Rototuna Early Education Centre

Education institution number:
30275
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
69
Telephone:
Address:

25 Strathmore Drive, Hamilton North, Hamilton

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Rototuna Early Education Centre - 27/09/2019

1 Evaluation of Rototuna Early Education Centre

How well placed is Rototuna Early Education Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Rototuna Early Education Centre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Rototuna Early Education Centre is located in Hamilton, in the suburb of Rototuna. It provides full day education and care for preschool children from three months of age. The centre is a modern, purpose-built facility divided into three spaces for specific age groups. It is licensed for 65 children with a maximum of 28 up to two years of age. The roll reflects a diverse number of cultural backgrounds.

There is a lead teacher for each room, an assistant manager and centre manager who provides leadership for the service. It operates under the umbrella of Early Education Waikato (EEW) that provides governance for seven centres in Hamilton. Management consists of a CEO, two Education Managers, HR and administration personnel, who also run the Waikato Kindergarten Association (WKA).

The vision every tamariki reaching their full potential guides the strategic direction of the centres. The centre philosophy aspires to provide experiences that nurture children's sense of self-worth as capable learners. Promoting practices underpinned by Te Pae Mahutonga and Te Tiriti O Waitangi are building partnerships for learning with whānau and the centres multicultural community.

The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO.

The Review Findings

Children learn in a positive and welcoming centre climate. There is an established centre culture underpinned by the values of whānaungatanga and manaakitanga. Children enjoy positive, trusting and respectful relationships with adults and their peers. Teachers coach and affirm communication and build on children's social competencies. Children's wellbeing and sense of belonging is strongly fostered.

Infants learn through respectful relationships and care. They have a consistent key teacher who are highly responsive to the personalised care needs of all infants in collaboration with parents. They experience trusting relationships that maximises care routines as learning opportunities. Young toddlers are encouraged to set their own challenges and develop their confidence and self-care skills.

Teachers value what children bring to learning and promote equitable learning outcomes for all children. Culturally responsive practices reflect the principles of partnership inherent within The Treaty of Waitangi. Te reo Māori is interwoven naturally by teachers and children throughout the day. Families with English as a second language are invited to share their cultural beliefs and celebrations, enriching the learning of all children and adults in the service.

There are well established processes to identify and respond to children's diverse abilities and learning needs. Barriers to participation are identified and those children who require additional help receive adaptive and personalised support from teachers and other community organisations.

Teachers use a range of highly effective strategies that skilfully extend children's learning. They empower children to research and actively explore through their interests and play. They are encouraged to develop their imagination, be creative and problem solve. Intentional teaching practices strongly support children to develop lifelong learning dispositions that supports them to develop their confidence and view themselves as capable successful learners.

A strength of this centre has been the leadership in developing innovative practices for assessment, individual planning and evaluation. Leaders and teachers have embedded assessment, planning and evaluation practices, and lead professional development for the wider EEW and WKA centres and kindergartens. Assessment shows children's learning within the context of their family, community, life experiences and more increasingly their cultural identity. Teachers and parents work as partners in learning through the sharing of information between home and centre.

Children benefit from highly experienced and professional leadership. There are well-established systems and practices that put children and their families interests to the forefront of centre decision making. The centre has effective and robust internal evaluation practices. These practices ensure the centre is able to sustain and continually develop high quality practices that promote positive outcomes for children's wellbeing and learning.

Key Next Steps

Continue to strengthen teacher use of te reo Māori and te ao Māori in the curriculum, planning and practice and make more visible in assessment.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Rototuna Early Education 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.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

27 September 2019

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

Hamilton, suburb of Rototuna

Ministry of Education profile number

30275

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

65 children, including up to 28 aged under 2

Service roll

68

Gender composition

Boys 40 Girls 28

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
Other

3
31
26
8

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2019

Date of this report

27 September 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

May 2015

Education Review

March 2010

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.

Rototuna Early Education Centre - 04/05/2015

1 Evaluation of Rototuna Early Education Centre

How well placed is Rototuna Early Education Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Rototuna Early Education Centre is located in Hamilton and provides full day education and care for children aged from three months. The centre is licensed for up to 65 children, including up to 28 children under the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review, 74 children were enrolled, of whom eight are identified as Māori, one as Cook island Māori and two children as Samoan. Six other ethnic groups are identified.

The centre has been operating since 2005, and underwent a major rebuild in 2013. A third teaching area was added, allowing babies, toddlers and older children to have separate learning spaces. Teachers now have a larger staff room and a space to work on their non-contact responsibilities. The centre is an attractive, well-designed and comfortable facility for children, parents and teachers. Each of the three age-based rooms is overseen by a team leader, who is supported by the centre manager. An additional service is the provision of nutritious meals cooked daily.

Rototuna Early Education Centre has a positive ERO reporting history. Since the last ERO report, progress has been made in developing strong links from the philosophy to its strategic plans, teaching practice, professional development and appraisal.

The centre philosophy endorses secure attachments and respectful relationships among teachers, peers, and whānau. The importance of New Zealand’s unique cultural heritage is recognised, and respect is given to the diverse cultures attending. The centre recognises that children learn through play, and are consequently empowered to make choices and develop as confident, competent learners. Caring for the environment and using sustainable practices are important features of the programme.

The centre operates under the umbrella of Early Education Waikato (EEW) that provides governance and management for five centres in Hamilton. Early Education Waikato is a non-profit charitable organisation, overseen by three directors, and shares the same CEO as the Waikato Kindergarten Association. Educational service managers provide advice and guidance for centre managers and teachers. The strategic direction of EEW is guided by their strategic plan and overarching vision, ‘Every child reaching their full potential’. EEW has a commitment to providing a quality, sustainable service that effectively meets the diverse educational needs of all children attending and provides strong learning outcomes for them.

Early Education Waikato is managed effectively by an experienced leadership and administration team and they manage the Waikato Kindergarten Association. A kaumātua from Tainui provides advice, guidance and support about Māori language, culture and identity.

The centre benefits from clear guidelines and expectations provided by EEW for practice and the availability of good self-review processes for monitoring and evaluating the quality of education and care it provides. These processes are contributing to its efficient operation.

The Review Findings

Children settle quickly to play in a friendly, respectful and inclusive atmosphere. They enjoy exploring the well-prepared environment, which offers a wide variety of interesting activities and experiences. They form positive, supportive relationships with teachers, and develop friendships with their peers. Their social and communication skills are strongly supported through meaningful interactions. The outdoor environment, which includes access to a neighbouring gully, provides children with many opportunities for active play and to explore the natural world. Children enjoy growing, harvesting and preparing food.

Babies are confident, and trust teachers who tune into their unique personalities and provide them with calm and unhurried routines. Teachers develop close relationships with parents, and constantly share information to promote babies’ well-being and maintain individual care routines aligned with home.

Toddlers trust teachers, who know them well and are highly skilled at sensitively guiding their social competencies. Teachers view toddlers as capable, and encourage them to be involved in sustained exploration. Toddlers’ interests are recognised and supported through teachers’ careful preparation of the environment, which leads to purposeful interactions and conversations.

Older children have many opportunities to think critically, reflect on their learning, and develop their negotiation and problem solving skills. They also experience sustained and complex learning experiences that involve research and inquiry. Teachers naturally include te reo, kawa and tikanga Māori as part of the everyday programme.

The principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are embedded and demonstrated in high-quality teaching practice. Teachers are strongly focused on promoting best outcomes for all children. They skilfully notice, recognise and respond to children’s interests and family experiences. Teachers plan individual programmes for children that include consideration of parents’ aspirations and extend each child’s learning by building on their skills, knowledge and competencies. They model calm, positive social interactions for children, developing a culture where children are able to solve problems and play happily alongside others. Teachers are aware of children with additional learning needs and support them to be actively included in the programme.

The centre maintains strong partnerships with parents, based on genuine attitudes of acceptance, respect and willingness to listen. The introduction of online portfolios is fostering parent and family involvement in children’s early education. Parents who communicated with ERO noted that they appreciate having ready access to this information about their child’s participation and learning. They frequently respond promptly to teachers documented narratives, often noting connections to home experiences.

Teachers are skilled at using self review to evaluate their programmes. They are reflective, and work collaboratively to gather information about the effectiveness of their practice, and conduct research to identify areas for improvement in their practice. Review initiatives have resulted in progress being made with important aspects of centre practice, including parent partnerships, children’s assessment, and teacher-child relationships.

The experienced and knowledgeable centre manager is supported by a capable education services manager. Together they have developed a cohesive team of teachers, who share a common vision and a commitment to high-quality early childhood practice. Teachers appreciate their guidance and direction, and the skills of the team leaders, who also provide support and share leadership opportunities among their teams.

Key Next Steps

ERO supports management’s intention to enhance centre-wide self review. This will be done by making more direct links between the centre’s annual plan and teachers’ professional goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Rototuna Early Education 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Rototuna Early Education Centre will be in four years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

4 May 2015

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Rototuna, Hamilton

Ministry of Education profile number

30275

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

65 children, including up to 28 aged under 2

Service roll

75

Gender composition

Girls 40

Boys 35

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Chinese

Brazilian

Samoan

Cook Island Māori

Indian

Other European

Other

8

46

9

3

2

1

1

3

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2015

Date of this report

4 May 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

March 2010

 

Education Review

March 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 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.