18 Raleigh Road, Northcote, Auckland
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 Tiny Tots Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakatō Emerging Whakatō Emerging |
Tiny Tots Childcare Centre is a privately owned and operated service. A manager and an experienced head teacher are supported by an external advisor. This service has longstanding relationships with families in the community. Approximately a quarter of the children attending have Māori heritage.
Children engage in sustained play of their choice in a positive, calm environment. Their preferences are respected, and they have good opportunities to lead their own learning. Teachers are very responsive to children’s interests. They support children to explore the environment and foster their imagination and creativity. Reciprocal, nurturing relationships between teachers and children are evident.
Teachers support children’s language development through using open-ended questions. Those who work with infants recognise and respond to their non-verbal cues. Their teaching practice includes the use of te reo Māori in their interactions with these younger children.
Leaders and teachers have opportunities for relevant professional learning. External expertise has been carefully selected to build leaders’ and teachers’ capability across all aspects of service operations. Curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation documents do not yet consistently show the curriculum or learning experienced by children at this service.
The external advisor is guiding the implementation of governance and management structures to support effective practice. A range of relevant evaluation information is gathered. Leaders are prioritising mentoring and coaching support to build teachers’ collective understandings and capability. Priorities for leaders and teachers should include:
developing teachers’ knowledge of how to design and document a responsive curriculum focused on improved outcomes for all children
using internal evaluation processes to show how teaching and the curriculum impacts on children’s learning.
Tiny Tots Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Develop leaders’ and teachers’ collective capability to plan, assess, evaluate and document a responsive curriculum.
Build leaders’ and teachers’ capability to evaluate the impact of practices on improved outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tiny Tots Childcare Centre 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
17 November 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Tiny Tots Childcare Centre |
|
Profile Number |
20181 |
|
Location |
Northcote, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
65 |
|
Review team on site |
September 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
17 November 2022 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, January 2019 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Tiny Tots Childcare Centre in Northcote is owned by a family trust and operated by an experienced licensee. The centre provides for up to for 50 children, including 12 under the age of two years.
The well-established centre occupies a large villa in a residential area. The premises have been thoughtfully renovated and resourced creating a homely environment. A modern purpose-built extension caters for infants and babies. Programmes are organised for children in three different age groups. Two centre leaders work with a team of teachers, most of whom are qualified.
The centre's philosophy is guided by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It promotes an environment where partnerships with family and community are valued. Care, nurturing and love form the foundation of the philosophy. Children are recognised as capable, independent learners. Their learning and wellbeing are prioritised.
Previous ERO reports noted the family friendly approach of managers and staff and the collegiality of the teachers. These aspects continue to be a feature of the centre. Centre leaders have responded positively to suggestions for improvement in the 2015 ERO report. These related to strategic planning and appraisal development.
Infants and toddlers play in a calm and attractive environment. Routines are unhurried and respectful care practices support the development of children's self-help skills and independence. Teachers skilfully provide opportunities to develop children's language. Relationships between children and adults are trusting and nurturing. Transitions between rooms are personalised to meet children's needs.
Children have a strong sense of belonging, play collaboratively and enjoy periods of uninterrupted play. They have easy access to a variety of resources to make independent choices about their play. A large outdoor space offers opportunities to develop physical capability. The local community and natural environment are used well to maximise children's learning. Children have good opportunities to learn about literacy and numeracy and science through their play.
Teachers know the children well and work closely with them to support their interests. They ask questions that help children to develop their language and thinking, and allow time for children to express their ideas. Teachers demonstrate their understanding of children through their discussions and written observations. Teachers have focused on supporting child-led learning and the development of positive dispositions for learning.
Respect for biculturalism is evident in the environment and centre practices. Teachers value and are committed to implementing Treaty-based practices. Te reo and tikanga Māori are confidently included in the context of children's play, and at mat-time and kai times. Linking bicultural practices to the developing environmental sustainability focus will enrich the programme.
Children's portfolios are meaningful records of their learning. Teachers' knowledge about children's learning is evident. Children's individual and group interests are regularly updated and evaluated. Parents/whānau receive good information about their children's learning and development. They regularly contribute to shared assessments of children's learning through the effective use of an online tool.
Teachers focus on how children's learning can be extended and plan for individual children. They make good use of programme evaluation to reflect on the impact that their teaching practices have on children.
A system of internal evaluation has been established and leaders and teachers use this evaluation to progress centre goals. Continuing to focus evaluative questions on teaching practices and outcomes for children will help to build teachers' reflective and evaluative skills.
Teachers participate in ongoing professional development, and are currently focusing on developing their knowledge of Te Whāriki (2017). Targeted professional learning has impacted positively on teachers' professional knowledge and capability. The centre's participation in the local Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning reflects their commitment to strengthening community relationships and continued success for children. The centre is supported by an external mentor whose expertise is building teachers' professional knowledge in an ongoing way.
Effective leadership is a prominent feature in the centre, and contributes to positive outcomes for children. Centre leaders have a clear vision and have established a sound strategic direction. Comprehensive policies and procedures guide the professional practice in the centre.
The centre's next key steps include:
continuing to strengthen opportunities for children to lead their own learning
considering ways to make children's cultural backgrounds visible in their portfolios
further developing bicultural practices and links to environmental sustainability
continuing to refine the use of evaluative questions to deepen and increase the rigour of internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tiny Tots Childcare 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.
The next ERO review of Tiny Tots Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
17 January 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 |
Northcote, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20181 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
65 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 37 Girls 28 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
October 2018 |
||
|
Date of this report |
17 January 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 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.
Tiny Tots Childcare is a privately owned early childhood care and education centre in Northcote. The centre is licensed for 50 children, including 10 under the age of two years. It is owned by a trust and operated by an experienced licensee. Parents who spoke to ERO highly recommend the service.
The centre occupies a large villa in a residential area. ERO has reviewed the centre on two previous occasions. The family friendly approach of the managers and staff continues to be a key feature. Since the 2012 ERO review, a modern purpose-built facility has been established to cater for infants and babies.
Parents appreciate the staff’s loyalty to the centre and commitment to children. Teachers work collegially and are well supported by centre owners. A new manager was appointed two years ago to provide leadership across the centre.
Programmes are organised for children in three different age groups. Children’s needs are met through well structured routines and the shared expectations of teachers and children. Centre managers and staff make planned improvements using findings from self review and professional learning.
Children and their families are well known to the staff. Children are nurtured and well cared for. Babies and infants benefit from affectionate and gentle interactions with teachers. Teachers and children form trusting and respectful relationships. This supports children’s learning and development. Children enjoy playing together, sharing equipment and developing new skills.
Children develop a sense of belonging and form friendships in the centre. The learning programme is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and promotes children’s wellbeing. Children confidently use the environment and the resources available to support their play. Parents and family members are included in the many special event days that are part of the programme.
Centre routines, including mat times and meal times, as well as some group learning times, are planned for children in each of the different age-related groups. Children have time to make individual choices about their play and opportunities for mixed-age play occur throughout the day. Teachers should consider reducing the number of transitions children experience during their time at the centre. It would also be useful for teachers to explore ways to include more opportunities for complex and self directed play, especially for older children.
Teachers are developing new curriculum planning approaches that better reflect children’s interests. They are looking at ways to extend children’s learning through play. As these systems are embedded, centre leaders will be able to review the ways teachers assess children’s progress and learning. Children’s learning journeys are documented in individual portfolios. Teachers agree that they are now better able to show clearer links between their planning and assessment practices.
Centre managers involve staff in planning for centre improvement. They identify teachers’ development needs and meet regularly with staff to discuss professional matters. Several of the teachers have led useful areas of self review, including a review of transitions. Managers are introducing changes in the staff appraisal system to guide teacher practices and reflections.
Managers have identified other areas for review and development during 2015. These include further consideration of bicultural perspectives in centre programmes, and the introduction of an electronic process to share children’s progress and development with parents. These new developments are being supported by the head teacher who will have increased responsibility for centre-wide development.
Teachers are currently completing a review of the centre philosophy. This is a valuable opportunity to share best practice and focus on positive outcomes for children. Self review and teacher appraisal would be greatly enhanced by centre managers more formally documenting and sharing their short and long-term goals and developing action plans.
Centre managers and ERO discussed key next steps in programme development that included making strategic and annual planning goals more evident and using the goals to guide centre improvement and self review.
ERO recommends that centre managers use ongoing professional development to enable teachers to strengthen child-initiated approaches to learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Tiny Tots Childcare 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:
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 Tiny Tots Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
11 March 2015
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 |
Northcote, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
20181 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
72 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 38 Girls 34 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Chinese German other |
61 4 2 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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 March 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 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.