Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services

Education institution number:
60283
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
71
Telephone:
Address:

2-4 Clermont Terrace, Kelburn, Wellington

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Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakawhanake Sustaining
Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services, along with the nearby Fairlie Terrace service, are owned and administered by Victoria University. The curriculum is influenced by Reggio Emilia philosophy which values the child as central to their own learning. Children learn in three separate age-related groups.  A small number of Māori children are enrolled in the service. The roll is culturally diverse.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s mana and identity as successful learners are promoted by the responsive curriculum and skilled teachers. The participation and wellbeing of all children, including those requiring additional support, are fostered through teachers highly attuned to individual preferences and partnerships with families. Children have a strong sense of belonging and play and learn in an environment that invites their exploration and strongly promotes creative thought and action. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori, local excursions and nature-based learning are established priorities.

Planning for learning strongly celebrates children’s voices, interests and dispositions. Group projects are increasingly child driven in ‘real’ time. Teachers plan for individuals in collaboration with parents and record progress in narrative assessment. Practices to support children’s transitions into and through the service, and on to school, are well developed. There is work to do to more clearly show children’s learning and progress in relation to the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and to strengthen the visibility of families’ cultures in documentation. Evaluation linked to the success of teaching strategies in progressing learning could be improved.

Strong leadership, and relational trust, promote staff wellbeing and teamwork. A collective sense of responsibility has resulted from the teams’ work to identify values and curriculum priorities. This, together with a targeted approach to development, has resulted in clear direction for teaching and learning.  

Organisational conditions are well aligned to drive development. Internal evaluation informs ongoing improvements and leads to well considered change. Measures to support evaluation of progress in meeting strategic goals around curriculum priorities are in place but have not yet been evaluated.

4 Improvement actions

Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. This includes to evaluate:

  • children’s developing capabilities in relation to the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to better show learning and progress over time

  • how well the strategic goals around the local curriculum have been met.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • nappy changing facilities for infants are located in an area also used for play. The design and layout of the facilities do not ensure that children’s right to privacy is respected.

  • a document to record training provided to adults who administer medicine to children.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; PF25, HS29.

Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

2 March 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services

Profile Number

60283

Location

Wellington

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

65 children, including up to 24 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

78

Review team on site

September 2022

Date of this report

2 March 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, April 2018; Education Review, March 2015.

Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services - 16/04/2018

1 Evaluation of Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services

How well placed is Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services 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

Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services is situated in Kelburn. Education and care is provided for 65 children, including 24 aged up to two years. Both part and full time sessions are offered daily. At the time of this evaluation four Māori children were enrolled.

The centre, along with the nearby Fairlie Terrace service, is owned by Victoria University of Wellington. An associate director of campus and student living is employed by the university to provide strategic management, curriculum support and guidance to both services. The two leadership teams liaise often. Day-to-day operation of the Clermont Terrace centre is managed by a Head of Complex, who supports two senior teachers. Most of the teaching team are fully qualified.

Two re-purposed villas are connected by an annex, with multi-level outdoor areas. Learning spaces and teaching staff are allocated to three age-related groups of children. At the time of this review, the outdoor spaces were undergoing redevelopment, incorporating more natural elements.

Areas for improvement identified in the April 2014 ERO report have been well progressed.

The Review Findings

Children confidently engage in an inspiring play-based curriculum. Teachers work attentively alongside individuals and groups. Interactions are highly respectful, responsive and fun. Children's growing independence and social competence are well supported. They have opportunities to challenge themselves and take risks. Well-established learning partnerships support highly effective, culturally responsive teaching practices for Māori and Pacific learners.

Children's learning is visibly celebrated in the welcoming, home-like environment. Learning spaces are thoughtfully resourced and inviting.

A very strong, complex creative arts curriculum is a centre strength. Teachers deliberately weave a range of exciting learning into artistic explorations. A focus on sustainability and nature-based learning, including regular excursions, further enriches the programme.

Infants and toddlers benefit from highly responsive interactions. Respectful staff provide them with space, time and choices. Teachers know children and their families very well, and tailor their practice accordingly. A well-considered range of open-ended, sensory resources are offered for children to explore at their own pace. All staff display a warm, calm and unhurried approach to a curriculum of care.

Kaupapa Māori practices are highly valued and well embedded in the curriculum. Te reo Māori and waiata are used regularly in interactions. Teachers draw on whānau expertise and community connections to provide children and whānau with meaningful experiences within te ao Māori.

Collaboration with families informs a robust cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation. Cultural information and parent aspirations are skilfully woven into individualised support and documentation of children’s interests, skills, dispositions and holistic development. Leaders should continue to support and oversee all teachers’ practice in this area to ensure it is of consistent high quality.

Comprehensive, flexible processes are highly supportive of children and families as they transition into and through the centre. Robust communication and assessment practices ensure that settling strategies are sensitively tailored to individual children.

Visits to a wide range of schools occur regularly, and teachers maximise these as opportunities to inform and tailor their practices. Children’s confident transitions from the service are well supported by highly effective, attentive partnerships between teachers, families and schools.

Leaders and teachers collaborate on useful internal evaluations of their practice. Good quality information from robust consultation and research is critically analysed in order to drive improvements. ERO and leaders agree that the process should be enhanced by narrowing the focus of internal evaluations, to support clear, targeted refinements for priority groups.

An effective appraisal system is in place. Leaders and teachers use an inquiry and
knowledge-building approach to meet appraisal goals. Aligning goals to strategic plans should further enhance the process.

A collaborative leadership model effectively promotes continual improvement. Leaders have high professional expectations, and have purposefully built a cohesive, positive team culture. Teachers have many opportunities to engage in professional development and debate, and to grow their leadership skills. There is a clear sense of purpose and commitment to enacting the philosophy in practice. 

Key Next Steps

ERO has confidence in the service's capacity to self-identify next steps and monitor improvements.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Victoria University of Wellington Clermont Terrace Early Childhood Services will be in four years.

Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

16 April 2018

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

Wellington

Ministry of Education profile number

60283

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

65 children, including up to 24 aged under 2

Service roll

61

Gender composition

Girls 34, Boys 27

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese and other Asian
Other ethnic groups

  4
37
  6
14

Percentage of qualified teachers

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

February 2018

Date of this report

16 April 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

Education Review

April 2014

June 2010

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.