1459 Waughs Road, Feilding
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 Secret Garden Childcare Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
|
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
|
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
The Secret Garden Childcare Centre Ltd is one of two privately owned services operating in Manawatū. The owner provides strategic leadership and support with two head teachers overseeing daily operations. Collaboratively defined priorities include children as leaders in their own learning, relationships, identity and the environment.
Children are consistently supported by intentional teaching in a play-based context. Learning and progress is celebrated. Teachers use assessment information and a wide range of teaching strategies to respond effectively to the different ways in which children learn. A relevant and responsive curriculum enhances children’s learning and development.
Learning focused partnerships with whānau and the local learning community are highly valued. Whānau increasingly contribute to their child’s learning. Infants and toddlers benefit from kaiako incorporating cultural and parenting practices shared by whānau. All learners have opportunities to experience te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Leaders engage with Ngāti Kauwhata to build their understanding of iwi education priorities. Children’s cultures and languages enrich the curriculum.
Leadership is highly effective. Collaboration and relational trust support leaders and kaiako to grow their practice. Leaders mentor and guide their learning community and facilitate an ongoing, shared understanding of the service’s philosophy, goals and priorities for children’s learning. Kaiako access relevant professional learning that promotes ongoing improvement over time. Children benefit from consistent relationships with improvement focused adults who share a collective responsibility for the wellbeing and learning of all children.
Sound governance practices ensure that the learning and wellbeing of children, whānau and kaiako are the primary considerations for decision making. Coherent organisational conditions enable leaders and kaiako to do and use evaluation for improvement. Evaluation processes promote the service’s priorities for children’s learning.
The Secret Garden Childcare Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Secret Garden Childcare Ltd 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Secret Garden Childcare Ltd |
| Profile Number | 45883 |
| Location | Feilding |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 14 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
69 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 60, Other ethnic groups 2. |
|
Review team on site |
May 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
21 June 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2017; Education Review, March 2014. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Secret Garden Childcare Centre Ltd is a privately owned service in Feilding. It is licensed to provide education and care for up to 45 children, including 14 aged under two years. Most children attending come from the local town and surrounding rural districts. Some families travel from as far away as Palmerston North. Currently there are nine Māori children on the roll.
The centre has operated for five years, under private ownership and management. Since the March 2014 ERO report, extensions have been made to the building and a sister centre has opened in Palmerston North to accommodate the growing roll. Ongoing modifications and improvements have resulted in well-planned outdoor spaces that incorporate an orchard, bush walk and small farm area.
The centre has made significant progress, particularly in strategic planning, appraisal and internal evaluation. These were key next steps identified in the previous ERO review.
The service’s philosophy is underpinned by shared values and beliefs. There has been a significant focus on bicultural practice that includes key values of respect and identity. The philosophy is strongly evident in teaching, learning, decision-making and planning.
Leaders are dedicated to providing inclusive teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for all learners. Teachers demonstrate a high level of content knowledge that supports the design of programmes very responsive to children's needs and interests.
Assessments illustrate and support continuity in learning and demonstrate children’s progress in a range of contexts. Teachers effectively utilise assessment information to understand a child’s learning progressions and plan to continue to consolidate or extend them.
Leaders and teachers value children’s identities as foundations for their success. High trust, respectful and reciprocal relationships are formed with each family. Acknowledging children's backgrounds is recognised as being integral to the development of a sense of self, connectedness and belonging.
Teachers allow space and time for whānau Māori to share their stories. Teachers work collaboratively to include Māori perspectives as part of a culturally responsive curriculum.
Leaders clearly understand parent and whānau aspirations. Teachers work together to respond to these expectations. They successfully encourage parents and whānau to take an active role in their child’s learning. Shared professional learning opportunities allow staff and whānau to grow their understanding of how best to support children's learning together.
Children are empowered to take increased responsibility and lead for their learning. There are multiple opportunities for mathematical, literacy and scientific learning. Children are supported to develop as confident and competent communicators through ongoing learning conversations, open ended questions and sustained interactions.
Teachers are very responsive to non-verbal cues of very young children. Respectful practice is highly evident in all interactions. Infants and toddlers benefit from a calm environment in which adults nurture them. Positive, respectful and secure child and teacher relationships foster a strong sense of self for the child. The importance of play as a vehicle for learning is respected and valued.
Teachers are committed to providing an inclusive education for all children. They identify and remove barriers to ensure full participation and access for all. Learners have easy access to a wellresourced environment that encourages problem-solving, challenge and exploration.
Carefully considered transition processes are supported by effective partnerships between families, the centre and school. Teachers nurture children’s friendships and engagement in the group to enhance their security and confidence during transition times.
The manager and teaching team promote high quality teaching, learning and care through regular review and strong leadership. The strategic plan is providing a useful framework for guiding teaching, learning and centre operations.
There is a strong focus on continual improvement. Leaders have a sound understanding of internal evaluation. It is used as a tool for measuring the quality and effectiveness of practices to promote better outcomes for children. Parents and whānau are consulted and have regular opportunities to meaningfully contribute to internal evaluation.
The recently reviewed appraisal process is cyclical, builds on previous learning and is collaborative. It has strong alignment to the centre philosophy and other operational systems and structures. The process includes research and is clearly outlined for teachers. Staff are well supported to improve their performance. There are high levels of robust reflection and regular explicit feedback to support professional growth.
Leaders and teachers should continue to:
use and refine the effective internal evaluation processes to further support positive outcomes for children
build teacher's confidence and capability in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Secret Garden Childcare Ltd 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 Secret Garden Childcare Ltd will be in four years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
9 February 2017
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 |
Feilding |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45883 |
||
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
62 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 32, Boys 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Niuean Other ethnic groups |
9 50 1 2 |
|
|
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
December 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
9 February 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
|
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.
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.