Norfolk Street, Tamatea, Napier
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 Tamatea Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
This is one of 16 kindergartens governed and managed by the Napier Kindergarten Association. The philosophy values learning through exploration. Since the previous ERO review, staffing has changed, and a new head teacher has been appointed. Over a quarter of children enrolled are Māori, and a small number are Pacific learners.
Children’s learning and development are supported through respectful, responsive interactions. Intentional teaching practices foster children’s decision making and independence. This promotes children’s social and emotional competencies. Children and their whānau have purposeful relationships with teachers, and their goals are being considered within curriculum planning.
Children’s interests form the basis of the daily enacted curriculum. Teachers have begun to identify the service’s priorities for learning. Assessment of children’s learning shows their progress over time and partially reflects the valued learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children have their individual needs affirmed and their sense of belonging is valued.
Teachers are beginning to build a curriculum that responds to children’s cultures, languages and identity. Māori learners have their culture affirmed through rich resourcing that reflects te ao Māori. Te reo Māori is beginning to be used across the curriculum and within pieces of learning assessment. Opportunities for other children to have their cultures, languages and identity reflected within the environment are not consistent.
The association works collaboratively to promote children’s equity of access to an inclusive education. This supports delivery of a consistent curriculum across all kindergartens. Robust monitoring, review and evaluation at association level are not yet evident. Information on improvements in individual kindergartens is not used by those in governance and management roles to identify how association actions impact on equitable outcomes for children. Understanding and implementation of systems and processes that support maintenance of regulatory requirements are inconsistent.
Tamatea Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
The Napier Kindergarten Association will include the following in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Tamatea 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:
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.
During the review, the association provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Since the onsite visit, the service and the association have provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
20 December 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Tamatea Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 5285 |
| Location | Tamatea, Napier |
| Service type | Free Kindergarten |
| Number licensed for | 46 children aged over two |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 100% |
| Service roll | 40 |
| Review team on site | August 2023 |
| Date of this report | 20 December 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, November 2019; Education Review, December 2015 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Tamatea Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tamatea Kindergarten is located in suburban Napier. The service provides education and care for up to 46 children aged over two years. The current roll is 40, including 11 Māori children. Children and families reflect a diverse range of cultures.
The teaching team is well established. The relieving head teacher has been part of the teaching team for seven years. Thoughtfully considered, ongoing development to grounds reflects the kindergarten's involvement in the Enviroschools initiative. Tamatea Kindergarten is part of a newly established Kāhui Ako.
The reviewed philosophy emphasises, 'thriving in an explorative learning culture while maintaining positive relationships'.
Tamatea Kindergarten is one of 16 kindergartens operating under the governance and management of the Napier Kindergarten Association (the association). The governing board is responsible for setting the overall strategic direction for the organisation. The day-to-day operation of the association is the role of the general manager. Two education managers provide teaching and learning support for teachers. The board employs a Pou Whakarewa Mātauranga (Professional Practice Advisor Māori) to work alongside all association personnel to continue to strengthen cultural responsiveness.
Many areas identified as strengths in the December 2015 ERO report continue. Progress in further embedding and extending the scope of internal evaluation is evident. Teachers continue to strengthen teaching and learning.
This review was part of a cluster of 16 kindergarten reviews in the Napier Kindergarten Association.
The service's philosophy that reflects "an explorative learning culture, while engaging and maintaining positive relationships" is clearly evident in practice. Teachers and whānau recently revisited the kindergarten's philosophy and are focusing on ensuring teaching practice and the environment reflect the principles of Te Whāriki.
Children learn in a setting that supports meaningful and enjoyable exploration. They mostly engage in free, uninterrupted play and investigation that encourages independence and extends learning. Children’s emerging interests in literacy and numeracy are evident within the context of play, both indoors and outside.
A well-considered approach to documenting assessment for learning identifies children's progress over time. This increasingly includes different perspectives and ways to add complexity to children's learning. Profiles record children's participation in the life of the centre. Children revisit learning stories and build on their experiences. Parents are encouraged to contribute to children's learning, progress and achievements. Teachers continue to build their knowledge and understanding of assessment, planning and evaluation practices as reflected in Te Whāriki.
The environment reflects the dual heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand in a variety of ways. The outdoor area, with well-integrated natural materials, has been designed collaboratively. It shows a strong bicultural commitment, is aesthetically appealing and supports sustainable practices. Children engage with the living world in authentic and meaningful ways.
A newly introduced weekly playgroup helps children to seamlessly move into the kindergarten session. Transition to school focuses on children feeling well supported and confident in a new situation. Kindergarten teachers support families with information and discussion. Positive relationships have been developed with the two local schools.
Leadership is collaborative and the head teacher values the skills and knowledge of the teaching team. Teachers are reflective, and improvement focused. They continue to develop internal evaluation as a tool to critically reflect on practice. Continuing to strengthen internal evaluation practices should further support teachers to know how well their actions improve learning outcomes for children. Education managers should continue to grow their own knowledge and practice of effective internal evaluation to better support this process.
The governing board is future-focused and has developed a clear strategic direction to meet the diverse needs of the community. Board members value diversity of viewpoints and gather community and staff voice to inform decision-making. Regular reporting by the education managers is useful in identifying how strategic teaching and learning goals are being addressed.
The board places importance on developing teachers' capabilities. Targeted and deliberate building of cultural responsiveness supports Māori children and their whānau to experience success. An association-wide appraisal process is in place to support teacher practice in promoting positive learning outcomes for children. Further strengthening of the appraisal process, including targeted observations, should support teachers to determine how well they are progressing and actively encourage them to improve their effectiveness.
Teachers at Tamatea Kindergarten should continue to strengthen:
Education managers should continue to promote sustained improvement and innovation through strengthening:
Education managers should strengthen their understanding and use of internal evaluation to systematically evaluate their practices and the impact of these on outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tamatea Kindergarten 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
18 November 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 | Napier | |
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5285 | |
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | |
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | |
| Number licensed for | 46 children, aged over 2 | |
| Service roll | 40 | |
| Gender composition | Male 27, Female 13 | |
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 11 23 6 |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | |
| Reported ratios of staff to children | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | September 2019 | |
| Date of this report | 18 November 2019 | |
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | December 2015 |
| Education Review | October 2012 | |
| Education Review | May 2009 | |
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:
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.
Tamatea Kindergarten in Napier provides early childhood education and care for up to 46 children aged over two. Morning sessions cater for younger children and older children attend for six hours. The current roll comprises of 49 children, including 24 Māori children.
The kindergarten is part of the Napier Kindergarten Association, which oversees the operation of 16 kindergartens including two based in Wairoa. A board of trustees oversees governance for the association and support for the general manager. Two education managers are responsible for building teacher capability. The head teacher provides professional leadership to the team of teachers. A recently appointed Pou Whakarewa Matauranga supports teachers to develop their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori. He demonstrates a clear vision for Māori children and their whānau.
Since the October 2012 review there have been a number of developments in the kindergarten. These have included upgrading the inside of the kindergarten and further developing the outdoor environment. This is stimulating and inviting and reflects the cultural identify of New Zealand and the natural world. Easy indoor outdoor flow and thoughtful placement of activities and resources support children’s learning.
This review was part of a cluster of 9 reviews in the Napier Kindergarten Association.
Children and parents are warmly welcomed on arrival. Children are familiar with the routine and settle quickly. Warm, mutually respectful relationships are evident and reflect the kindergarten’s philosophy.
Teachers support children in engaged, sustained, child-led play. They access a good range of activities and resources which encourage exploration, investigation and creativity. Teachers foster language development through their conversations with children. Literacy and mathematics are well integrated throughout the daily programme. Routines are responsive to the children’s needs and promote independence and self-help skills.
Portfolios are attractive and effectively inform parents about their child’s learning and participation in a wide range of learning activities. Children enjoy revisiting them and sharing their learning.
Recent developments of planning and assessment practices have increased teachers’ focus on children’s learning. Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children’s strengths and emerging interests and plan appropriate learning experiences. Planning is well displayed in order to inform and engage parents in the programme.
Children’s learning over time is documented through learning journeys. This is a recently introduced initiative. Teachers have identified the need to continue to develop learning journeys to show the complexity of children’s learning over time. Learning journeys are increasing parent's contribution and engagement in their child’s learning.
Transitions into kindergarten are well planned and responsive to the individual needs of children and their families. Well-established relationships with local schools support children’s transition to school.
Teachers recognise and celebrate the importance of whanaungatanga. There has been a sustained focus on strengthening their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori. A Māori vision articulates a belief in the uniqueness of Māori children. Teachers acknowledge that it is timely to review this vision to seek Māori parents and whānau aspirations for their children.
Children's learning is supported by reflective teachers who work collaboratively. The head teacher values the strengths and skills of individual teachers and encourages and supports them to take on leadership roles.
Teachers are well supported to participate in relevant professional learning and development. The appraisal process enables teachers to identify areas for further development and reflect on the impact of their practice. Further developing the focus of the appraisal process should increase its usefulness in growing teaching practices.
A useful self-review process has been developed by teachers to guide kindergarten developments. Good use is made of evidence and research. Establishing a clear focus, identifying desired outcomes for children and shifting their focus to how well practices support positive outcomes for children should further strengthen the process.
The association empowers teachers to use the team’s strengths to respond to children and the parent community. Education managers should continue to lead the implementation of systems and processes to effectively build teacher capability. These include assessment, planning, self-review and internal evaluation, appraisal and leadership.
The kindergarten teachers and education managers should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Tamatea Kindergarten 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 Tamatea Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
24 December 2015
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 |
Napier |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5285 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
46 children |
||
|
Service roll |
49 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 29, Boys 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
24 17 3 5 |
|
|
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 |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
24 December 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2006 |
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.