78 Waimate North Road, Kerikeri
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Springbank Headstart are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning Conditions Organisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
Springbank Headstart provides for children between four and a half to six years of age. A small number of children enrolled are Māori. The service shares a large rural site with and is governed by the same board as Springbank School and Springbank Pre School. The principal of Springbank School has management oversight of the service and provides support for centre leaders.
Children are viewed as articulate, capable learners. They are involved in decision making, and teachers respect and acknowledge their preferences. Children have frequent opportunities to talk about their play and develop thinking and reasoning skills.
Children experience a localised curriculum that reflects the history of the community and a connectedness to the natural world. A well-designed outdoor environment provides many opportunities for creative and imaginative play, as well as supporting children’s risk-taking and physical development. Teachers guide children’s learning to enable them to be creative and to use early literacy and numeracy skills in meaningful ways. Wall displays and photographs contribute to children’s sense of belonging.
Teaching practices align with the service’s philosophy of encouraging children to inquire and ask questions. Teachers’ interactions engage children in deeper levels of thinking and support them to problem-solve and predict outcomes. Children are well prepared for transitioning to school. Successful transitions are supported by effective partnerships between families, the service and the local school.
Teachers recognise and respond to children’s individual interests in curriculum planning and documented assessment. They now need to record children’s learning in relation to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Whānau voice needs to be woven throughout planning and assessment, including making children’s languages and cultures more visible.
A process of internal evaluation is well documented. An increased evaluative focus would help teachers to more clearly determine how the curriculum and their teaching approaches are contributing to children’s learning. A professional growth cycle for teachers is at the early stages of implementation. Leaders now need to mentor teachers to further strengthen their teaching practices and grow their leadership capabilities.
The manager and centre leaders work collaboratively to guide and develop centre practices. Their collective approaches have resulted in embedded practices and systems that are consistent with the service’s philosophy, vision, goals for learning and policy frameworks.
Springbank Headstart will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Strengthen how teachers respond to and document children’s learning, including the extent to which children’s languages and cultures are evident in assessment records.
For leaders to mentor teachers’ professional development through embedding a professional growth cycle.
Before the review, the staff and management of Springbank Headstart 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following
non-compliance:
Parents/caregivers have given prior written approval to their child’s participation and of the proposed ratio for regular excursions at the time of enrolment (HS17).
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
9 November 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Springbank Headstart |
| Profile Number |
45628 |
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Location |
Kerikeri |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
20 children over 2 years of age |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
18 |
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Review team on site |
August 2022 |
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Date of this report |
9 November 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2018 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Springbank Headstart near Kerikeri, provides education and care for up to 20 children from four-and-a-half to six years of age. The centre has daily sessions from 8.30am to 3pm and operates in a converted bungalow. It shares a large rural site with, and is governed by the same board as, Springbank School and Springbank Pre School.
The school principal oversees the management of the centre. Day-to-day operations are led by the head teacher, who works collaboratively with one other teacher to deliver the curriculum. A recent change in staffing has meant that the centre is in a transitional phase.
The service's philosophy encourages children to work at their own pace, build their knowledge and develop their personal skills. A priority is for children to develop a love of learning and a strong academic foundation.
The 2013 ERO report was highly affirming of children's learning, as well as centre governance and bicultural practices. Some of these strengths continue to be evident. This review finds that more work is needed to improve the programme, curriculum management and internal evaluation so that provision and outcomes for children better reflect the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Children are well supported to be good readers and writers, and to develop sound understandings about mathematics. Children’s science learning is promoted well through interesting excursions and regular explorations of the large school site and local community. Children enjoy respectful relationships with their teachers and peers. Good promotion of tuakana/teina relationships is evident and supports children to develop a strong sense of belonging.
Children work together capably in small groups, communicate well with each other, and make suggestions about problems they are trying to solve. Most willingly participate in the daily structured group times, but are not always engaged in learning through these activities. Teachers should reflect on the extent to which this long structured session interrupts children's independent investigations, and whether the principles of the early childhood curriculum are sufficiently reflected in the programme.
Teachers work alongside children and support them to find solutions as part of their play. Children respond well to this attention and want adults to be part of their play. Teachers converse enthusiastically with children and use questions well to encourage their ideas and help them to solve problems. Teachers could now think about the impact of the frequent use of worksheets on children's creativity, and the extent to which the structured programme supports children to lead their own learning.
Teachers' planning, assessment and evaluation lack coherence. Planning for the structured part of the day is detailed, with very little opportunity for children's spontaneous learning through play. Learning stories do not provide parents with information about the strengths and interests of the individual child, but focus more on group experiences. Evaluation is mostly informal and not well documented.
Using Te Whāriki, teachers could evaluate current programme planning and assessment practices, which should contribute to greater cohesion in curriculum management. Some development is evident in implementing teaching practices that promote bicultural understandings and a greater familiarity with the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. These good teaching practices should continue to be strenghtened.
The head teacher provides sound leadership on a day-to-day basis. An evaluation of this position should include consideration of the role of the head teacher in curriculum management. Managers could use appropriately qualified early childhood practitioners to appraise personnel in this role and further grow professional learning. These actions are likely to bring about sustained improvement in the programme and in the quality of the service this centre provides.
Centre staff have strong relationships with parents and whānau, and acknowledge their role as primary caregivers and partners in children's learning. There are many ways for parents to be part of their children's learning including sharing their expertise and interests. Managers regularly seek feedback from parents.
Strengthening internal evaluation would enable the board to gain a wider perspective and ensure that policy review reflects changes in legal requirements. The board should develop a strategic plan to guide and help them to monitor centre development and effectiveness. Evaluating the service's current philosophy would help the board to gauge the extent to which it is enacted in practice.
Centre leaders agree that the key next steps for development should include:
continue to strengthen bicultural practices
further developing leadership by supporting the head teacher role through professional mentoring
strengthening internal evaluation by widening its scope and documenting the evaluation process
developing a strategic plan that reflects the board's focus on ongoing improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Springbank Headstart 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 identified areas of non-compliance relating to the centre's curriculum. To meet requirements teachers must plan, implement and evaluate programmes based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, which:
respond to the learning interests, strengths and capabilities of enrolled children
reflect an understanding of learning and development that is consistent with current research, theory, and practices in early childhood education.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C1,4; Education (ECS) Regulations 2008, 43 (1a (i, iii).
The next ERO review of Springbank Headstart will be in three years.
Julie Foley Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
13 February 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 |
Kerikeri, Northland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45628 |
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|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
20 children |
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Service roll |
20 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 11 Boys 9 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
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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 |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
13 February 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2013 |
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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.
Springbank Headstart is a high quality education and care centre that caters for up to 20 children from four and a half years to six years. It has daily sessions from 8.30am to 3pm. The centre operates under the same board as Springbank School and Springbank Preschool, which share a large rural site near Kerikeri. This centre was opened in 2011 to provide children with education that supports them to develop skills and confidence when transitioning to school. This is Springbank Headstart’s first ERO report.
The centre’s philosophy is based on the learning principles of holistic development, empowerment, community and relationships. The programme’s purpose is to extend and enrich children’s abilities through building their knowledge and skills in a supportive and caring environment.
The centre has two teachers, and during their break times teachers from either the preschool or the school supervise the children at Springbank Headstart. The centre regularly takes advantage of the school’s facilities including the library, gymnasium and natural environment.
Teachers work together as a highly professional and supportive team. Their philosophy of teaching and the principles of Te Whāriki, New Zealand’s early child curriculum, are clearly evident in practice. Teachers are skilful facilitators of learning. They respond purposefully to children’s interests and foster their curiosity and enthusiasm for learning.
Teachers view children as capable learners. As a result children learn to solve problems independently and collaboratively with their peers, persist with tasks and help to direct programme development. Children learn to take leadership roles and responsibilities as part of group learning.
Children demonstrate their competence as learners and are self-assured in their interactions with adults and other children. High levels of interaction among children, one-to-one focused attention by adults, and prolonged conversations promote children’s thinking and reasoning skills.
The curriculum provides authentic learning contexts for children to develop dispositions as confident learners. The development of early literacy and mathematics skills are integral aspects of the programme. Learning environments are attractively presented, with plentiful and high quality resources that are easily accessible to children.
Teachers have a clear commitment to promoting children’s awareness of New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. This focus is included as an objective in the centre's annual management plan. Te reo Māori is used in daily interactions and within the programme.
Curriculum documentation gives parents very good information about children’s learning experiences. It also illustrates teachers’ skilled observation and good knowledge of children’s learning. Assessment portfolios include learning stories that recognise and affirm children's abilities and their developing learning approaches.
Transitions in the centre are carefully managed to cater for children’s and family needs. Children have regular opportunities to establish relationships with children and teachers from both the school and the preschool. This approach helps children to transition confidently to school.
The centre has a well embedded culture of consultative self review. This good practice results in ongoing, positive developments to the programme, environment and operation of the centre. Teachers’ ongoing reflection about the effectiveness of the programme contributes to the focused nature of their work with children. A sound appraisal system supports teachers to continually improve teaching practices. The programme for children and teachers’ roles in facilitating learning are continually refined as a result of this reflection.
The centre operates from a sound policy base that makes frequent reference to the centre’s philosophy. Cohesive and reciprocal relationships with the adjoining school and preschool offer multiple opportunities for centre development and teachers’ professional learning.
Managers’ and teachers’ high quality self review guides the identification of relevant areas for centre development. Teachers’ current focuses include continuing to enhance:
Before the review, the staff and management of Springbank Headstart 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 Springbank Headstart will be in four years.
Graham Randell National Manager Review Services Northern Region (Acting)
22 August 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 |
Kerikeri, Northland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45628 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
18 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 9 Girls 9 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā African American Australian |
2 14 1 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 |
June 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
22 August 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
No previous ERO reports |
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.