16 Manuroa Road, Takanini, Auckland
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.
Topkids Manuroa Road C3 operates alongside two other centres on the same site. It provides full day care and education for up to 66 children including 15 up to the age of two years. The surrounding community is culturally diverse. Children from Indian families make up 33 percent of the roll and 16 percent have Pacific heritage.
There are separate indoor and outdoor spaces for children in three age-related groups. Toddlers and older children often play together at the beginning and end of the day. Some children, particularly those who are siblings, are able to visit friends and family members in other rooms.
The centre is part of the BestStart organisation, which provides a strong management framework. It also provides a range of support services and personnel, including a professional services manager (PSM) and a business manager (BM) to support centre operations. Managers are currently focusing on building the capacity and capability of a new teaching team in this centre.
The 2014 ERO report noted several areas of good practice. It identified next steps, including clarifying the teachers’ role in the programme, developing bicultural practices and improving self-review. Some progress has been in these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews in the BestStart organisation.
Children are settled in the centre. They are willing to learn, and benefit from positive relationships with their teachers. Children choose from a range of resources while they direct their own play.
Infants in the nursery room experience a calm and gentle approach by their teachers. As a result, they settle readily, and quickly establish relationships with these teachers. Parents share information that helps teachers to know and support their children. Teachers respond to individual children's daily 'rhythms' and preferences.
Teachers work closely with groups of children. They set up activities and learning opportunities for children and encourage them to engage in this play. They readily join in children's conversations and use questioning to build on children's involvement in the group.
The indoor and outdoor environments are attractive and well organised. Children are familiar with the daily routines, particularly those around meals, sleep and mat times. Teachers see children as capable, and support and encourage them to be independent.
Professional learning and development has helped to familiarise and up skill teachers in bicultural practices. Signage and prompts assist teachers to become more confident in using te reo Māori with children. Some teachers are good models for other teachers and could support them to develop their practice in this area. Teachers could also review the extent to which they integrate and respond to children's diverse cultural backgrounds.
Children's portfolios provide a good record of their participation in the programme. Anecdotal notes form the basis of learning stories that record the development of children's interests and their learning over time. Teachers value parent feedback and input to support children's learning.
Following a review, managers and teachers clarified and simplified programme planning. Teachers plan collaboratively using the notice, recognise and respond structure. They gather anecdotal notes about individual children's interests and development that contribute to planning discussions. Teachers record children's responses to activities and the emerging curriculum. This planning is shared with parents so they are well informed about what is happening in the centre.
The two Manuroa centre managers are experienced and work well together. They support each other and collaborate on many aspects of their work. This good practice promotes the growth and improvement in teachers' skills and centre operations. Managers know their teachers well and are keen to develop teachers' capability to take on leadership roles.
Internal evaluation focuses on worthwhile areas for improvement. Within broad focus areas, teachers consider aspects of their work that contribute to the bigger picture across the centre. Formal observations of teachers' practice and the programme in action provide good evidence for professional conversations. Good quality feedback from managers contributes to teachers' reflections on their teaching practice.
BestStart continues to provide good support for centres through professional development opportunities, management documentation and a range of quality assurance processes. PSMs and BMs maintain positive relationships with centre personnel and have high expectations for centre performance. The challenge for PSMs is to use their current focus on teaching as inquiry and newly developed mentoring processes to help centre managers and teachers achieve the high quality practices that BestStart values. Recent work to establish goal-focused strategic plans in each centre should also help to facilitate meaningful improvements in teaching and learning.
Centre leaders agree that key next steps for centre improvement include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Topkids Manuroa Road C3 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 Topkids Manuroa Road C3 will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
6 October 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.
|
Location |
Takanini, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25034 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
66 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
63 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 27 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
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 |
July 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
6 October 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 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.
Topkids Manuroa Road C3 provides full day care and education for up to 66 children from birth to school age. The centre, known as Titoki, is part of the Kidicorp organisation and operates in conjunction with two other centres on the same site. The service has undergone several changes during 2013 including improvements to the environment, new resources and many staff changes.
The Kidicorp management and personnel systems guide the operation of the centre and staff are supported by a range of business, professional services and curriculum leaders. The new teaching team is currently reviewing the centre philosophy to more clearly express teachers’ commitment to biculturalism and to celebrate the strengths of their practices.
When ERO last reviewed the service in 2011 it was operating as two centres; each with its own licence. Few changes were made to practices when the two centres merged in 2012. Separate rooms and outdoor spaces have been retained for infants, toddlers and preschool children. While infants and toddlers have some opportunities to mix, all groups enjoy programmes that are planned to cater for their developmental strengths and interests. Each area of the centre has its own designated staff and an appropriate ratio of registered teachers.
In 2011 ERO identified several positive practices in the centre. Children enjoyed a calm environment where they developed independence, respectful relationships and early literacy skills. Teachers were developing effective systems for managing programmes and self review. Many of those good practices continue to be features of the service, while teachers are also focused on enhancing bicultural practices and becoming more responsive to their multi-ethnic community.
Children are generally confident and happy in the centre. They have warm and caring relationships with teachers and interact positively with their friends. Most children engage well with resources and activities, often sharing with others and resolving differences peacefully. They make good use of play areas that invite exploration and are responsive to teachers’ support for their play. Children benefit from the Kidicorp ‘Be School Ready’ programme that fosters their resilience, independence and ability to be self-managing. As a result children from a very young age are developing a sense of themselves as capable learners. This is particularly notable among infants and toddlers who independently investigate resources and make discoveries with enthusiasm and pleasure.
Teachers effectively involve children in play. They engage children in meaningful conversations and use positive guidance strategies well to foster problem solving and respectful relationships between children. Teachers have high expectations that children will take responsibility for themselves and help each other. They encourage literacy and communication skills. Those working with older children use songs, books and writing materials well to support this learning. Teachers of infants and toddlers also use Makaton (sign language) to support their interactions with children.
Teachers plan programmes that reflect children's emerging interests. They are committed to embracing the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and to aligning learning with the key competencies in the school curriculum. They recognise the need to clarify their roles as teachers, and to foster learning dispositions that will drive children to engage in complex play. Teachers assess children's learning well through narratives and photos. Attractive portfolios of children's progress could be further enhanced by better recognition of their cultural identity.
Parents express appreciation for many aspects of the centre’s service. They are pleased with the care teachers provide and the opportunities children have to develop socially and emotionally. Parents value the strategies that help children prepare for school and the learning provided about different ethnic traditions. An annual survey enables parents to provide feedback, but teachers would welcome further comments from families about children’s learning in the assessment portfolios.
The centre manager and teachers are well supported by Kidicorp to lead the centre. Regular support visits, frequent professional development opportunities and systems to monitor standards help staff to improve centre practices. Several provisionally registered teachers participate in a robust registration programme. A detailed strategic plan and annual action plans for each room guide centre development. Teachers also take responsibility for reviewing practices within their own areas. Leaders recognise the need for continued development in self review and are particularly focused on ‘working with others’ in 2014.
The centre manager, Kidicorp advisors and ERO agree that key next steps for the centre should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Topkids Manuroa Rd C3 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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Topkids Manuroa Rd C3 will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
4 April 2014
|
Location |
Takanini, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25034 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
66 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
68 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 38 Girls 30 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Samoan African Indian South East Asian Chinese Tongan Cook Island Māori others |
15 31 5 4 3 3 2 2 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 |
January 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
4 April 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2011 |
|
|
Supplementary Review |
April 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2007 |
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.