74 tasman street, Mt Cook, Wellington
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 Te Kainganui Early Education Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing Whakatō Emerging |
Te Kainganui Early Education Centre is a long-established community-based early learning service situated in the suburb of Mount Cook. It is governed by a committee made up of parents working under an incorporated society structure. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of the head teacher.
Children’s mana and identity as successful learners are promoted by the stimulating, responsive curriculum, and attentive, skilled teachers. They own and direct their learning. A culture of respect supports their wellbeing and sense of belonging. Kaitiakitanga is fostered through an ongoing focus on care for the environment. Identified priorities of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Pacific-based practices are strongly reflected in teaching, learning and the environment. Te reo and tikanga Māori are highly valued and integrated into the daily life of the centre in meaningful ways. Relationships among staff and families are well established and supportive.
Teachers’ approach to recording children’s learning strongly celebrates their emerging interests, participation and learning dispositions. It is purposefully based on the principles of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki. Parent partnership in assessment and input into decisions about a localised curriculum have not yet been achieved. There is work to do to integrate intentional teaching strategies and the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki into documented planning.
Relevant, collaborative professional learning opportunities over time have resulted in a philosophy based on sound theory and practice. While a suitable framework to support internal evaluation has been identified, there is more work to do to support teachers’ understanding and use of the process to promote ongoing improvement to outcomes for children.
Leaders agree that stronger governance is required. This includes further clarification of roles and responsibilities at governance and management levels, and implementation of systems that support sustained good practice, effective operation, and improvement over time.
Te Kainganui Early Education Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
identify agreed learning priorities for this community; and build a team approach to planning the curriculum which integrates the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki
teachers to show in assessment records; how they gather and respond to parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning, clearly identify next learning steps, identify children’s progress over time
build the teaching team’s capability to use internal evaluation as a tool to inform decision making about change and improvement
review the organisation of governance and management to further clarify roles and responsibilities and implement systems that support sustained good practice, effective operation, and improvement over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kainganui Early Education Centre 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:
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.
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:
evidence of review of the emergency plan on at least an annual basis, and that the review is informed by evaluation of emergency drills
when children leave the premises for regular excursions, parents/caregivers have given prior written approval of the proposed ratio of adults to children, and the person responsible has signed approval for all excursions to take place.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; HS7, HS17.
The service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
the procedure for monitoring children’s sleep includes the statement, ‘they are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing’ [HS9]
a documented risk management system details how hazards to the safety of children are eliminated, isolated or minimised [HS12]
the record of medication includes evidence of parental acknowledgement [HS28]
the written procedure and practices for safety checking all children’s workers meet the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 [GMA7a]
an annual plan guides service operation identifying who, what and when in relation to key tasks [GMA8].
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
20 July 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Te Kainganui Early Education Centre |
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Profile Number |
60265 |
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Location |
Wellington |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
24 children, including up to 5 aged under two |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
|
Service roll |
24 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 2, NZ European/Pākehā 21, other ethnic groups 1 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
20 July 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2018; Education Review, September 2015 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Te Kainganui Early Education Centre is a long established, community-based service located in Mt Cook, Wellington. It provides all-day education and care for 24 children, including five up to the age of two. Of the 30 children currently enrolled, 11 are Māori and four are of Pacific heritage.
The recently revised philosophy promotes children as capable, knowledgeable and culturally connected learners. It emphasises the importance of a sense of place, connection to the environment, respectful relationships and self-directed play in facilitating children's learning.
The centre is governed by an elected parent committee. All families are encouraged to participate in decision-making and contribute to the operation of the centre. Day-to-day management is the responsibility of the senior teacher and assistant head teacher. Both leaders were appointed in November 2017.
Since the September 2015 ERO report there has been significant recent review and development of policies and processes for the ongoing operation of the centre. This work continues.
The previous ERO report identified several areas for development including: opportunities for children to revisit their learning; evidence of how teachers progress children's learning; and building teachers' understanding of strategies for working with infants and toddlers. All of these have been progressed.
The centre philosophy is clearly evident in practice. Children access a wide range of resources that build on their interests. Literacy is well integrated throughout the programme. Excursions within the community support children's exploration of, and connections to, the local environment.
Children lead their own learning through sustained periods of play. Teachers work responsively alongside them to discuss their learning and prompt thinking. They have a focus on developing children's social competence and oral language. Children are confident, respectful and articulate.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported to achieve positive learning outcomes. Staff are proactive and work alongside parents and external agencies to put strategies in place to progress learning.
The recently completed review of provision for infants and toddlers has resulted in consistent, respectful teaching practice that promotes their sense of belonging. Transitions into the centre are carefully considered to maintain a sense of security. Tuakana teina connections are encouraged within the mixed-aged session to foster respectful relationships between children.
Further strengthening the established bicultural curriculum is a current focus. Children engage with te ao Māori through activities, excursions and routines. Te reo Māori is used meaningfully by many teachers. Leaders and teachers are beginning to deepen their understanding of strategies that promote educational success for Māori children.
Leaders acknowledge that strengthening strategies to promote Pacific children's success is an area for further development.
Relationships with parents and families are very strong. They have many opportunities to contribute to the development of the centre. Recently identified steps should progress learning-centred partnerships where children's cultures, languages and identities and parents' aspirations underpin programme planning and strategic direction.
Assessment of children's learning is regularly shared with parents. Online portfolios share interests and show how learning progresses over time. Paper portfolios allow children to revisit their stories and see themselves as capable learners. Establishing intentional planning is a key next step, to define the teacher's role in progressing each child's learning.
The governance committee is dedicated to the ongoing operation of the centre and its vision. Leaders have created a collaborative team culture that is focused on consistency and improvement. Self review regularly identifies areas for development and results in steps towards high quality teacher practice. Staff should now refine their use of evaluation so that they know how effective these changes are in improving outcomes for children.
Teachers are well supported to develop their practice. They are provided with good quality feedback and opportunities for professional learning targeted to their needs and centre priorities. The appraisal process is currently being revised to align to Education Council expectations. Documenting this process is a key next step.
ERO and leaders agree that the key next steps are to:
complete the intended reviews of policies and procedures and embed them in practice
develop intentional planning for individual children
strengthen internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kainganui Early Education Centre 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.
In order to improve current practice the service provider should ensure that:
policies and procedures for appointments, police vetting, managing complaints and staff appraisal are reviewed and strengthened to meet all legislative and regulatory requirements.
The next ERO review of Te Kainganui Early Education Centre will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
26 September 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 |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60265 |
||
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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 |
24 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls 19, Boys 11 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
13 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
August 2018 |
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Date of this report |
26 September 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2012 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2009 |
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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.