48 Herewini Street, Titahi Bay, Porirua
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Titahi Bay Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Titahi Bay Kindergarten is located in Porirua City. It provides full time education and care for mixed age groups of children from two years up to school age. Of the 61 children enrolled at the centre, 19 identify as Māori and 4 as Pacific Heritage.
The kindergarten philosophy emphasises the importance of fun, whakamana, whakawhanaungatanga, manaakitanga, fairness, inclusion, whatumanawa, the local environment and sustainability.
Titahi Bay Kindergarten is a member of Te Puna Matauranga Kāhui Ako I Community of Learning.
Since the June 2015 ERO report, there have been some changes to the teaching team. A new head teacher has recently been appointed. All teachers are fully qualified and represent a wide range of backgrounds.
The kindergarten is governed and managed by He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Kindergarten Association (the association). A team of senior teachers oversee and support the professional practice of the teaching team. The association governs 102 kindergartens which includes three Pacific kindergartens and a Pacific home-based service with two networks.
ERO's June 2015 report identified areas requiring further development. These included developing aspects of assessment and programme planning, and to consolidate self-review processes. Progress continues to be made to address these areas.
Progress has been made by the association to improve the quality and monitoring of processes to support individual kindergartens and regular implementation of a robust appraisal system.
This review was one of eight in He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Kindergarten Association, Wellington region.
Children play freely in a calm and unhurried child-led play-based programme, that promotes investigation and creativity. A centre strength is the positive, respectful way children play and engage with each other. The outdoor environment includes a wide range of physical resources that invites exploration and challenge.
Celebrating diversity is highly evident in the kindergarten. The languages and symbols of children's backgrounds, including Pacific artefacts, are valued and celebrated in purposeful wall displays and authentic resources.
The recently reviewed philosophy underpins the kindergarten’s values and beliefs that reflect a commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa. Leaders and teachers are consulting with children, parents, whānau and their pacific community to determine what educational success means to them.
Children with additional learning needs are identified and effectively planned for in the programme. Teachers work collaboratively with whānau and external agencies to identify and reduce potential barriers for children’s learning.
A recently developed localised curriculum provides many opportunities for children to learn, acknowledge and celebrate places of significant value to Ngati Toa and the community. Regular excursions to these places further enrich children’s learning. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are used in purposeful ways by teachers.
An effective planning for learning framework guides teacher practice and is based on children’s emerging interests. Teachers recognise what is important for learning by providing purposeful experiences. They use Te Whāriki, The Early Childhood Curriculum, to develop specific learning outcomes.
Children’s portfolios provide a record their individual learning, developing friendships and participation in the programme. Leaders have identified the need for the teaching team to continue to:
document how teachers add complexity and progress of children’s learning as they continue their current focus on intentional teaching
celebrate children’s cultures, languages and identities.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. The head teacher has a good understanding of internal evaluation. Building the teaching teams knowledge and understanding of this process continues to be a priority.
Collaborative ways of working are fostered. Teachers are provided with opportunities to lead aspects of the curriculum. The teaching team has established a culture in which children and their whānau are valued and celebrated for who they are.
A well-considered appraisal process has recently been enhanced to grow and develop teacher practice. Teachers are expected to inquire into the effectiveness of their teaching. Purposeful appraisal goals focus on improving aspects of leadership and practice to support children’s learning and wellbeing.
The senior teaching team is reflective and highly improvement focused. They successfully foster collective sense of responsibility to implement the vision, values and mission of the association. Systems and processes have been well developed to guide teacher’s capability and positively impact on children’s learning.
Senior leaders work effectively together, with a shared commitment to meeting strategic goals and objectives for the benefit of children, whānau and community. Well-considered resource allocation supports and enhances children’s learning and wellbeing.
The key next steps for teachers are to:
enhance aspects of assessment documentation
continue to build the teaching evaluation capability and capacity for undertaking internal evaluation for improvement.
ERO and senior leaders agree that the association's next step is to:
continue to follow the strategic direction set through Tūmanako, Te Tiriti o Waitangi based Strategic Priority Framework.
Before the review, the staff and management of Titahi Bay Kindergarten 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
29 April 2020
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 |
Porirua |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5385 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
41 children aged over 2 years |
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Service roll |
61 |
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Gender composition |
Female 33, Male 28 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
19 |
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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 |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
December 2019 |
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Date of this report |
29 April 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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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:
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
Situated overlooking Mana o kupe ki Aotearoa, Mana Island and Te Wai Pounamu, South Island, Titahi Bay Kindergarten is an all-day centre licensed for 40 children.
Since the April 2012 ERO report, there have been changes to hours of operation and staffing. This includes the appointment of a new head teacher.
Titahi Bay Kindergarten is one of 85 kindergartens and three home-based education and care networks governed and managed by He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated (the association). This is a new kindergarten association created from joining the Rimutaka and Wellington Kindergarten Associations in 2014. The transition to the new association is expected to be a three year process.
The board and managers provide governance for the organisation. Senior teachers have delegated kindergartens. Their role is to provide regular support and a range of professional learning and development opportunities for teachers.
All teachers are qualified and registered at Titahi Bay Kindergarten. The philosophy aims to provide a welcoming environment, where teachers advocate for children and their families, acknowledging the vital role that parents and whānau have as their child’s first teachers.
The April 2012 ERO report for Titahi Bay Kindergarten identified at centre level that self review, and understanding of te ao Māori needed further development. Teachers and leaders have positively responded and made good gains in addressing these areas.
Areas where the Wellington Kindergarten Association needed to strengthen its support for teachers were also identified at the time. Improvement continues to be needed in some of these areas that the association has plans to address. These feature as key next steps in this report. The alignment of individual kindergarten’s annual plans with the association’s strategic priorities has now been addressed.
This review was part of a cluster of 12 kindergarten reviews in He Whānau Manaaki Kindergartens.
Children show a positive sense of belonging. Their wellbeing is nurtured by caring teachers. Children display whakamana, empowerment in their interactions and through the learning opportunities provided. Manaakitanga and care are evident in the ways children look after each other and the environment. Parents and whānau contributions and participation in the programme are welcomed and valued.
Childrens’ self-help skills and independence are fostered by teachers. Children enjoy the company of others and engage in sustained and cooperative play. Teachers make use of technologies to enhance learning opportunities for children.
Teachers work in collaborative and collegial ways. A well-considered approach to change and improvement has been ably led by the head teacher, with good levels of support from the senior teacher.
Teachers have worked together well to extend the bicultural programme. This journey is ongoing. Teachers have identified that they will continue to explore ways to better respond to Māori learners as Māori. ERO’s evaluation affirms this focus.
There is a shared understanding and willingness to inquire into and review operations. This includes considering aspects of the programme through established review processes. ERO affirms the direction identified by the senior teacher to build on review practices that should support ongoing improvements to teaching and learning.
Assessment and planning processes have continued to develop since the previous ERO review. Teachers have benefitted from their involvement in a research project focusing on ways of assessing children’s learning outcomes, and developing planning processes. The head teacher, with well targeted support from the senior teacher, has identified areas to further grow these processes.
Children with additional needs are positively supported and well catered for in the inclusive programme.
In 2012, the association developed a framework to guide the implementation of its curriculum, Te Manawa. This document outlines criteria for curriculum delivery including expectations for assessment and planning for children’s learning. Titahi Bay Kindergarten’s curriculum is increasingly responsive to all learners, and reflecting its local context, which acknowledges Ngāti Toa, as mana whenua.
The 2012 ERO report identified that the association needed to improve the appraisal processes. These continue to require strengthening. A recently revised appraisal model, yet to be implemented, includes: more focused goals that build teacher and leader capability; more regular and targeted feedback and feed forward about teaching practice; and clearer links with the Registered Teacher Criteria.
The senior teacher provides termly written reports that outline agreed development priorities and progress in relation to the quality of teaching and learning. The association has recently implemented new reports that should more deliberately focus on outcomes for children, teacher and leader performance. ERO's evaluation affirms this development.
The senior teacher, head teacher, staff and ERO agree that the key next steps are to continue to develop aspects of assessment and programme planning and to consolidate self-review processes.
The senior management team of He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua should continue to further improve processes for growing and developing the practice of teachers, head teachers and the senior teacher. This should include:
improvements to the quality and monitoring of processes to support individual kindergartens and regular implementation of a robust appraisal system.
Before the review, the staff and management of Titahi Bay Kindergarten 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 Titahi Bay Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
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 |
Titahi Bay, Porirua |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5385 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children aged over 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
78 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 40, Girls 38 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Cook Island |
12 60 4 2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
March 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
September 2005 |
||
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.