815 Old Tai Tapu Road, Taitapu
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Tai Tapu Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tai Tapu Playcentre is within New Zealand Playcentre Federation's Upper South Island region (USIR). The playcentre operates five mornings a week and is licensed for up to 30 children, including 20 children under two. Children from birth-to-school age attend the playcentre with their parents. The playcentre currently has a roll of 37 children.
The playcentre operates out of a recently repurposed hall located in the small rural community of Tai Tapu. It is close to Tai Tapu, Halswell and Ladbrooks schools.
The playcentre's philosophy states it is a 'family-run playcentre where parent education is promoted alongside children's learning' and has a strong focus on 'families learning together'. All parents and extended family members are encouraged to participate in achieving these aims.
The playcentre has three co-ordinators who are trained early childhood teachers. The day-to-day planning and operation of the playcentre are carried out by parents who collectively form part of the distributed leadership team. There are regular visits and ongoing support from a Centre Support Worker (CSW) and Centre Administrator (CA).
Tai Tapu Playcentre is an active member of the Ngā Mātāpuna o Ngā Pakihi Kāhui Ako.
Children and adults benefit from caring, respectful relationships. The inclusive culture is very welcoming for parents and children and supports the focus on building relationships within the playcentre and with the local community. Parents work well as a collective and there are good systems in place for ensuring the smooth operation of the playcentre.
Children and parents are supported in their learning. Playcentre co-ordinators have created strong learning partnerships with parents giving them confidence as first teachers of their children. Parents are developing a greater awareness of their children's development. Children's learning benefits from purposeful planning which clearly reflects their interests and their parents' aspirations. Children's learning stories and profile books are readily available so children and parents can read and revisit learning.
Children enjoy and engage in a rich programme based on real-life experiences, the playcentre's rural setting and its wider community. They and their parents involve themselves in a variety of activities within and beyond the playcentre. Positive interactions between children and adults develop children's confidence to engage with others and to be independent learners.
The indoor and outdoor environments are spacious, very well resourced and well organised. Children choose what they want to do and have easy access to age-appropriate resources. They play well alongside and with their peers and adults.
The leadership team is improvement focused. There is have a useful internal evaluation framework which is leading to shifts in practices and improved outcomes for children. Internal evaluation topics respond to identified areas, such as transitions into the playcentre by new and returning parents, and children. These topics are linked to long and short term planning, the playcentre philosophy and the Playcentre Federation philosophy.
A well-thought strategic plan clearly outlines the playcentre's priorities for the future. Parents and leaders need to also consider succession planning to ensure the smooth running of the service in the future.
The key next steps, with the support of the CSW, are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Tai Tapu 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.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
12 March 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.
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Location |
Tai Tapu, Canterbury |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70132 |
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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 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
46 |
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Gender composition |
Boys: 23 Girls: 23 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
Parent-led cooperative |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
November 2018 |
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Date of this report |
12 March 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2007 |
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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 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 |
Tai Tapu Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tai Tapu Playcentre operates under the guidance of the Canterbury Playcentre Association. The playcentre is a parent cooperative with parents encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the programme and centre operation.
Tai Tapu Playcentre operates five morning sessions a week. It is located in the Tai Tapu Hall. The hall is safe to occupy but sustained damage in the 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes. The future of the hall is uncertain. The parents and the association are working with the Ministry of Education and the Selwyn Council to ensure the playcentre has suitable premises.
This review was part of a cluster review of seven playcentres in the Canterbury Playcentre Association.
Children learn and socialise in a well organised and presented playcentre programme. Many of the adults have been involved in the centre for a number of years and willingly share their skills and knowledge of playcentre and the best ways for children to learn.
The playcentre provides a warm, friendly and inviting environment for children and adults. Children are well supported by adults who have a good knowledge of each child and effectively use a range of approaches to help children develop their thinking, problem solving and social skills.
The coordinators and parents have clear and well understood roles and responsibilities for the programme and the administration of the centre. Adults' skills and interests are well used to strengthen the programme and ensure the smooth operation of the centre.
The environment is well resourced and provides well for the infants, toddlers and children up to school age. Adults have made appropriate use of self review to improve the provisions for under- two-year-old children and extend the interests of children near school age. Literacy and numeracy are integrated into the programme in ways that engage children in meaningful learning.
Leadership is actively promoted. The three coordinators completed their training at this centre. Children’s comments are regularly sought as part of the centre’s self review. Older children willingly look after and include younger children in their play.
The association has effective systems and practices for monitoring health and safety, and parent involvement in the centres. The association’s support team visits assist centre staff to meet the association's expectations for the daily operation of the centre.
The association centre support team provides a vital link between the parents and the association. In centres where this link is strong, ERO found the centres received good quality targeted support. In these centres the coordinators and parents worked effectively as a parent cooperative. They had well defined roles and responsibilities and were able to provide evidence that the centre’s programme was extending children’s learning.
The association is undertaking major restructuring. A new manager was appointed in April 2014. The playcentre philosophy provides a good foundation for the association to build its vision and make the changes for the organisation and its centres. Plans to support the achievement of this vision have yet to be put in place.
Next steps for the association should include:
The association, centre parents and ERO agree that the next steps include:
Before the review, the management of Tai Tapu 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.
The next ERO review of Tai Tapu Playcentre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
16 July 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 |
Canterbury |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70132 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 8 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 17 Girls 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
0 30 |
|
|
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 |
May 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
16 July 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 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:
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.