11 A Gilbert Street, Richmond
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Waimea Kindergarten is part of the Nelson Tasman Kindergarten Association (NTKA). Futures Preschool has recently merged with Henley Kindergarten, to form Waimea Kindergarten. The two buildings have been renamed to reflect the local area and are referred to as Te Puna and Te Awa, respectively. Waimea Kindergarten is located within the Waimea campus alongside local schools.
The kindergarten provides for the education and care of up to 75 children, aged from two-to-five years, from a diverse community. The association offers up to 30 free hours to support children's participation in early childhood education. It also provides a range of external expertise to help all children succeed in their learning. This includes te ao Māori expertise, teacher aides, a speech-language therapist, whānau support and parent education opportunities.
All teachers are fully qualified. A teacher aide provides support for the children and teachers to help meet identified areas of need. An active parent committee leads fundraising initiatives to support ongoing resourcing, special outings and improvements to the kindergarten.
The NTKA, including a Chief Executive Officer and board, is responsible for the governance of the kindergarten. A team of senior education advisors (SEA) oversee and support the professional practice of the teaching team.
The kindergarten has made steady progress with the recommendations identified in ERO’s 2013 report. This includes promoting children's emotional and social learning, and improving assessment and evaluation processes.
Teachers have developed a philosophy of shared beliefs and caring ways of working with children. The philosophy promotes the provision of a safe, fun environment based on respect and relationships. Teachers intend for children to leave Waimea Kindergarten with skills for life-long learning.
This review was part of a cluster of seven kindergarten reviews in the NTKA.
The uniqueness of each child is carefully considered in the daily programme. Bicultural practices that help all children to know about the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand are evident throughout the service. These practices help Māori children to feel a sense of identity and pride. Environmentally sustainable practices and links to the natural world are promoted within the programme which is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Teachers develop strong partnerships with parents, whānau and the community to support children's sense of wellbeing and belonging. Transitions into the kindergarten, between Te Puna and Te Awa, and onto school are planned to meet the needs of each child.
Children with additional needs are well supported through sensitive interactions within an inclusive learning environment. Teachers work collaboratively with parents, and external agencies when required, to develop an individualised approach to these children's learning and wellbeing.
Children benefit from a child-centred curriculum that is responsive to their interests, strengths and capabilities. Teachers document children's involvement in a wide range of experiences of interest that encourage them to settle well and engage in learning through play. The contributions and involvement of parents, whānau and community enrich the curriculum provided for children.
The manager is making effective use of spontaneous internal evaluation to:
Managers and leaders have proactively addressed ERO’s recommendations for the association identified in previous reports. There is strong alignment between the NTKA strategic priorities and each kindergarten’s priorities and plans. The board is well informed about outcomes from association-wide strategic reviews and the progress being made to achieve strategic goals.
The board and association managers are taking deliberate action to support Māori and Pacific children, and children with diverse learning needs. NTKA leaders have developed strong, networked relationships with community organisations to support children and their whānau.
There are effective systems and processes to ensure that regulatory requirements are met. Relevant professional learning opportunities, improved teacher appraisal processes and effective ongoing coaching and mentoring by the SEA are building leadership and teacher capability within the kindergartens.
A next step for association leaders and managers is to improve their planning to support the achievement of the board’s strategic objectives. This includes ensuring that reporting is evaluative and focuses on outcomes for children.
The key next steps for the board are to:
The SEA, manager and curriculum leader have identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Waimea Kindergarten 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 Waimea Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
12 September 2018
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 | Nelson | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 5400 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 75 children, aged over two years | ||
| Service roll | 70 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys: 37 Girls: 33 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnicities | 6 57 7 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported rations of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | June 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 12 September 2018 | ||
| Most recent ERO reports | First ERO report for this service | ||
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.
Henley Kindergarten is located in Richmond, Nelson, on a school site surrounded by other educational services. It provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. It is licensed for up to 45 children and operates all day sessions, three days per week and morning sessions two days per week.
A new head teacher was appointed in 2012 and a new staff member joined the teaching team this year. The teaching team is supported by volunteers and a support person. A Family Liaison Group supports the kindergarten by fundraising and being involved in aspects of the kindergarten. Teachers are committed to environmentally sustainable practices and value working with small groups of children.
The kindergarten is governed by the Nelson Kindergarten Association (the association) and overseen by a team of Senior Education Advisors (SEAs). The kindergarten has a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was conducted as part of a cluster approach to reviews in eleven kindergartens and early childhood education services within the Nelson Kindergarten Association umbrella organisation.
Teachers are friendly and welcoming. They know the importance of relationships between home and kindergarten, and often seek parent input. Collaborative ways of working are fostered. Children are happy and confident and demonstrate a sense of belonging. Routines are clearly established and these allow children to organise themselves. The curriculum design and implementation is underpinned by the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Teachers provide a wide range of stimulating activities for children to explore. They actively support peer learning. Children have ample opportunities to revisit prior learning experiences and engage in sustained and collaborative group play. Music, movement and drama are well integrated into the programme. Teachers use a wide range of practices to develop children's literacy and numeracy skills. There is a balance between teacher-led and child-led play. Teachers should continue to develop practices that make the most of opportunities to empower children to take the lead in their play.
Planning is responsive to children’s interests and needs. Well-presented portfolios show children’s participation in the programme and identify their emerging interests. A well-considered transition to school process is in place with a range of strategies to support children and families' successful move to school.
Te reo Māori is used by teachers and tikanga Māori practices are incorporated into the programme. Continuing to strengthen the consistent use of te reo Māori should further enhance children’s learning about Māori language and culture.
Teachers have considered how they are providing for Māori children's success as Māori, and Pacific children's success as Pacific. They have identified the next step is to become more involved in other forums to explore this further. ERO affirms this direction as this would assist teachers to identify how they can further support these priority groups in the kindergarten.
Teachers are supported in their understanding of self review by the association. There is strong alignment between the guiding documents of the association and kindergarten and the resulting review. Spontaneous and regular reviews have been used to make changes to the programme and to reflect on aspects of practice. Teachers and the association are highly consultative, regularly requesting and receiving feedback from their parent community. The association has effectively led robust review and evaluation using a collaborative approach.
The recently updated appraisal process is collaborative and provides clear guidance and support to staff. Leaders are engaging in ongoing professional learning in this area to support its successful implementation. ERO’s evaluation affirms this direction and recommends that the approach includes a focus on the quality of feedback and feed forward to promote teacher development.
The association provides high levels of guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. This includes:
The Senior Education Advisor (SEA) regularly visits the kindergarten and provides professional support and leadership to the teaching team. Through SEA guidance and identified next steps, teachers are supported to enact the kindergarten's mission.
ERO and centre leaders agree that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Henley Kindergarten 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.
The next ERO review of Henley Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)
5 September 2013
The Purpose of ERO ReportsThe 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 |
Richmond |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5400 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
54 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 30, Girls 24 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other European Cook Island Māori Other ethnic groups |
2 44 4 2 2 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
N/A |
|
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 September 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2006 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2004 |
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.