Kura Street, Titahi Bay, Porirua
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Titahi Bay Playcentre is one of 19 parent-led early childhood centres governed and administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). The playcentre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 30 children, five mornings a week. This includes provision for 18 children up to the age of two at any one time.
A council of elected volunteer representatives from each of the association's member centres, oversees the association at the governance level. This work is assisted by an operations manager and general manager. An executive committee administers the adult education programme. A centre support worker is employed to visit the centre and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for the day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders.
Planning and implementing the curriculum is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a duty team of parent educators who hold Playcentre training certificates. A good proportion of centre members are involved in the association's training programme, many holding Course Two or above.
The association philosophy, 'Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together', is articulated as empowering parents and children to learn, grow and play together. This underpins practice and was reaffirmed by the association and Titahi Bay Playcentre at their 2016 annual general meetings.
The May 2014 ERO report found centre leaders would benefit from improved association support to assist them to: identify priorities for development; improve internal evaluation practices; and ensure the development needs of centre-based employees working with children, are met. ERO also identified further developing assessment, programme planning and evaluation and provision of a culturally responsive curriculum through building members' understandings of success for Māori as Māori, as next steps.
The association and Titahi Bay Playcentre responded positively to the areas identified for improvement in the 2014 ERO reviews. Internal evaluation and strategic planning were undertaken by association personnel to bring about changes to both the structural and organisational culture of the organisation. Clear boundaries between governance and management were expressed and changes made to improve support to individual centres.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation, of which the Wellington Association is part, is planning a significant restructure for 2017 that includes amalgamating associations. Playcentres will become part of a regional hub, supported by a regional manager and support persons.
This review was part of a cluster of ten in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
A positive tone and inclusive practice are highly evident. All children's wellbeing, development and learning is enhanced by their engagement in the well-considered, child-initiated play-based programme. They play amicably together, exploring and engaging in a range of appropriate learning activities. Attentive parent educators know well children and their preferences.
The service's youngest children are very well-supported to actively participate in the programme. Children’s social skills and developing relationships are nurtured. The principles, strands and goals of Te Whāriki and the playcentre philosophy underpin centre practice well. Parent educators have shared understanding of what they want children and families to experience during their time at playcentre and planning assists in achieving this.
In seeking continuous improvement, centre members are undertaking professional learning and development with an external provider about effective assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation practices. Members want to further enhance their knowledge and practices. The processes in place, at the time of this ERO review, provide adults with timely and useful information that helps them plan appropriate learning experiences responsive to children’s interests. Individual learning portfolios celebrate and demonstrate children's developing skills, knowledge and learning progress well.
A comprehensive internal evaluation was undertaken, during 2014, to discover how well the association and centres included te reo and tikanga Māori as part of a culturally responsive curriculum. Titahi Bay Playcentre participated in this process and carried out a further evaluation in late 2016. Strategies in place support members to build their knowledge, understanding and cultural competencies. Te ao Māori is meaningfully woven through experiences, rituals and activities and is an integral part of Māori, and all, children's early education.
Well-considered literacy, mathematics, science activities and excursions in the wider community are core components of the curriculum. Reflecting and championing Pacific learners' cultures and languages within the curriculum is evident. Including the cultures, languages and identities of all children and families is a current focus of development. ERO's evaluation affirms this.
Titahi Bay Playcentre families and whānau bring varied and valuable skills and knowledge to their roles. The high levels of involvement of the centre's community and a sense of collective responsibility for children, provides a positive platform for learning. Well-developed systems and practices support the smooth day-to-day running of the playcentre.
The association is an improvement-focused organisation. The 2014 ERO reviews found the assistance provided at the centre level by association support workers was appreciated and supportive. ERO also recognised that formalising this arrangement to provide a more effective approach to responding to the needs of individual centres was a next step for development. The association, as part of reviewing their structural organisation, reviewed the position of centre support workers and made improvements to human resource management. Timely and relevant leadership and guidance is provided for its member centres.
The dual purpose of self review for accountability and improvement is very well understood and informs ongoing decision-making. Development planning priorities are aligned to the association vision and clearly positioned in improving teaching and learning.
Association and centre leaders should continue to improve outcomes for children and families by using internal evaluation effectively to ensure the very good practice occurring is sustained and prioritised developments are achieved.
Before the review, the staff and management of Titahi Bay Playcentre 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 Titahi Bay Playcentre will be in four years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
28 June 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 |
Porirua |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60044 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
49 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 29, Girls 20 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
28 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
May 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
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Education Review |
January 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Titahi Bay Playcentre is one of 20 parent-led early childhood centres administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). A council oversees operation at governance level and an executive committee provides the adult education programme, guidance and support for members. Two centre supporters are employed by the executive to visit playcentres and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. Parents share the duties associated with implementing the programme.
The association acknowledges and honours Te Tiriti o Waitangi as the founding document of Aotearoa/New Zealand and seeks to make its commitment to partnership visible in all areas of operation. The association’s philosophy recognises parents as the best first teachers of their children and emphasises the importance of child-initiated play in mixed-age sessions, for supporting learning and development.
Titahi Bay Playcentre is one of many early childhood centres in the area. It serves a diverse community. Members place high value on links with its community. Five mixed-age sessions are held each week. Cooperative decision making and positive relationships support centre operation and children’s learning.
Since the October 2010 ERO report, this service has been relicensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The licensing process was a focus for development for some time. The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was part of a cluster of 20 reviews of centres in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
Key Playcentre values are reflected in practice. Throughout sessions children maintain good levels of engagement with members. Children are supported with many opportunities to lead their learning, to explore the environment and use resources to extend their ideas. A focus on sustainable living through gardening and use of natural materials has been developed over time. Learning experiences are enriched through trips into the community. Children’s language development is fostered through discussion and conversation. Much sustained and cooperative play occurs.
A strong sense of family and community is evident. Members demonstrate this in how the centre operates and how families respond to and support each other. Members are friendly and welcoming. They are proactive in supporting new members to participate with their children in the learning opportunities offered. The friendly, supportive culture fosters parents’ confidence and willingness to become involved in management roles and training.
The curriculum is planned to enrich children’s individual and group interests. It is important to members that literacy and numeracy are carefully integrated into the programme in meaningful ways. High ratios of adults to children promote opportunities for one-to-one interactions around a child’s specific interest.
Learning is well documented in a wide range of useful assessments shared by team members. They link children’s significant learning to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Session-planning meetings enable parents to share their aspirations for, and the developing interests and strengths of, their children. Making children’s progress more evident has been identified by members as a next step. The introduced planning sheets are likely to support this.
Members are highly reflective, raise issues and engage in investigations that lead to improvement. Developing shared understandings about self review is likely to support decision-making for improvement and for setting development priorities.
Long-established links with the adjacent primary school are valued and maintained. Strategies are in place for assisting families and four year olds to make the transition to school.
Centre leaders are committed to strengthening all members’ understanding of bicultural perspectives through the use of te reo Maori and tikanga, both daily and within specific events and celebrations. However, implementing and responding to whānau aspirations for their children's success is yet to be addressed. Members respond sensitively to Pacific parents and communities and families from other cultures.
There is good provision for infants and toddlers. They are well supported to explore play spaces and the full range of learning materials. An outcome of self review is the designation and suitable resourcing of an area for non-mobile children. There is ongoing monitoring of this provision. These youngest playcentre members explore their space and materials confidently.
The association provides good support and a range of training for members. The centre supporter gives regular, valued feedback and aid as needed. A more evaluative approach based on identified priorities and growing members’ practice should better promote and sustain improvement over time.
Comprehensive, up-to-date written policies and procedures guide office holders in their management roles, and members in planning and implementing an appropriate programme. The association is both improvement and future focused. The systematic review of and plan to restructure governance and management are being carefully worked through to support a new and more sustainable future for the organisation and individual centres.
Members should continue to strengthen and develop:
The association should:
support members to strengthen their understanding and use of self review to promote improvement
continue to develop a more evaluative centre support process based on centre needs and priorities
support members to develop their understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership
provide leadership to members to help them define their understanding of success for Māori as Māori
ensure the development needs of centre-based employees working with children, are met.
Before the review, the staff and management of Titahi Bay Playcentre 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.
The next ERO review of Titahi Bay Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)
21 May 2014
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 |
Porirua |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60044 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including 18 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
47 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 28, Girls 19 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Samoan Cook Island Maori |
9 29 6 3 |
|
|
Reported ratios of parents to children |
Under 2 |
1 : 1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1 : 5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
21 May 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
January 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 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:
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.