Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association - Home Based Childcare (2)

Education institution number:
40299
Service type:
Homebased Network
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
18
Telephone:
Address:

34 Chapel Street, Tauranga

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Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association - Home Based Childcare (2) - 27/06/2017

1 Evaluation of Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Home Based Childcare (2)

How well placed is Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Home Based Childcare (2) to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Home Based Childcare (2) (TRFKA) is a non-profit organisation providing home-based childcare services, known as Papa Kainga, to children and families. This network is a standard funded network of untrained educators. It was established in 2012 to meet a Ministry of Education (MoE) home-based initiative. In 2014 the service met all of the targets set by MoE and is now a self-sustaining service.

The network values strong whānau connections between grandparents and their mokopuna through whānau care and foster-care support. Children from birth to school age are cared for in educators' homes in Rotorua, Taupō, Kawerau, Kaingaroa, Whakatane and Hamilton. Each educator is able to cater for up to four children at one time, including two children under the age of two years

The network is licensed for 80 children, at the time of this ERO review there were 21 children on the roll, including 16 Māori, which is a significant increase since the 2013 ERO report. The qualified early childhood teacher, known as a coordinator, visits educators regularly in their homes to offer educational support and mentoring and undertake health and safety checks. Children attend playgroups with educators, take planned excursions (kimi haere) into the wider community and participate in social and special events together.

TRFKA provides governance oversight through a board of trustees. The senior leadership team has responsibility for the management of kindergartens and home-based networks in the association. Leaders are supported by staff who undertake administrative and financial roles for the service. The senior coordinator continues to take responsibility for the day-to-day organisation of two homebased networks and leads a team of two coordinators and two relief coordinators.

The philosophy aims to place the child at the centre of all decision making and emphasises the values of trust, empathy, hope, respect, affection, communication, care and love.

The 2013 ERO report identified the need to strengthen assessment and planning and to build the knowledge, confidence and practices of te ao Māori across the service. There has been good progress made with these areas. The service has documented aspirational guidelines for assessment and planning. The association appointed a Resource Teacher: Māori who is providing ongoing advice and guidance to build practices that promote the success of Māori as Māori across the service.

The Review Findings

TRFKA Homebased Childcare (2) is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children and their families and whānau.

Children observed by ERO at the playgroup were confident and settled. Coordinators and educators know children well and warmly welcome them to the playgroup sessions. Children engage in sustained periods of play in mixed-age groups of their choice and independently. They enjoy making choices from a wide variety of interesting, accessible and age-appropriate materials and equipment.

Routines in homes and playgroups are responsive to the individual needs and rhythms of children. Children experience respectful, gentle interactions during care moments such as feeding and nappy changes. Babies and children up to two years old benefit from calm and unhurried practice from familiar and trusted educators that promote their wellbeing and belonging. Older children are able to explore, be adventurous and add challenge to their physical skills in the kindergarten area during playgroup sessions. Their social skills are developing and they experience opportunities for leadership through tuakana-teina relationships in family-like settings. Adults listen carefully to children's ideas and respond to affirm their interests and strengths.

Records of learning and care show that routines are responsive to the individual needs and rhythms of children. Assessment and planning is well managed and families with access to digital technology are able to share the learning and progress of their children through this media. Individual portfolios for each child document the rich curriculum provided by educators and the service. These portfolios include evidence of:

  • learning early literacy and number knowledge in meaningful contexts

  • the inclusion of tikanga and te reo, and visits to places of significance to Māori

  • learning about sustainability and the natural world

  • trips and excursions to community libraries, toy libraries, gym classes, local parks, rivers and beaches

  • children enjoying regular celebrations and cultural events such as Matariki.

The contributions of the educators and coordinator to the portfolios provide a clear record of visits and documents the growth and development of individual children. Adults document ideas for extending the strengths and interests of children. Coordinators and educators access equipment to support these ideas to be implemented. Whānau and children enjoy sharing and celebrating the successes and milestones through the portfolios. Educator homes provide interesting and varied learning environments for children.

The Resource Teacher: Māori is working effectively to build the knowledge, understanding and confidence of leaders, coordinators, educators, children and their families and whānau about te ao Māori. A particular strength of her leadership has been establishing meaningful relationships with hapu and iwi of Tauranga Moana. Children are learning about and visiting places of significance to Nga Pōtiki.

Māori children and their families experience success. Some educators use te reo Māori confidently and respect is shown for tikanga practices. TRFKA governing body has recently reviewed the Treaty of Waitangi policy. Leaders welcome visitors to the service with pōwhiri and whakatau as appropriate. Children are able to connect with and care for their environments in ways that are responsive to Māori values.

The service is responsive to the language, culture and identity of children from Pacific cultures and other nationalities. Children are placed, when possible, in homes with educators who speak their languages. Families benefit from educators who speak their language and have an understanding of their cultural values and heritage. Educators and coordinators share the knowledge they have of other languages and nationalities to build the collective knowledge and responsiveness of the service to the cultures of all families.

The coordinator of this network has iwi links that foster trusting and positive relationships amongst whānau, children and educators. She records children's learning and development, monitors health and safety in homes and provides positive feedback to educators about their practice. The coordinator works in positive partnership with whānau, families, specialist agencies, social workers and community services to access appropriate support for families and whānau of diverse learners. The service also supports educators with nursery furniture and other useful equipment. Educators would benefit from clear expectations to guide their planning. Educators' interactions with children would be enhanced by coordinators making use of indicators of best practice when giving targeted feedback to them.

The senior coordinator leads a collaborative and collegial team of experienced and reflective practitioners. She contributes to decision making as a member of the senior leadership team of TRFKA and is dedicated to enacting the philosophy of the service. Effective appraisal systems and processes for coordinators are implemented to affirm and improve their practice. Through setting regular goals for research and inquiry, the coordinator team builds their own practice and fosters the emergent leadership and capability of educators and families. Coordinators participate in regular professional development and learning and contribute to the wider education community.

The service benefits from the governance support provided by TRFKA through the philosophy, vision and values developed after consultation with parents, staff and the community. There are comprehensive policies, useful frameworks and documentation that guide the service to meet regulatory requirements. A particular strength is the community outreach initiatives in place to reduce barriers to participation and promote equitable opportunities for all families to access home-based care.

The appraisal of network coordinators meets the requirements of the Education Council. This process now needs to be implemented for the senior coordinator in the senior leadership team.

Generous provision is made for the professional learning and development of coordinators, educators and foster carers. Outcomes for children are improved as coordinators and educators continually build their understanding of best practice in early childhood education and care.

Key Next Steps

There is a need to review and strengthen systems and processes for internal evaluation and strategic planning at all levels.

This should include:

  • establishing more specific goals and outcomes for strategic and annual planning aligned with Ministry requirements and the vision, values and goals of TRFKA

  • evaluating the progress towards goals and the effectiveness of outcomes

  • strengthening the appraisal of the senior coordinator to be consistent with that of coordinators in the network and to meet the expectations of the Education Council

  • reinstating formal reporting to the senior leadership team from the senior coordinator to support decision making at governance level and enhance internal evaluation.

Attention to these is likely to contribute to a more sustainable service and improve outcomes for teachers, educators, children and their families.

Recommendation

Leaders and coordinators access professional development to strengthen systems and processes that support internal evaluation and strategic planning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Home Based Childcare (2) completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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; 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.

To improve practice service leaders should ensure that:

  • the appraisal process followed for coordinators is implemented for senior coordinator. The current appraisal for the senior coordinator does not meet the requirements of the Education Council.
    [Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services 2008, GMA6]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association Home Based Childcare (2) will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty

27 June 2017

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Home-based Education and Care Service

Location

Tauranga

Ministry of Education profile number

40299

Institution type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2

Service roll

21

Standard or Quality Funded

Standard

Gender composition

Boys 13 Girls 8

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

16
4
1

Number of qualified coordinators in the network

3

Required ratios of staff educators to children

Under 2

1:2

Over 2

1:4

Review team on site

May 2017

Date of this report

27 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

December 2013

Education Review

September 2010

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.

Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association - Home Based Childcare (2) - 11/12/2013

1 The Education Review Office (ERO) Evaluation

Tauranga Region Kindergartens (TRK) is a non-profit community based organisation that maintains its focus on providing quality homebased childcare services, known as Papa Kāinga, to children and families. Responsive and reciprocal relationships with families and communities and ensuring the principles of sustainability and Te Tiriti o Waitangi remain central to all of the organisation’s operations.

The service caters for children from birth to school age in the Tauranga region, Whitianga, Rotorua and Taupo. Within Papa Kāinga educational support and mentoring is provided for educators caring for children in private homes and for caregivers of foster children under school age. At the time of this review 35 children were enrolled, eight of whom are identified as being of Māori descent.

Caregivers and educators have access to a wide variety of quality educational opportunities, which is enhancing the quality of education and care provided. Regular visits from qualified coordinators to children and their educator/caregiver make a positive and constructive contribution to the quality of education provided and to children’s wellbeing. The service has successfully established respectful and reciprocal relationships at all levels. Parents and whānau views and aspirations for their children are sought and valued.

The service is well led by well qualified, experienced and knowledgeable coordinators. They work collaboratively to review and strengthen the service’s ability to meet community needs and promote positive educational outcomes for children.

Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again within three years.

2 The Focus of the Review

All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:

  • the programme provided for children
  • the learning environment
  • the interactions between children and adults.

The Quality of Education

Background

Tauranga Region Kindergartens operates two homebased childcare service networks and provides full professional and managerial support. One network is quality funded and the other standard funded, reflecting the level of educator and caregiver early childhood qualifications.

Since ERO’s last review in September 2010, the service has extended beyond Tauranga, to include Whitianga, Rotorua and Taupo. In line with this expansion four more coordinators have been employed. One coordinator has particular responsibility for supporting caregivers of young children in foster care.

Professional learning and development, including participation in research projects and conferences, has led to enhanced practice, learning and ongoing self review.

Areas of good performance

TRK provides effective governance and management of Papa Kāinga. The needs, ideas and aspirations of parents, communities and staff influence the vision, values and strategic direction of the organisation. Significant features of governance and management include focused self review and responsive professional learning and development for coordinators, educators and caregivers. The service provided by Papa Kāinga is responsive to the context, expectations and desired outcomes for children. There is strong acknowledgement of tangata whenua values and effective promotion of teaching and learning about Te Ao Māori.

The senior coordinator is a highly effective professional leader. She has established respectful and reciprocal relationships at all levels of Papa Kāinga and within the wider community. Her knowledge and inclusive, collaborative approach builds the individual capability of coordinators, educators and caregivers, children and whānau. The coordinator team, educators and caregivers are strong advocates for rights of children. Coordinators skilfully promote reflective practice and are responsive to diversity within the team of educators and caregivers. This practice is enhancing positive learning outcomes for children.

The service’s philosophy is based on a ‘circle of care’ where each child’s holistic development is central to all decision making. Values of trust, empathy, hope, respect, affection, communication, care and love are fostered in the curriculum. Children benefit from enriching experiences that include:

  • opportunities for learning and exploration in the wider community through kimi haere experiences, such as the natural environment, library and playgroup
  • an emphasis on literacy, mathematics and science in contexts that are meaningful to children
  • making connections with stories, people and places that are significant to tangata whenua
  • access to a range of resources to extend children's interest and learning and meet particular care needs
  • learning journals that affirm each child’s learning and experiences.

Respectful relationships and sharing of information between parents and educators and caregivers including the sharing of in-depth knowledge, enables responsive care and education for individual children. Home settings are skilfully adapted to create interesting and responsive learning environments where children demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging. They confidently engage in play, exploration and regular routines that promote independence. Coordinators, educators and caregivers interactions with children are positive and sensitive. They listen carefully to children and use a range of strategies to extend children's language, thinking and social skills.

Areas for development and review

ERO and service leaders agree that important areas for continued development include:

  • establishing shared understanding and expectations for assessment, planning and evaluation
  • strengthening the knowledge, confidence and practices of coordinators, educators and caregivers in relation to te Ao Māori.

3 Management Assurance on Compliance Areas

Overview

Before the review, the management and staff of Tauranga Regional Free Kindergarten Association - Home Based Childcare (2) completed an ERO Home-Based Education and Care Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

  • curriculum standard
  • premises and facilities standard
  • health and safety practices standard
  • governance management and administration standard.

During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:

  • emotional safety (including behaviour management, prevention of bullying and abuse)
  • physical safety (including behaviour management, sleeping and supervision practices; accidents and medication; hygiene and routines; travel and excursion policies and procedures)
  • staff qualifications and organisation
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

4 Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again within three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

11 December 2013

About the Service

Location

Tauranga, Whitianga, Rotorua, Taupo

Ministry of Education profile number

40299

Service type

Homebased Network

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Service roll

35

Gender composition

Boys 21

Girls 14

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

Pacific

24

8

3

Review team on site

October 2013

Date of this report

11 December 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

October 2010