2006 |
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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:
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.
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.
Children at Roslyn Bush Playcentre enjoy a stimulating, interesting programme. Roslyn Bush Playcentre is one of 19 Playcentres governed by the Southland Playcentre Association (SPA). It is a rural centre close to Invercargill. Children may attend up to four morning sessions a week but most come for two, attending other early childhood services on the other days.
An experienced, well-qualified, paid educator ensures a focus on learning and provides continuity for all sessions. Parents who spoke to ERO said that this arrangement suits their lifestyles and enables them to be involved in their children’s learning at a manageable level.
Since the June 2010 review, the parents and educator have improved the planning and assessment practices and there is now a strong bicultural dimension in the daily programme.
This review was part of a cluster of 17 playcentre reviews in the Southland Playcentre Association.
Relationships. Children and their families benefit from positive, supportive relationships within the playcentre. They are made to feel very welcome. Parents effectively support and welcome new families. Children are very settled and have a strong sense of belonging in the centre. The parents work well together. They are encouraging and friendly as they work alongside their own and other children. They know children’s next learning steps and, with the educator, actively support them to achieve these.
Environment. Children play and learn in well-resourced and spacious indoor and outdoor areas. The indoor area is welcoming, well organised and has recently been improved to encourage children’s creative, imaginative and dramatic play. The outdoor area has many natural resources and spaces that challenge children and develop their physical skills.
Curriculum. Children experience a rich curriculum. There are a wide variety of activities for children to participate in both inside and out. Their learning is enhanced with many excursions such as, the marae, beach and polyfest. These excursions and events add depth to the programme as children later are encouraged to recall them and use them in their play.
Each term a group-learning focus is selected in response to children’s general interests. A wide variety of experiences are planned to expand and extend the learning. There is a strong focus on building early literacy and numeracy skills and supporting children’s social development. Children are supported to learn te reo and tikanga Māori. The expertise of a local person was used to teach the tikanga around harakeke (flax weaving). There is thoughtful provision for and awareness of the requirements of infants and toddlers.
Planning. Since the June 2010 review the educator and parents have made significant improvements in the way they plan for children’s learning. The educator has particularly good skills in showing how children’s learning becomes more complex over time. The educator and parent helpers have a very good awareness of children’s goals and actively support children to achieve these through intentional actions over the session. The activities provided are deliberately chosen to support children’s goals.
Teaching practice The educator is a very good role model for adults and children. She keeps a strong focus on learning throughout the sessions, over time and in the pre and post-session discussions. She has close relationships with the children and through skilled questioning and conversations extends their learning and thinking.
Southland Playcentre Association support. The SPA provides strong support to the playcentre through:
The SPA provides strong leadership to guide the future direction and ongoing improvement of all its centres. This includes the way association team members' foster emergent leadership. Currently there are high numbers of people participating in playcentre training. The association has identified, and ERO agrees, that its next step is to improve its knowledge and understanding of self review. It then needs to support playcentres to implement effective self review.
Before the review, the staff and management of Roslyn Bush 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:
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.
ERO found that risks for excursions beyond the playcentre need to be better identified and managed. The risk analysis and management system needs to be improved to show more clearly how the identified hazards will be eliminated, isolated or minimised.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Roslyn Bush Playcentre will be in three years.
Graham Randell National Manager Review Services Southern Region
27 September 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 |
Roslyn Bush, Invercargill |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
90018 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 10 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 20; Boys 10 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
4 26 |
|
|
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 |
July 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 September 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 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:
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.
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.