Waikouaiti Playcentre

Education institution number:
81042
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
13
Telephone:
Address:

6 Mcgregor Street, Waikouaiti

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Waikouaiti Playcentre - 31/10/2018

1 Evaluation of Waikouaiti Playcentre

How well placed is Waikouaiti Playcentre 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

Waikouaiti Playcentre is one of 47 playcentres within the New Zealand Playcentre Federation's South Island Southern Region (SISR). The centre operates one day a week and is licensed for up to 21 children, including 10 children under two. Children from birth-to-school age attend the centre with their parents. The centre currently has a roll of 13.

The playcentre is purpose-built and located in the small rural community of Waikouaiti. It is in close proximity to Waikouaiti School. The educator and parents have links with the school as the majority of children's older siblings attend, and parents are involved in the school community.

The playcentre's philosophy states it is a 'fun, safe and inclusive part of the community' that creates child-initiated learning guided by Te Whāriki. They create 'enduring relationships' with their community, celebrate its 'bicultural heritage' and 'welcome, accept and value' everyone.

The centre has employed an educator who is a qualified early childhood teacher. The day-to-day planning and operation of the centre is carried out by parents. The centre has regular visits and receives ongoing support from a centre support work (CSW).

This review was part of a cluster of two playcentre reviews within the SISR.

The Review Findings

Children and adults benefit from caring, respectful relationships. The inclusive culture is very welcoming and supports the focus on building relationships within the centre and with the local community. The parents work well as a parent collective and there are good systems for ensuring the smooth operation of the playcentre.

Children enjoy and engage in a rich curriculum. They, along with their parents, have fun together as they involve themselves in a variety of planned and spontaneous activities within and beyond the centre. Children choose what they want to do and have easy access to resources to use. They play well alongside and with their peers and adults. Positive interactions between children and adults support children to develop their language and communication skills.

The indoor and outdoor environments are spacious, very well resourced and well organised. They offer clearly defined spaces for children to choose to learn and play. This supports children's social, intellectual and physical development. Children's profile books are readily available for children and parents to read and revisit children's learning.

The leadership team is improvement focused. It has a succession plan in place to ensure the smooth running of the centre over time and into the future. Although the centre is open for only one session a week, the parents are dedicated to its growth and continuation. The trained educator supports the parents in their own development as first teachers of their children.

Waikouaiti Playcentre's strategic plan identifies its priorities, which include:

  • strengthening their bicultural practice
  • supporting parents in their own development
  • integrating Te Whāriki into the programme
  • strengthening parents' involvement in children's learning goals.

It is important that parents monitor their progress over time against this plan, in relation to its priorities. This monitoring needs to be evaluative to determine what is working, and future direction setting.

The Otago Playcentre Association has recently implemented the New Zealand Playcentre Federation's new operating model and is effectively managing the restructure. This has meant that Waikouaiti Playcentre now receives regular support from a centre support worker. There are robust systems in the association for monitoring the progress and performance of individual playcentres and targeted support is given where needed.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps, with the support of the centre support worker, are to:

  • make visible the planning and goals for individual children so that all adults can support children's learning
  • strengthen parents' understanding and implementation of internal evaluation
  • have parents become more involved in the assessment process
  • build parent capability in using Te Whāriki, in particular to make links with planning and assessment practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Waikouaiti 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Waikouaiti Playcentre will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review & Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

31 October 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

Waikouaiti

Ministry of Education profile number

81042

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

21 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

13

Gender composition

Boys: 8

Girls: 5

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

2
10
1

Percentage of qualified teachers

Parent led cooperative

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2018

Date of this report

31 October 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

February 2013

Education Review

September 2009

Education Review

November 2005

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.

Waikouaiti Playcentre - 21/02/2013

Evaluation of the Service

How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?

Waikouaiti Playcentre is making good progress in developing its capacity to promote positive outcomes for children.

Context

Waikouaiti Playcentre is one of 37 playcentres administered by the Otago Playcentre Association (OPA). It is located across the road from another local early childhood centre and the local school. Many of the children attend both early childhood services.

At the time of this review the playcentre opens one morning session a week for children from birth to five years. Children attend in good numbers with some new enrolments in recent times. Many of the families are farmers or work at the local mine. Most of the parents are new to the playcentre.

The qualified educator resigned at the end of Term 3, 2012. Since then the parent council has worked hard to meet the necessary requirements to ensure the playcentre continues to operate. The parents now have increased confidence and energy in their role as first educators.

Since the start of Term 4 an OPA advisor has led the weekly session. The centre has steps in place so that it will be responsible for leading its own sessions in 2013. By then, two parents should have completed the necessary playcentre training.

The playcentre has an attractive and well-maintained outdoor area. The parent council has plans to further improve and modernise the inside areas. The playcentre has a long history in the community and receives very good local support, especially when fundraising.

This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in fifteen early childhood education services within the OPA umbrella organisation.

The Review Findings

Children and their parents are made to feel very welcome and relaxed in the centre. Children benefit from their parents staying with them. Parents are positive, supportive and have fun with and alongside their children. Parents have purposeful conversations to help children develop thinking skills and extend their learning as they play.

Children experience a wide range of activities within the centre. Their interests are followed up on and resources support their learning. Parents initiate activities to stimulate children’s learning, such as making boats and experimenting with concepts of floating and sinking.

Children are involved in the day-to-day work of the centre, which includes gardening and planting. They learn to use real equipment. At the carpentry area they use saws and experiment with Oamaru stone. Children also enjoy group baking sessions and exploring their local community.

Babies and toddlers are well catered and provided for. There is a separate sleep room and a designated baby area with a comfortable couch and suitable resources. Toddlers have many opportunities for sensory play and exploration.

The playcentre philosophy was reviewed in 2011. It is a useful document to guide the learning that is valued in the centre. The parent council has made a good start to developing a system to plan for children’s learning. The system includes identifying children’s next learning steps. The next step is for the parents to:

  • continue to use and further develop this system to show children’s learning over time
  • help new parents know how to identify, plan for and support children in their learning.

Self review is underway and has helped the parents to make some useful improvements, such as the way Māori perspectives are integrated into the programme. Self review has also helped the parents to identify priorities for further development in the operation of the centre. The next step is for the parents to:

  • further develop their understanding of self review
  • continue to implement self review in manageable and useful ways.

Since the start of Term 4 2012, all the office bearer roles have been filled. The current group of parents are motivated and enthusiastic. This momentum needs to be maintained in order for the centre to continue its good progress.

The centre advisor provides valued support to the centre.

Governance and Management

The Otago Playcentre Association (OPA) provides a comprehensive range of support to this and other playcentres. This includes:

  • developing an action plan for all centres to be relicensed with the 2008 Regulations
  • managing an association-wide system for all aspects of health, safety and compliance
  • ongoing support for employment processes
  • targeted support for playcentres requiring additional assistance
  • ongoing provision of playcentre training.

The OPA executive and personnel hold regular meetings with a specific focus on each centre. They discuss best ways to support individual centres. Records from these meetings could be more specific about what support is provided and the difference it has made.

A strength of the OPA is the ongoing support provided by the centre advisors. The centre advisor effectively supports the parents and educators in developing their understanding of planning and assessment and self review.

Centre advisors should continue to build their knowledge and understanding of self review. They should use each centre's self review as evidence to assure the governors of the OPA how well the playcentre is promoting positive outcomes for children.

OPA personnel need to further develop their understanding of self review and use the findings of self review to assure themselves of the effectiveness of their strategic goals and all aspects of the OPA management and operations.

The OPA governors have a sound policy framework to support the playcentre.

2 Legal Requirements

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Waikouaiti 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.

3 Next Review

When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?

ERO is likely to carry out the next review in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services Southern Region

21 February 2013

Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Waikouaiti  
Ministry of Education profile number 81042  
Licence type Playcentre - Sessional  
Licensed under Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008  
Number licensed for

21 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

 
Service roll 24  
Gender composition

Boys: 14

Girls: 10

 
Ethnic composition NZ Pākehā   24
Percentage of qualified teachers Parent led cooperative  
Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2    1:1

Over 2     1:4

Meets minimum requirements

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site November 2012  
Date of this report 21 Februar 2013  
Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

September 2009

November 2005

November 2001

General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

About ERO Reviews

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

Review focus

ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these findings ERO considers:

  • 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 self review and partnerships with parents and whānau.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.