Waituna Valley Road, Feilding
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.
Waituna West Playcentre is one of 19 administered by the Central Districts Playcentre Association (the association). The centre is licensed to provide education and care for 30 children, two sessions a week, in a mixed-aged setting. This includes provision for 15 children up to the age of two. At the time of this review there were 19 children enrolled.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (the federation), of which Central Districts Association is part, is undergoing a significant restructure that includes amalgamating associations. Playcentres will becomes part of a regional hub, supported by a regional manager and others.
The Federation philosophy, 'Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together', is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this, the centre philosophy encourages children to be explorers of new experiences.
Whānau and families are valued as the primary educators of their children. Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a team of parent educators who hold Playcentre training certificates.
Centre support people visit playcentres to provide professional advice and support, and to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders.
The February 2015 ERO report for Waituna West Playcentre identified areas for development for the association and the playcentre. These included assessment, planning and evaluation practices, internal evaluation and Māori success as Māori. Progress is ongoing.
The review was part of a cluster of 11 reviews in the Central Districts Playcentre Association.
Children are viewed as confident and competent. They demonstrate responsibility for their own learning. Infants and toddlers fully participate in the programme, and along with older children explore in the well-resourced environment. Learning experiences reflect the playcentre philosophy and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The centre is located on school grounds and they share a close relationship. This provides ongoing opportunities for teina, younger children, to connect with tuakana, older children. There is a well‑established transition approach that supports children and families as they move to school.
Whakawhanaungatanga is nurtured with positive relationships between children, parents, members and community. Te ao Māori is purposely integrated through the use of te reo Māori, waiata, Māori art, posters and rituals that include karakia. Authentic experiences reflect the local context and what is important for the community. Members express a commitment to further growing their understanding of te ao Māori.
Useful assessment, planning and evaluation tools assist members to promote children's learning. Planning meetings capture individual interests and preferences to inform programme sessions. Children's ideas contribute to these plans.
Parents work with goals, dispositions and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and write about these in children's individual learning plans and portfolios. An online platform offers opportunities for parents and families to communicate information and ideas. Improving the consistency and quality of narrative assessment in portfolios, is needed.
Centre members are well led by an experienced supervisor to implement meaningful experiences for children. A robust and meaningful annual appraisal contributes to her development.
Members are in the early stages of implementing a purposeful internal evaluation process. A revised framework has been introduced that has the potential to enhance inquiry in to practice and improve children's outcomes. A recent review focused on appropriate practices for infants and toddlers.
Centre members are aware of the need to further extend their practice and use of evaluation. Support and guidance for session facilitators and members needs to be strengthened. The association needs to improve its monitoring to raise the quality and consistency of support provided to the playcentre.
Suitable planning priorities and objectives are incorporated into the centre's strategic and annual planning.
At playcentre level, priorities are to:
At the association/federation level, priorities are to continue to strengthen:
ERO recommends that the new regional team actively monitor and evaluate the quality of support provided to playcentres.
Before the review, the staff and management of Waituna West 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:
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 Waituna West Playcentre will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
6 April 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.
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Location |
Feilding |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
52016 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
19 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 10, Girls 9 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
19 |
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|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2018 |
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Date of this report |
6 April 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2012 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2008 |
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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.
How well placed is Waituna West 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.
Waituna West Playcentre is one of 19 administered by the Central Districts Playcentre Association (the association). This review is one of ten undertaken by ERO in the association’s playcentres during Term 4, 2014.
The centre is open for two mornings per week and caters for children from birth to six years of age. Responsibility for day-to-day operations is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. A paid supervisor supports parents and whānau to develop and implement the daily programme. Professional advice and feedback to strengthen members’ practice is provided by a liaison officer employed by the association. At the time of this review, all parents at this centre are undertaking Playcentre training. This playcentre has positive reporting history with ERO.
Playcentres' philosophy statement, 'whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, encapsulates the value this organisation places on families and whānau working collectively to support children’s learning.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation is currently reviewing the organisational structure of Playcentre across New Zealand. The outcomes of this review may result in changes to operation at centre level.
The curriculum is child led, with strong links to Te Whāriki and playcentre philosophy. Children are well supported and nurtured by their parents and other adults. Information provided by centre adults guides them in their understanding of each child’s personality, communication skills and particular needs. Infants and toddlers are able to explore, interact, play and have fun with attentive adults and each other.
The supervisor models written assessment of children's learning to members. Some members are becoming confident to write their own learning stories. Portfolios are attractive records of children’s time at playcentre. Planning is informed by children’s interests, parent ideas and session evaluations. Centre members have identified that increased parent confidence and involvement in assessment, planning and evaluation is a next step for development.
Vibrant and stimulating indoor and outdoor spaces are organised to encourage children to learn, explore, develop their physical skills and engage in imaginative and creative play. Literacy, numeracy and mathematical learning are appropriately integrated throughout the curriculum.
Adults are working to ensure children have experiences that assist them to become confident in Aotearoa New Zealand’s dual cultural heritage. Acknowledged next steps are to continue to develop strategies and approaches to effectively promote Māori children’s success as Māori.
Waituna West Playcentre is situated in the grounds of Waituna West School. A reciprocal, two-way partnership has been established resulting in a seamless and well-supported transition between centre and school.
A high level of cooperation and trust is evident among all adults involved in the service. Collaborative ways of working enable parents to be actively involved in the learning and wellbeing of children. The supervisor and association liaison officer encourage leadership among members, according to their interests and areas of expertise. This contributes to the centre’s long-term sustainability.
Centre members have a good understanding of the purpose of self review to guide improvement and change. Planned self review is becoming evaluative and focuses on improving learning outcomes for children. Centre members acknowledge continued strengthening of review practice is an ongoing development.
Useful support is provided by the association. This includes written guidelines and systems for managing finance and legislative obligations. Work is being completed to improve employment practices. Regular visits from the liaison officer assist members in their management and teaching roles. A review of the liaison officer role is being undertaken to support an improved approach.
The appraisal process, particularly for those employed as team leaders and liaison officers, needs further development. The provision of ongoing professional, constructive feedback based on observations of practice, and linked to identified needs and goals, should add rigour.
At association level, the priorities are the further development of:
At centre level, the priorities are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Waituna West 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.
The next ERO review of Waituna West Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
19 February 2015
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 |
Feilding |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
52016 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
29 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 16, Boys 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
4 25 |
|
|
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 |
December 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 February 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 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.