32 Domain Road, Whakatane
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Waiapu Kids – St Georges are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding Whāngai Establishing |
Waiapu Kids – St Georges is one of eight services governed and managed by Anglican Care Waiapu (ACW). A centre manager guides the teaching team. ACW provides governance support. Of the 54 children enrolled, 10 identify as Māori and 10 identify as Indian. The philosophy prioritises love, compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Children’s learning and development is well supported through:
respectful, learning focused relationships between parents, children, and teachers
ratios that facilitate quality teacher/child interactions
well-resourced learning environments
external agency support for children with additional learning needs.
The learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum provide the basis for planning for children’s learning. Assessments are mana enhancing. Children are empowered to lead their own learning. Creativity, early literacy and numeracy are promoted through play for young children. There are some opportunities for parents to contribute to decision making. Evaluation of the curriculum in relation to outcomes for learners is at an early stage.
Children have opportunities to experience aspects of their own and others culture by:
celebrating important events for Māori and Indian children
kaiako engaging in appropriate cultural practises
the use of tikanga and te reo Māori.
The inclusion of children’s cultures in the programme and the promotion of Anglican faith enhances children’s sense of belonging at the centre.
The newly established teaching team has opportunities to engage in professional learning. Evaluation is not yet demonstrating the effectiveness or impact of improvements in relation to individual or groups of children’s learning.
A well-considered approach to progressing strategic objectives responds to the diverse needs of the community. Children’s wellbeing is the primary consideration in decision making. An extensive range of policies and initiatives have been developed to support accountability across the organisation. These are in various stages of implementation. A commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and Christian values underpins the Waiapu organisation priorities.
Waiapu Kids – St Georges will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
continue to build teacher capability by engaging with Tātaiako and Tapasā, to further promote the culture, language and identity of tamariki Māori and children of Pacific descent
strengthen teacher capabilities to do and use evaluation to understand what is working well and for which learners
undertake an evaluation of the service philosophy to generate current parent, whānau and wider community priorities and guide curriculum decision making relating to learning outcomes for children.
At the governance level, Anglican Care Waiapu priorities are to refine the reporting process to enable closer scrutiny of:
how well each service is achieving its priorities for children’s learning
the maintenance of licensing conditions
the effectiveness of improvement actions and the impact on achieving equitable learning outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waiapu Kids – St Georges 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
undertaking relevant emergency drills at least every three months (HS7)
reviewing emergency planning annually (HS8).
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 August 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Waiapu Kids – St Georges |
|
Profile Number |
40068 |
|
Location |
Whakatane |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
54 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
15 August 2022 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2017; Education Review, April 2014 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Waiapu Kids - St Georges provides an all-day programme for children from infants to school age, and operates in two age-related rooms. The centre is licensed for 50 children with a maximum of 20 up to two years of age. The current roll of 56 includes seven Māori children.
The centre is community based and operates under the governing body of Waiapu Anglican Social Services Trust Board (WASSTB). Since the last review the name has been changed from St Georges Education and Care Centre to show links with the other services within the organisation. A regional manager from the governing body WASSTB supports the centre manager in her role.
The centre's philosophy emphasises whanaungatanga, diversity, relationships and contributions of whānau. Teachers seek to create 'a natural, safe and peaceful environment and base learning on interconnections with home, people, places and things'. As an Anglican Methodist Church based centre, they celebrate the unique presence of God and Christian values including love, hope, passion and integrity.
There are several long-standing staff members, including the manager and two team leaders. A high ratio of qualified teachers are employed but there is a current challenge in replacing the three teachers who have recently left. This has had significant impact on centre administration.
Since the 2014 ERO review, there has been some progress in building the professional capacity of staff. There is still a need to strengthen the performance appraisal and development system for staff. The outdoor play area for older children has been completed and the upgrade of the infant and toddler outdoor area is currently in progress.
Children experience an emergent curriculum that is effectively focussed on developing their interests and dispositions for learning. Christian values are effectively woven within the programme. Literacy and mathematics are naturally integrated in meaningful contexts. Trips into the local community are planned to extend children’s interests and are a feature of the centre. There are opportunities for whole group learning experiences relating to cultural and local events. Children benefit from an interesting, broad curriculum, which aims to develop foundational skills for life-long learning.
Māori children are well supported to achieve success. A bicultural programme is interwoven with karakia, himene, waiata and some te reo Māori being used daily. Teachers have a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and some have attended te reo Māori classes. Children learn about local legends and their mihi, and te ao Māori is visible within the environment. Māori children's language, culture and identity are celebrated and affirmed.
Knowledgeable and caring teachers form strong relationships with children and their families. Teachers scaffold children's learning through recognising, responding to, and extending their interests. They are inclusive and responsive to the diverse needs of children and their parents. Social competencies are skilfully supported and reciprocal, respectful interactions are evident. Children learn in spacious, attractive and well-resourced environments. They are well supported to lead their own learning.
Children experience well-planned transitions into and within the service. The centre is working hard to develop links with surrounding schools and are investigating how they can be involved with the local Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako. Children and their families develop a strong sense of trust and belonging.
The consistency of the long-standing, teaching team in the infants' and toddlers' area helps the youngest children to form attachments and settle. Teachers enact the Pikler philosophy where respectful relationships help nurture children and they value them as active, independent learners. Individual routines are well supported, and teachers and parents work in partnership for the benefit of the children. Infants and toddlers experience success as learners in a calm environment where their care needs are well met.
There are many opportunities for parents to engage in the curriculum. They value the knowledge that teachers share about their child's learning and development. Parents are encouraged to contribute to internal evaluation, and assessment and planning for their child.
Planning for individual children's learning is highly visible for parents. Portfolios capture parents' and children's voices, aspirations, dispositions for learning and interests to some degree. Teachers now need to regularly document children's learning and strengthen the assessment and planning process.
The long-standing leadership team, includes a centre manager who is well supported by two knowledgeable team leaders. The manager has participated in the recently established network of managers within the WASSTB. One of the team leaders has been supported by management and staff to work with the Ministry of Education and is now undertaking extra study. Leaders build teachers' capability through regular discussion, sharing professional knowledge and leading internal evaluation, both centre wide and within each room.
The centre has effective policies in place and now needs to ensure that these are enacted consistently and regularly reviewed. The strategic plan is strongly linked to that of the WASSTB. To further strengthen the plan, an annual plan showing clearer links to learning outcomes for children and more specific actions and timeframes should be put in place.
Teachers engage in both spontaneous and planned internal evaluation that brings about positive changes for centre management and the environment. It would be beneficial to include a review of the quality of learning outcomes for children. Leaders have identified that there is an urgent need to implement effective appraisal in line with the Education Council requirements.
Leaders and ERO agree that priorities for the centre are to strengthen:
assessment to show continuity of learning and links to planning
strategic and annual planning to show clearer learning outcomes for children
resourcing to enable leaders and teachers to effectively carry out their responsibilities.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waiapu Kids - St Georges 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance.
The service provider must ensure that there is a system for regular appraisal in line with Education Council requirements. [Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7]
The next ERO review of Waiapu Kids - St Georges will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
19 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.
|
Location |
Whakatane, Bay of Plenty |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40068 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
56 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 36 Boys 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 June 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
January 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.
St Georges Education & Care Centre provides an all-day programme for children from three months old to school age, and operates two age-related rooms. The centre is licensed for 50 children, with a maximum of 20 up to two years of age. The current roll is 67 children, of whom 17 are identified as Māori. The majority of Maori children whakapapa to Ngāti Awa or Tuhoe iwi.
The centre operates under the auspices of the Waiapu Anglican Social Services Trust Board (WASSTB) who provide property, human resource and financial oversight and support.
The manager is the professional and organisational leader in the centre. She resumed her responsibility in 2013 after maternity leave. The team leaders for each room support their teachers in programme organisation, planning, assessment and evaluation. The centre maintains a high proportion of qualified staff.
The philosophy statement is documented in both English and te reo Māori, and includes a commitment to valuing the unique presence of God in each individual and maintaining strong respectful relationships with parents/whānau. The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO. Management has responded well to the recommendations in the 2011 ERO report. They have undertaken externally facilitated professional development to increase their understanding and use of self review.
Mutually respectful relationships between children and adults are a feature of the centre. Teachers know children and their families/whānau well, and encourage partnerships for learning. They listen carefully to children, and are responsive to their physical, emotional and learning needs. Flexible and familiar routines help children to develop social skills and a strong sense of belonging. Māori children and their whānau see and hear their language and culture being valued and shared through daily karakia, himene and respect for tikanga Māori practices. Children with diverse needs are included, encouraged and affirmed.
Children experience a wide range of learning experiences through the programme. The church and wider community are well used as an additional resource. Early literacy competencies are strongly promoted and well integrated into the programme. Leaders recognise that early mathematical and science concepts are curriculum areas for review and further development.
The attractive and well-resourced inside play areas have been extensively upgraded and expanded since the last ERO review. Children are able to make choices and independently access play equipment. Leaders recognise that the outside play area for older children remains an area for significant development to effectively support children’s exploration and learning.
Children under two years of age are able to explore and learn through play in a safe, spacious and nurturing environment. They have easy access to outside resources and equipment that extend their physical skills. Teachers and families work closely together to support children in the care routines and as they transition into and within the centre. Children transition to several different schools. The pre-school team leader attends regular meetings, which include new entrant class teachers in the area. The networks and knowledge gained from these contacts is helping the team leader to support children as they transition to school.
Teachers record regular observations of children’s engagement with learning as they participate in the programme. These observations are shared among teachers and inform programme planning and the preparation of individual portfolios. Parents are successfully encouraged to contribute to their child’s well-presented learning portfolio.
Reciprocal relationships of trust and respect are becoming increasingly evident amongst centre leaders and staff. There is a shared sense of positive purpose and the interests of children are put first. A key next step is the effective use of evidence-based self review to drive centre improvement and build professional capacity of staff at all levels of the centre.
Centre leaders and staff work consciously to build effective partnership with parents and whānau in support of children’s learning and development. The aspirations and opinions of parents and whānau are sought and valued.
A strategic business plan is in place, which is informed by regular reports from centre leaders to the WASSTB management committee. Well-documented policies and procedures guide operations. Support and guidance for centre leaders is available from the WASSTB. Recent changes within the WASSTB management, and on-site leadership, has resulted in the need to review professional guidance and development for centre leaders.
ERO recommends, and centre leaders agree, that the key next step for ongoing improvement in educational outcomes for children is to develop and implement a strategic plan for building the professional capacity of staff at all levels of the service. This plan should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of St Georges Education & Care 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:
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 St Georges Education & Care Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
2 April 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 |
Whakatane |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40068 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
67 children, including 22 aged under 2 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 36 Boys 31 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Samoan Chinese |
17 48 1 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
2 April 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2011 |
|
|
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:
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.