15 Toko Street, Rotorua Central, Rotorua
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for The Ole Schoolhouse are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
The Ole Schoolhouse is a privately owned, all-day early childcare centre. Children come from a range of ethnic communities and this is reflected in the diversity of the teaching team. The centre owners manage the service and the team of fully qualified and registered teachers. The service has a positive reporting history with ERO.
Children’s learning within a play-based environment is well supported through caring and responsive relationships. Provocation for learning, and extension of language is promoted, enhancing children’s developing working theories. The youngest children experience responsive care and attention. Their verbal and non-verbal cues are responded to in meaningful ways. There are equitable opportunities to learn through the responsive curriculum. Leaders and teachers actively pursue ways to ensure equity and social justice for all. Children display a growing sense of security and trust.
Children experience opportunities for exploration, curiosity and problem solving as confident, capable learners. Their interests and strengths are well known and responded to by teachers throughout the centre. Teachers use what they know about children to inform their local curriculum. Tamariki experience a strong sense of belonging that supports their learning. Teachers work positively to explore children’s learning and progress in relation to the intended outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers are in the process of evaluating how well children are progressing against the service priorities for learning.
Te reo and tikanga Māori are increasingly part of teaching and learning. Leaders and teachers consistently implement a curriculum that is culturally responsive and intentional, and that embraces children’s mana and identity as successful learners.
Children’s education is enhanced by a cohesive team who are focussed on growth. An established culture of relational trust enables collaboration and sustained improvement. Leader’s mentor and coach the team to develop their teaching and leadership capabilities. They are working to embed evaluation and inquiry for improvement. This process is woven throughout areas of practice. It continues to be strengthened and developed to better inform and support children’s learning and wellbeing. Leaders have developed sound systems and practices to inform decision making with a focus on what is happening for children and their learning.
The Ole Schoolhouse will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Ole Schoolhouse completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they 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.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 January 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
The Ole Schoolhouse |
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Profile Number |
40033 |
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Location |
Rotorua |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
53 children, including up to 20 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
55 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 10, NZ European/Pākehā 17, Indian 11, Chinese 5, South East Asian 9, Other ethnic groups 3. |
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Review team on site |
November 2021 |
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Date of this report |
21 January 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, November 2013. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Ole Schoolhouse is a privately owned centre providing all-day education and care in central Rotorua. The centre is licensed for 53 children, including 20 up to the age of two years, in three age-based groups. At the time of this ERO review there were 65 children enrolled, 16 of whom identify as Māori. Children come from a range of ethnic communities and this is reflected in the diversity of the teaching team.
The centre owners manage the service. The teaching team are fully qualified and registered early childhood teachers, supported by teacher aides. The centre philosophy has been recently revised in consultation with all stakeholders. Centre leaders and teachers believe in the spiritual nature of every tamaiti, and the child's uniqueness in terms of life experience, developmental readiness and cultural heritage. They acknowledge their commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi. Through its philosophy, the centre aims to integrate learning through play, supporting children to develop strong learning dispositions. The Ole Schoolhouse has recently joined the Rotorua Central Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako.
Since the last ERO review in 2013, some progress has been made in supporting children's transition to school. Peer feedback has been developed to support the teacher appraisal process.
The curriculum reflects the diversity of the community. Children’s language, culture and identity are affirmed and celebrated. The newly developed outdoor area is inviting for children to explore, using all of their senses. There are opportunities for children to engage in dramatic play that supports children's oral language development and imagination. Music is a feature of the daily programme. Some aspects of Māori culture such as karakia and waiata are visible within the daily programme. Teachers are developing their knowledge of te reo and te ao Māori. Children, including Māori, are confident and are developing a sense of belonging at the centre.
Children's interests, dispositions and strengths are captured in individual portfolios. These documents are also available online for parents and wider whānau to access. Leaders have prioritised the development of the assessment, planning and evaluation process and a relevant research programme is now underway. This should support whānau and child voice in planning for learning and capture the progression of learning over time.
Teachers and leaders develop strong and nurturing relationships with children and their families. Parents feel welcome and there are many opportunities for them to spend time and engage in the programme. Transitions into the centre are well supported. Links with local schools continue to be strengthened. Positive guidance strategies support children’s developing social competence. The cohesive teaching team shares knowledge of children gained from ongoing discussion with parents and whānau. Children up to the age of two benefit from responsive interactions with teachers. Their care needs are well met.
Children learn in an inclusive environment. Effective systems and processes are in place to maintain a safe environment for children. Through regular communication, parents are well supported to gain a deeper knowledge of early childhood education and child development. Children with additional learning needs are well supported.
Leaders are knowledgeable and model high-quality teaching practice. A rich and strong philosophy and policy framework informs centre operations. Useful and frequent professional learning opportunities are provided for teachers. A strengthened teacher appraisal system is in place. Leaders now need to ensure teachers include deeper reflective practice and observation of teaching to provide regular feedback. Leaders now need to work collaboratively with teachers to enable them to fully enact the philosophy and leadership vision. Regular and ongoing self-review has led to improved outcomes for children and this needs to be sustained over time.
Agreed priorities is for leadership to further develop the consistency of teaching practice, and assessment, planning and evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Ole Schoolhouse 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 The Ole Schoolhouse will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
20 June 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 |
Rotorua |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
40033 |
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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 |
53 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
65 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 31 Boys 34 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
16 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
January 2018 |
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Date of this report |
20 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
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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.