Main Highway, Tauriko
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Tauriko Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tauriko Playcentre is a parent-led education and care service located in Tauranga. It caters for children from birth to school age and operates four mixed-age morning sessions per week. The playcentre is licensed for 30 children including up to 15 under the age of two years. The current roll of 53 children includes four who identify as Māori.
During 2018 the New Zealand Playcentre Federation transitioned from operating with 32 regional associations to become one national body with six regional offices. In the central North Island six associations have merged into a regional hub renamed Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region that now includes 95 playcentres over a large geographic area. During this transition there is some overlap between associations and the new national regional systems and processes. At Tauriko Playcentre the co-presidents are supported by a committee of parent members. A session supervisor, centre administrator and support worker are provided by governance.
Through their national philosophy the playcentre places emphasis on whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together. They empower adults and children to play, work and grow together and value and affirm parents as first and best educators of their children.
Tauriko Playcentre has a positive reporting history with ERO. Since the last ERO review in 2015, internal review has a more planned and deliberate focus. There has been improved understanding and use of te reo Māori and the bicultural curriculum has improved.
This review was part of a cluster of five playcentre reviews in the Central North Island Region.
Effective learning relationships are promoted to build on children’s knowledge and skills. Learning opportunities are child focused and parents are responsive to their children’s interests and needs. Children under the age of two years enjoy a calm and responsive learning space. It is age appropriate and allows for free movement, fostering curiosity and independence. Members are responding appropriately to young children’s routines and cues. Children experience positive and meaningful interactions where parents as first teachers is well promoted.
Children’s learning is effectively supported in an extensively equipped and attractive environment. They lead their own learning through a curriculum that is inclusive and accessible for all learners. Children are encouraged to make their own decisions and experience a wide range of choices in their play. Oral language is strongly supported through open-ended questions and children’s desire to be curious and inquire. Risk taking and challenge are promoted in the large outdoor park-like play area. Children are seen as confident learners and explorers.
Literacy and mathematics are effectively and authentically woven through play and learning. Trips and excursions into the community support meaningful learning. Planning is a collaborative process, discussed by members and areas to extend are identified at the end of session evaluation. Individual portfolios are a meaningful record of children's participation in the programme. It is now time to build parents understanding of assessment practices. This should include incorporating visibility of individual children's language, culture and identity in assessment portfolios. Children experience a curriculum where their interests and strengths are the focus for learning.
Bicultural practice is championed by leaders. Te reo Māori, waiata and karakia are incorporated in the daily learning programme. Places of local significance are valued and Māori myths and legends promoted. Tuakana teina relationships are evident through authentic interactions and intentions. Children are supported to experience the unique bicultural heritage of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Experienced and knowledgeable leaders are providing effective support for new members. Leaders have established a positive culture for learning with a focus on building capability through role modelling good practice. Recent elections have seen all roles and responsibilities filled within the playcentre. This commitment from members and with many new families is contributing to the sustainability of the playcentre. An internal evaluation framework has been implemented and is guiding a positive review process, leading to change and improvement. The collaborative approach to leadership enables sustainability within the playcentre committee where the vision and well-designed philosophy are shared to all members. Children benefit from leaders who advocate for the playcentre and are focused on positive learning outcomes.
The Playcentre Aotearoa overarching strategic plan and individual annual plans guide the playcentre direction and focus on building capability through parent education programmes. There has been regular communication and support between the association and regions through the restructure. Existing policies and systems support centre operations until new systems developed by Playcentre Aotearoa are implemented. The playcentre philosophy and vision are clearly documented and strategic goals set,. now there is a need to measure the impact and outcomes for children.
Through internal evaluation there is now a need to:
develop a shared understanding and knowledge of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki to further support children's learning
ensure the visibility of individual children’s language culture and identity throughout assessment and the programme
further refinement of the bicultural nature of the programme.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tauriko 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.
The next ERO review of Tauriko Playcentre will be in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
28 February 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 |
Tauranga |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40010 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
53 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 31 Boys 22 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
Review team on site |
December 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
28 February 2019 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2015 |
|
Education Review |
February 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2008 |
|
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.
Tauriko Playcentre is a well-established, parent-led early childhood service. It is located adjacent to the local primary school on the outskirts of Tauranga. It provides sessional education, three days a week, for children from birth to school age in a mixed-age setting. The centre also hosts an initiative to support mothers and babies, Supporting Parents Alongside Children’s Education (SPACE), for two sessions each week.
Due to significant roll growth since the previous ERO review in 2012, the Ministry of Education has increased the centre licence to cater for up to 30 children, including 15 children under the age of two years at any one time. At the time of this ERO review there were 63 children, including three children who are identified as Māori.
Tauriko Playcentre operates under the umbrella of the Western Bay of Plenty Playcentre Association (WBOPPA). Centre members benefit from the support and guidance of an experienced centre liaison officer and a centre administration officer provided by the association. WBOPPA also provide training workshops and useful documentation and frameworks to guide centre operations. These guidelines are underpinned by the association’s philosophy, which is highly evident in members’ practice.
Members take responsibility to fulfil a number of key roles to ensure centre operation is sustainable and effective.
The 2012 ERO report identified areas for improvement about strengthening members’ use of te reo Māori and raising the quality of aspects of assessment. Good progress has been made with developing and implementing systems and processes that contribute to a manageable and consistent approach to assessment. Centre members continue to undertake training and course work that builds their confidence in the use of te reo Māori.
The centre is well maintained and attractively presented in spacious grounds with mature trees. Recent developments to the outdoor area have led to improvements, including initiatives to involve children in activities such as gardening, tree planting and growing vegetables.
Centre members embrace the playcentre philosophy and highly value parents as the first and best educators of their children. They place priority on child-initiated play and supporting children to follow their interests and build on their strengths.
This review was part of a cluster of six playcentres in the Western Bay of Plenty Playcentre Association.
Experienced centre leaders are providing highly-effective leadership that promotes positive outcomes for children and their families. Self review is well understood by key people in the centre and leads to ongoing improvements and development. Effective review is evident in the way centre leaders reflect on their partnership with the community. This process resulted in a significant increase in membership and participation in parent training and course work. Experienced members model good practice and support new members who transition into the centre. They frequently reflect on the quality of children’s learning, share ideas, and use their strengths to enhance outcomes for children and their families.
Centre leaders have established systems and processes that respond to the educational needs of children, promote emergent leadership amongst adults, and ensure the sustainability of the service. They have established a centre culture which holds high expectations for parent contribution and leadership. Parent participation and success in course work and training is celebrated. This has resulted in a high percentage of well-qualified parents. Parents expressed appreciation for the partnership and empowerment they share, and the progress they have made in developing a collaborative learning community of adults and children.
Children under two years of age demonstrate high levels of wellbeing and belonging. They benefit from supportive and nurturing adults who know them well and foster their confidence as competent learners. Older children include their younger peers and siblings in their play and act as important role models for them.
Older children make wide use of the extensive range of high-quality materials and equipment to engage and sustain their play. Many children know one another well and are highly cooperative in their play and decision making. They enter confidently into imaginative play, take roles in dramatic play, and enjoy the many opportunities to express themselves creatively. Appropriate physical challenge is provided and children are able to take risks, and build their physical skills and competence in a closely monitored environment.
Centre members consistently make use of:
Adults take every opportunity to work alongside children to negotiate, co-construct and empower them in the learning process. They expressed their appreciation for the support provided by a skilled life member who is employed to plan and implement learning experiences for children.
The environment is attractive, stimulating and thoughtfully planned. It enables children to make choices, explore and experiment through play. Children are independent, self managing and competent. Mathematical and literacy learning is integrated and embedded into children’s play. However, because of the differing levels of understanding that members have of mathematical learning, a more intentional approach to reviewing this area of the curriculum would be likely to lead to greater consistency for children.
A particular strength of the programme is the way parents contribute their knowledge, plan to share their occupations and visit each others’ homes to enrich the curriculum. This includes learning about science, visits to the wider community, the involvement of fathers and celebration of cultures of the world. Children experience continuity in their learning between home and the centre through the shared approach of parent contributions.
Aspects of Māori culture are included in many areas of the centre. This was evident through some use of basic te reo Māori, inclusion of karakia kai, waiata, displays and equipment that reflect Māori values. A tradition in the centre is to celebrate Matariki and share a hangi with the wider community. Members have opportunities to build their understanding of biculturalism through WBOPPA course training.
ERO and centre leaders agree that there is a need to continue to increase members’ knowledge and appreciation of places of local significance and the history of the area from a Māori perspective.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tauriko 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 Tauriko Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
25 February 2015
|
Location |
Tauranga |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40010 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
63 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 38 Girls 25 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other Russian |
3 57 2 1 |
|
Review team on site |
December 2014 |
|
|
Date of this report |
25 February 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2012 |
|
Education Review |
November 2008 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2005 |
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.