Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre

Education institution number:
25077
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
33
Telephone:
Address:

66 Trevor Hosken Drive, Manukau City, Auckland

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Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre - 21/03/2019

1 Evaluation of Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre

How well placed is Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre is a well-established service licensed for 75 children, including 18 up to the age of two years. The majority of children attending have Māori or Pacific heritages. Some children have had whānau members previously attending this centre.

A parent committee oversees the governance and management of the service. The long-serving centre manager is supported by 12 qualified teachers, two teachers in training, a cook and an administrator. A professional practice manager also works with the team.

The centre's philosophy prioritises children learning through play and the formation of strong relationships. Teachers aim to support children to become confident learners.

ERO's 2015 report noted positive aspects, such as strong relationships and opportunities for children to direct their own play. These aspects continue to be present. Improvements were required in curriculum planning and teachers' extension of children's learning. Some progress has been made in these areas.

The Review Findings

Children demonstrate a sense of belonging and wellbeing. They confidently engage in conversations with each other and with teachers. They are friendly and play well together, often in mixed-age groups, in a well-resourced environment.

Teachers work with children and whānau in supportive ways to ensure that children's transitions into the centre are managed effectively. They are responsive and respectful in their interactions with children, reflecting the centre's philosophy. Infants' and toddlers' teachers are caring, attentive and responsive to their individual needs.

Teachers working with older children use open-ended questions and encourage children to think about their play. They could build on their well-established relationships with children to develop partnerships in the learning process. Increasing children’s access to a wider range of natural, creative, and challenging resources would enhance children's play and add complexity to their learning.

Teachers promote bicultural practices in the centre through the use of te reo Māori, and the provision of resources and relevant displays. They could strengthen how they record their response to promote Māori, Pacific and other children's languages and cultures in documentation, including their assessment of children's learning.

Teachers use Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to support and inform their programme planning. They know children well and record individual children's extended learning. Teachers agree that they should align assessment and planning more closely to make their role in extending children's learning more visible to parents. Improving the documentation of how they promote children’s thinking and exploration would help teachers to increase the extent to which the service's curriculum focus is enacted.

The teaching team is open to new learning. Leaders are committed to supporting teachers' professional practice through a new appraisal system. Relevant professional learning and development supports teachers to continue developing the quality of assessment and planning.

There are collaborative interactions between teachers and parents/whānau. The parent committee's good understanding of their governance role is well documented in committee meeting minutes.

A robust internal evaluation framework helps to identify areas for improvement. Changes are made in response to this evaluation. Strategic and annual plans, operational systems, and policies and procedures guide centre operations. Some policies require review to ensure that they reflect current teaching practices, and some practices need to be better implemented to reflect policies.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for leaders and teachers include:

  • evaluating and recording the effectiveness of teachers' practices in extending and planning for children's learning

  • ensuring that parents are actively involved in policy review, and assessment of their children's learning

  • recording the impact of internal evaluation on outcomes for children and whānau.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Toddlers Turf 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:

  • 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.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

21 March 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Manukau, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

25077

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 18 aged under 2

Service roll

68

Gender composition

Boys 38 Girls 30

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Cook Islands Māori
Samoan
Chinese
Tongan
other ethnic groups

17
5
15
8
6
4
13

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2019

Date of this report

21 March 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2015

Education Review

June 2012

Education Review

March 2009

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre - 26/06/2015

1 Evaluation of Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre

How well placed is Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre in Manukau City is an early childhood centre operated by an incorporated society. The parent committee employs a centre operations manager, a professional practice manager and an administrator. Programmes are implemented by 11 teachers led by three team leaders.

Toddlers Turf caters for children from infancy through to school age. Previously the centre has operated under two licences Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre (Over 2s) and Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre (Under 30 months). These have recently been merged into one licence for 75 children including 25 up to age two years. Children and their families are from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds.

Children are provided for in three rooms, one for infants and toddlers and two for older children who are able to move freely between both rooms. Rooms have good access to attractive outdoor areas that provide opportunities for children to play and explore.

The 2012 ERO report identified that some recent positive initiatives had been implemented. The report also identified next steps that included: reviewing and clarifying leadership roles; developing staff understanding about rigorous, meaningful self review; supporting children to be inquiring learners; promoting children's language, culture and identify in curriculum programmes; and developing partnerships with families focused on supporting their children's learning. While some progress has been made in some areas, other areas continue to be development priorities for the centre.

Since the 2012 review, the parent committee and centre leaders have made improvements to financial and employment processes. There have been changes to staffing and to teachers’ roles within the centre. While centre leaders are positive about their future, the implementation of a clear and shared vision for children’s education is required to ensure necessary improvements are effectively embedded. The recently reviewed philosophy provides a good foundation for this work.

The Review Findings

Children are keen to learn. They enjoy positive relationships with each other and with their teachers. Children willingly engage with adults to access help, ask for additional resources, and to talk about their play. Children direct their own play and some enjoy play cooperatively in small groups. Children’s learning would benefit from greater teacher support that facilitates and extends children’s language and promotes more complex play.

Teachers in the infant and toddlers’ room have participated in professional development that promotes a curriculum focused on the care of the children. Teachers are identified as the primary caregiver for small groups of children and their needs and preferences are prioritised. As a result children benefit from close and caring attention. Teachers could review how well they integrate the learning expectations of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in programmes for infants and toddlers.

Children’s portfolios consist of good quality learning stories, children’s art work and parent feedback. Parents share their knowledge of, and aspirations for, their child through this portfolio. These provide attractive records of the child’s participation and learning at the centre.

A manager supports teachers to develop their knowledge of and confidence in using te reo and tikanga Māori through waiata, karakia and incidentally during the programme.

The parent committee has frameworks and systems in place to guide operations. The strategic plan is well aligned to the annual plan. The centre manager reports progress in relation to the annual plan to the committee at monthly meetings. Targeted professional development for managers and teachers would help them develop shared understandings of high quality early childhood education, and increase their use of evaluation to guide improvements in management and curriculum programmes.

Newly appointed team leaders are optimistic about the future. Centre managers plan to continue sharing leadership roles and responsibilities with teachers. It would be useful to establish more effective systems for monitoring and reviewing the quality of teaching practice and programme implementation. Leaders could play a more active role in coaching teachers and modelling good teaching practice.

Key Next Steps

ERO identifies that next steps for managers and teachers include using self review to develop:

  • clear expectations for high quality teaching practice and learning programmes that fully implement Te Whāriki and the centre philosophy
  • processes for planning so that programmes are more responsive to children’s interests and parents’ aspirations.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Toddlers Turf 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:

  • 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.

Action for compliance

ERO identified an area of non-compliance. To meet requirements the service needs to ensure that:

  • whenever children leave the premises on an outing or excursion an assessment and management of risk is undertaken.Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, (HS17)

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Toddlers Turf Childcare Centre will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

26 June 2015

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Manukau, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

25077

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

60

Gender composition

Boys 35 Girls 25

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

Cook Island

Fijian

Indian

Niue

Tongan

other

18

15

9

4

4

3

3

2

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

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

January 2015

Date of this report

26 June 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2012

 

Education Review

March 2009

 

Education Review

June 2006

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.