Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani

Education institution number:
60285
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Cook Island ECE service
Total roll:
5
Telephone:
Address:

28 Herald Street, Berhampore, Wellington

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Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

 

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions

Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani is the only Kuki Airani service in Wellington. Its philosophy focuses on the revitalisation and maintenance of Kuki Airani Māori language and culture. The service is an incorporated society, and a management committee provides governance support. A centre manager and a qualified supervisor lead a team of four qualified teachers and three support staff.

3 Summary of finding

Children are supported by teachers to care for themselves and for the environment. They use the resources provided to explore, imagine and invent. Older children experience play-based activities focused on literacy and numeracy learning. Tuakana-teina relationships are evident through older children’s interactions with younger children.

Children have opportunities to express their feelings, and they confidently approach adults for conversation and comfort. Teachers intentionally maintain children’s connections to their home languages and cultures. They provide experiences such as singing, dancing, weaving, cooking, making ei katu and tivaevae. Teachers also respectfully promote and role model the use of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.

The centre’s curriculum aligns with the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers could more explicitly document in assessment records how they challenge and extend children’s thinking and add complexity to their play. Teachers are yet to evaluate the curriculum to identify how teaching practices are resulting in improved learning outcomes for children.

Leaders prioritise the learning and wellbeing of children and whānau as the primary consideration in their decision making. Responsive, reciprocal, and respectful relationships are formed with each family, supporting children’s sense of belonging. Parents’ aspirations and contributions to their children’s learning and assessment is yet to be documented.

Leaders are developing a system of appraisal that includes professional growth cycles and robust mentoring and professional support for leaders and teachers. They have established useful systems for internal evaluation. Leaders and teachers continue to develop a shared understanding of evaluation to build teachers’ and leaders’ capability to do and use evaluation for improvement.

4 Improvement actions

Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Build teachers’ responses to whānau aspirations so the curriculum is informed by their contributions.

  • Continue to grow shared knowledge about internal evaluation by developing an evaluative focus and documenting the impact of the curriculum and teaching practices on improved learning outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani 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:

  • 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

9 November 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani

Profile Number

60285

Location

Berhampore, Wellington

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

28 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

28

Review team on site

August 2022

Date of this report

9 November 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, June 2017; Education Review, June 2013

Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani - 09/06/2017

1 Evaluation of Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani

How well placed is Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani 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

Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani opened in 1983 as the first Cook Islands Māori language nest in New Zealand. Its promotion of Cook Islands Māori language, culture and identity is significant for Wellington's Cook Islands Māori community. Te Punanga provides education and care for 28 children, including 12 up to the age of two years.

The centre is located in a residential area of central Wellington and operates in a converted bungalow. Children and their families are from diverse cultural backgrounds that include New Zealand Māori, New Zealand Pākeha, Italian, Chinese and Russian. Most of the children are either Cook Islands Māori or Samoan.

The centre is owned and governed by an incorporated society. A management committee provides governance support and is made up of staff and parent representatives. A new chairperson was appointed to the committee at the end of 2016. She has a long association with Te Punanga and brings broad early childhood education and leadership expertise to this governance role. She also has significant understanding of and support for the centre's philosophy and vision.

Teachers at the centre are of Cook Islands descent and one is Tahitian. The centre continues to be supported by Mamas, elder Cook Islands women who provide guidance for younger teachers. The Mamas provide leadership around peu tupuna, the ancestry and heritage which are the essence of Cook Islands language, culture and identity. One of these tuakana is the long-serving and experienced supervisor. She is joined by experienced and newer teachers. The centre manager, another long-serving staff member, provides management and administrative support for staff.

The 2013 ERO report identified that progress had been made to address health and safety issues, and improve self review, the teachers' appraisal system and teaching practices. Areas for further development identified in the 2013 ERO report also included teaching practices, self review, appraisal and strategic planning. Good progress has been made in these areas.

The Review Findings

Children are friendly and welcoming to each other and adults. They know their teachers well and are confident to interact with them. Babies and toddlers are especially connected to the Mamas who, along with other teachers, promote their wellbeing and security in the centre environment. Teachers know children and their families well. They are dedicated to upholding the vision and values of Te Punanga and provide generous support for parents and children.

Teachers are warm and sensitive in their interactions with children. They promote akonoanga, affectionate and nurturing relationships, especially with infants and toddlers. Teachers value the varied skills and talents that each bring to the teaching team. They engage children in good conversations about their ideas and play. Tuakana/teina relationships are enhanced by opportunities for mixed-age play.

Teachers use the concept of Te Vaka to plan programmes based on monthly events or themes and make interesting connections to Cook Islands Māori culture. They plan to extend children's interests through activities and experiences. Regular excursions out of the centre connect children to the local community and promote parent engagement and participation. Teachers provide specific support for older children who are ready to transition to school. Managers agree that transition-to-school programmes could better reflect good quality early childhood practices.

Children enjoy group times and opportunities to sing, dance and speak in Cook Islands Māori and New Zealand Māori. Children and other teachers benefit from the Mamas' fluency in Cook Islands Māori and hearing the language in their daily interactions. Displays in Cook Islands Māori adorn the environment.

Managers recognise the importance of children having increased opportunities to speak Cook Islands Māori, including engaging with the language beyond commands and simple sentences. It would be useful to document and celebrate in children's portfolios the progress they make in their language acquisition. To enhance the significant place of Cook Islands Māori culture in children's learning, teachers could provide daily opportunities for children to engage in traditional activities. Managers are also keen to promote more natural and culturally appropriate resources throughout the centre.

The centre is well led and governed. Leaders ensure that teachers have good opportunities for ongoing professional learning that includes innovative action research and effective teaching practices within a Cook Islands Māori context. This approach, alongside the appraisal system, continues to support teachers to work collaboratively and be improvement focused. Leaders implement a useful and culturally responsive Te Pareu approach to promote children's wellbeing and as a self-review tool for change and improvement. They have a useful policy framework and are keen to review policies more meaningfully against their practice.

The centre's strategic planning connects well to the centre's vision and philosophy. This useful approach supports leaders to measure progress towards meeting strategic goals during the year.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders agree that key next steps for the centre include teachers continuing to:

  • enhance children's learning of Cook Islands Māori language and culture and assessing the skills and knowledge children gain over time

  • promote natural and culturally responsive activities and resources in the learning programme

  • provide transition-to-school programmes that are based on good quality early childhood educational theory and practice

  • encourage teachers to complete research about early childhood education theory and practice from a Cook Island Māori perspective.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Te Punanga o Te Reo Kuki Airani will be in three years.

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

9 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 Early Childhood Service 

Location

Berhampore, Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

60285

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

28 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

28

Gender composition

Girls 16 Boys 12

Ethnic composition

Māori

Cook Islands Māori

Samoan

other

3

10

10

5

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

May 2017

Date of this report

9 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

May 2013

Supplementary Review

March 2012

Supplementary Review

August 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 ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

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.

Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani - 14/06/2013

1 Background

Introduction

A Supplementary Review is undertaken at the discretion of a National Manager, Review Services in the Education Review Office (ERO).

A supplementary review evaluates the extent and effectiveness of actions a centre has taken towards addressing issues specified in a previous education review and/or any additional areas identified since that review.

Terms of Reference

This supplementary review is based on an evaluation of the performance of Te Punanga O Te Reo Kuki Airani governing body and management in relation to areas identified in the March 2012 ERO report or issues identified since that review. The terms of reference for this review are to investigate:

  • the resourcing of the learning environment
  • the assessment, planning and programme implementation, including the quality of interactions to support children’s learning
  • self review and management practices
  • any other issues relevant to the governance, management and operation of the centre.

2 Evaluation Findings

Background

Te Punanga o te Reo Kuki Airani is a bilingual centre in Wellington that has a focus on promoting Cook Island language and culture. The centre is owned and governed by an incorporated society. The punanga has forged strong links with its local community and other early childhood centres.

ERO’s 2012 report commended on the warm, friendly and caring environment provided for children and their families. It also commented favourably on children’s confidence and strong sense of belonging in the punanga. The report suggested teaching, self review and management as areas for improvement. Managers and staff have made positive progress since the previous review.

The centre was recently relicensed under the 2008 Early Childhood Regulations.

Areas of progress

The centre has made good progress since the last ERO review. Teachers are increasingly focused on meeting children’s learning needs in a rich cultural environment that continues to be warm, friendly and inclusive.

Teachers are becoming more confident in developing children’s use of te reo Māori Kuki Airani. Children’s knowledge of Cook Island imene (song) is reinforced well. They should continue to use strategies to support children’s use of the Cook Island language as they interact with each other, and with other adults in the centre.

Children’s interests form the basis of the learning programme. They make independent choices from a wide range of learning resources, and enjoy developing dramatic and creative play. Teachers make growing use of open-ended questions to extend conversations and develop children’s language and thinking.

The centre has accessed worthwhile professional advice and support to improve teaching practices Teachers plan collaboratively and review programme effectiveness regularly. They are well supported to improve their professional learning and leadership. Managers have also established a developmental appraisal system to support teachers as they continue to improve their teaching.

Managers have developed good systems for documenting meetings, and monitoring and reporting on centre operations. Self-review processes are inclusive and effective in improving learning outcomes for children. The strategic direction for the centre is determined with parents’ input.

Health and safety issues identified in the 2010 ERO report have been successfully addressed.

Areas for further improvement

Teachers should continue:

  • using teaching strategies consistently to promote children’s oral language skills and learning
  • challenging and extending children’s thinking
  • clarifying expectations for assessment to focus on children’s significant learning
  • enhancing self review by incorporating indicators of good practice in the process.

Managers would improve centre operations by:

  • strengthening strategic planning by prioritising children’s learning and including key goals in property development
  • incorporating into the teacher appraisal process reflection about specific teaching strategies to progress children’s learning.

3 Future Action

ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO will review the service again as part of the regular review cycle.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services Northern Region

14 June 2013

Information about the Service

Location

Newton, Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

60285

Licence type

All Day Education and Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

28 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

28

Gender composition

Boys 16

Girls 12

Ethnic composition

Cook Island Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori

Samoan

Other

7

3

8

3

7

Percentage of qualified teachers

50-79%

Review team on site

March 2013

Date of this report

14 June 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Supplementary Review

Supplementary Review

Supplementary Review

March 2012

August 2010

March 2009