16 Kotuku Street, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland
View on mapERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Rutherford Preschool is located in the grounds of Rutherford College. It is governed by a management committee that includes a qualified centre manager and parent representatives. The centre manager leads a team of eight qualified teachers and two staff. Approximately a third of children enrolled are of Māori heritage.
Children benefit from a curriculum informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The service curriculum is language rich and acknowledges the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Children are provided with a wide range of opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.
Monitoring of systems and practices is required to ensure regulatory standards are maintained.
Next steps are to:
Review the service philosophy to reflect the new leadership and priorities within the service.
Support children’s sustained exploration through providing an increased range of learning opportunities, both indoors and outdoors.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
having a current fire evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (HS4).
having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that ensures children are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing, and maintaining a record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time (HS9).
ensuring that records of excursions include assessment and management of risk for regular excursions and evidence of parental permission and approval of adult: child ratios for special excursions (HS17).
having a record of the training and/or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children while at the service (HS29).
having a complaints procedure that includes the contact information for the local Ministry of Education office and provides contact details (GMA1).
having evidence of a record of all safety checks and the results, before a person is employed or engaged as a children’s worker, as defined in the Children’s Act 2014. Safety checks must be carried out by the employer or another person or organisation acting on their behalf (GMA7A).
Having attendance records that meet the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (GMA11).
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
24 May 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Rutherford Preschool |
| Profile Number | 20148 |
| Location | Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
|
Service roll |
49 |
|
Review team on site |
March 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
24 May 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, July 2019; Education Review, May 2014 |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
discussions with those involved in the service
consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation an
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Rutherford Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rutherford Preschool is a well-established, community-based centre, in the grounds of Rutherford College and close to Rutherford Primary School. The preschool is licensed for up to 40 children, including up to 10 children under two years of age. Two rooms provide for infants and toddlers, and for pre-schoolers. Each room has its own outdoor area. Almost half of the children have Māori heritage, and a few children have Pacific heritage.
The preschool is governed by a management committee that includes the supervisor as well as parent and community representatives. Seven teachers are qualified, and two staff are in training. Most teachers have been at the centre for more than five years.
The preschool's philosophy is to support children to be lifelong learners. It focuses on providing a nurturing, stimulating and challenging learning environment for children. It acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa. Strong relationships with parents, responsiveness to children's interests, and a child initiated programme are also integral to the philosophy.
The 2014 ERO report commented positively about the strong culture of care, and effective and inclusive teaching practices in the preschool. Since 2014, teachers have focused on increasing children's contributions to planning and evaluation, making children's learning outcomes more evident in self review and promoting environmentally sustainable practices.
Children are capable learners who lead their own learning. They have a strong sense of belonging, settle quickly, and enthusiastically engage in activities. Children enjoy frequent interactions with their teachers and peers and benefit from a rich variety of accessible resources. Children enjoy challenge in their play and are able to sustain play for extended periods.
Infants and toddlers enjoy an environment that is relaxed and unhurried, and promotes positive interactions. Teachers in the infant room practise primary caregiving, and have prioritised strong and meaningful relationships with children and their whānau. Professional development is strengthening teachers' capacity to support positive outcomes for children's learning and wellbeing. Teachers' responsive caregiving supports infants’ need for strong and secure attachments.
Caring, respectful relationships among children and adults are strongly evident. Most teachers have worked in this centre for long periods, and they know the families and children well. Strong relationships with the local primary and secondary schools support smooth transitions.
Parents are well supported to be partners in their children's learning. Teachers respond to parents' aspirations and value the skills and knowledge that families share. They consult with parents about centre policies, and are increasing opportunities for parents and children to contribute to the programme.
The curriculum is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and children's interests and choices. Teachers skilfully support children to pursue their interests and engage in learning. They write learning stories that recognise children's participation in the programme, their learning dispositions and developing skills.
A significant focus has been on increasing the confidence of teachers and children to use te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga Māori. Teachers have reviewed their responsiveness to all children's cultures and languages. They celebrate language weeks and significant cultural events, and parents are invited to participate or provide cultural expertise. Teachers could consider reflecting children's cultures and languages in their assessment portfolios.
The centre is well led and managed. Its positive organisational culture is based on trust, collaboration and team cohesion. The supervisor has a strong vision and a commitment to building leadership capacity. Teachers have developed a framework for internal evaluation and useful evaluative questions. Multiple perspectives are sought to review practices, identify learning outcomes for children, and to ensure ongoing centre improvement.
Leaders have identified relevant areas for ongoing development in the centre. Next steps include:
documenting the strategies that teachers plan for responding to and extending children's learning, and using this information to evaluate teacher effectiveness
accessing external advisory support to establish 'teaching as inquiry' as part of increasing the rigour of teachers' appraisal and professional learning, and to promote continual improvement
increasing the use of indicators of good practice and other measures to support internal evaluation and the monitoring of progress towards strategic goals.
Before the review, the staff and management of Rutherford Preschool 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
5 July 2019
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 |
Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20148 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
44 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 23 Boys 21 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
18 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 July 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
May 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
||
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 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.
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.
Rutherford Pre-school is a well established, community based centre, located in the grounds of Rutherford College and close to Rutherford Primary School. It has a positive reporting history with ERO. The centre provides sessional and full-day sessions. The teachers’ philosophy is to support children to be ‘life-long learners’. Effective management practices, strong professional leadership and partnership with parents/whānau, continue to be evident in centre practices and procedures.
The centre is staffed by seven qualified teachers, and three staff who are in training. Staff provide low adult-to-child ratios and stable and consistent care. There have been very few staff changes since the 2011 ERO review. Most teachers have been at the centre for more than six years. Since the last ERO review teachers have reviewed and improved their programme planning to better respond to children’s interests. They have continued to make changes that seek to improve outcomes for all children.
Teachers provide a very good quality programme based on a culture of care and respect for children and their whānau. Effective and inclusive teaching practices affirm and build on the strengths children bring. Teachers acknowledge and respect children’s cultural backgrounds and frequently use children’s home languages in greetings and conversations. Te reo me ōna tikanga Māori is woven throughout all aspects of the programme and is a feature of the centre. The management of children’s transitions into the centre and on to school is responsive to individual children’s and whānau needs.
Infants and toddlers benefit from nurturing, individualised care. Very young children develop a special bond with a primary caregiver who also supports their transition to the over two area. Toddlers’ growing independence and language skills are fostered in play and routines. The environment promotes their sense of belonging and encourages them to explore and make discoveries.
Children engage in self-directed sustained play, have fun, and are enthusiastic learners. Their natural creativity and curiosity are affirmed, as is their ability to investigate and problem solve. The outdoor area supports children’s active and imaginative play. Teachers skilfully and sensitively encourage children to use literacy, mathematics, science and information and communication technologies as part of their play. Children are confident and communicate well with adults and other children.
Teachers plan and implement a high quality curriculum that reflects Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the centre philosophy. The curriculum is influenced by current theories and research. Assessment and planning are responsive to children’s interests and are displayed for children to revisit. Parents/whānau are provided with good information about the curriculum and encouraged to contribute their ideas and aspirations.
The centre manager and the management committee have effective management practices, policies and procedures to inform and guide centre operations. Teachers are reflective, work collaboratively and benefit from the centre manager’s strong professional leadership. Self review is robust and focused on improving outcomes for all children.
Centre managers agree that to enhance current good practices they could:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rutherford Pre-School 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 Rutherford Pre-School will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
16 May 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 |
Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20148 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
56 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
16 May 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 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.