Shalom Kindergarten

Education institution number:
40046
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
51
Telephone:
Address:

252 Otumoetai Road, Otumoetai, Tauranga

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Shalom Kindergarten

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence. 

ERO’s judgements for Shalom Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakatō Emerging

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Shalom Kindergarten is a not-for-profit, community-based service governed by C3 City Church Trust Board. The current roll includes a small number of Māori, and a significant number of children are from diverse cultural backgrounds. Progress has been made on key next steps identified in ERO’s August 2022 report.

3 Summary of findings

Aspects of the service’s philosophy that include care and support for children and families from a Christian world view, are reflected through the curriculum. Children have regular opportunities to experience te reo Māori and tikanga Māori. Those with additional learning needs are supported to participate through partnerships between teachers, parents and external agencies. Children’s continuity of learning over time is evident. 

A curriculum responsive to the individual needs of children is in the early stages of implementation. The environment generally supports children’s learning and development and is yet to fully respond to older children's emergent interests. Complexity of learning, to enhance children’s thinking and exploration, is not well supported through the day-to-day curriculum. Younger learners are included in all areas through responsive interactions with teachers. Positive guidance strategies and teaching to support children’s social competence are not consistently implemented.

Teachers are working towards a shared understanding of how to use the valued learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children’s cultures, languages and identity are beginning to be considered in assessment and planning. Positive relationships with parents and whānau give opportunities for them to be involved in their child’s learning. 

Leaders are developing systems, practices and conditions to promote a rich curriculum for all children. Teachers’ wellbeing is supported. Relational trust and collaboration within the new teaching team is being established. Processes for professional growth are in place. These are yet to consistently focus on building teacher capability and pedagogical knowledge to positively impact children’s learning.

4 Improvement actions

Shalom Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Review the learning environment, both indoors and out, to increase ongoing access for children to a full range of resources that support complexity of learning, and enable children to lead their own learning through play.
  • Undertake professional learning to ensure shared understanding and implementation of strategies for positive interactions with children and response to the ways children learn.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Shalom Kindergarten completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

27 November 2023 

6 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameShalom Kindergarten
Profile Number40046
LocationOtumoetai, Tauranga
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 50 children aged over 2 years
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll56 
Review team on siteAugust 2023
Date of this report27 November 2023
Most recent ERO report(s)Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2022; Education Review, April 2020

Shalom Kindergarten

ERO’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.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Shalom Kindergarten is a not-for-profit, community-based early childhood service for children aged two years and above. The service is located in Otumoetai and is governed by C3 City Church Trust Board. The centre manager leads a team of 12 teachers. The service’s full licence was reissued in May 2021. 

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum is responsive to children as socially competent and confident learners. Children lead their learning, and their preferences are respected. Adults providing education and care for children engage in positive and meaningful interactions with them. A range of learning experiences and opportunities extend and enhance their learning both indoors and out.

The curriculum is inclusive and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. It is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation and underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

There are regular opportunities for parents and whānau to share aspirations for their children. A philosophy statement and annual plan guide operations.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • Continuing to develop a localised curriculum in consultation with parents and whānau to reflect the valued priorities for learning for children and strategic goals for the service.

  • Documenting the languages and cultures of all children in assessment to reflect their home contexts and enhance their learner identities.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

19 August 2022 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Shalom Kindergarten
Profile Number 40046
Location Tauranga

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

50 children aged over 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

55

Review team on site

June 2022

Date of this report

19 August 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, April 2020; Education Review, February 2017

General Information about Assurance Reviews

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.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • 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.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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 and teaching practice.