Church Hill, Warkworth
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.
Warkworth Playcentre operates as a family cooperative as part of the North Shore Playcentre Association. The Playcentre is a focal point for the growing, diverse semi-rural community of Warkworth. It is licensed for 30 children including 15 children up to two years of age and is open for four sessions and a ‘Bush and Beach’ off site outdoor education session on Fridays.
The Playcentre philosophy affirms parents as valued and best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. There is an expectation that te reo and tikanga Māori will be included during sessions. Recently the Association has undertaken to make professional development available, to support centre members in learning and using New Zealand Sign Language.
The North Shore Playcentre Association manages centres’ funding and provides a training programme for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications. It also has good systems to support centre members to manage their centres and to provide good quality educational programmes for children. The national Playcentre organisation is currently undergoing a restructure. There will be a new regional manager and new centre support roles.
ERO’s 2013 report noted centre members’ focus on listening to children and building their language development and their commitment to develop their knowledge and expertise through adult education courses. These good practices remain evident.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the North Shore Playcentre Association
Children are confident, articulate and have a sense of adventure. Their expectation of positive responses from adults is evident as they play in mixed-age groups. Children access resources and equipment for the many creative opportunities available to them. There is a focus on the natural world during Friday outdoor sessions.
Children know their play is valued and their perspective is heard. The unhurried and relaxed child-centred learning environment encourages them to play at their own pace. Children show care for each other and share willingly. There are some leadership opportunities for children. Many of the children have formed good friendships and are confident to explore together within an environment that promotes a strong sense of community and belonging.
Adults work together to ensure consensus decision making guides the programme for children. They take an active role in their children’s education and the management of the centre. They show a commitment to the Playcentre philosophy and support each other to complete parent education courses. Newer members are guided and supported to build their knowledge.
Centre members value children’s play as learning, and model good language and inclusive practices. They meet regularly to plan for children’s interests and strengths. Members are considering ways to build continuity of learning between sessions and to make children’s learning and the extension of interests more visible in assessment records.
A long-serving Association Centre Field Officer guides and supports members to implement the programme. Members make links with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum in children’s assessment records. They are focused on supporting each other to extend their knowledge about the curriculum.
The Association management team have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and having a bicultural partnership with whānau Māori. This commitment is evident in Association operations and in the support provided for centres. Te ao Māori is visible in the centre and whānau encourage each other to include te reo and tikanga Māori throughout the programme. Centre members continue to strengthen bicultural practices and evaluate how the environment and programme reflects and promotes cultural diversity.
Internal evaluation is an area of development and some improvements have been made. Centre members agree that they could include outcomes for children in their evaluation process. Centre members are also considering how to add more complexity and challenge for older children in the programme.
Centre leadership is collaborative and demonstrates the value and commitment that centre members have to the Playcentre philosophy. They enthusiastically promote emergent leadership and support each other to maintain systems and the daily operations of the centre.
Experienced centre members provide good leadership and work collaboratively to manage the Playcentre. They willingly share their knowledge and expertise with new parents. They appreciate the strong support they have received from North Shore Playcentre Association staff.
The Association provides effective governance and management structures for the centres. There are good systems in place to monitor the quality of sessions, adult education levels, and health and safety requirements. The management team demonstrates the professional leadership necessary to help the centres respond to change, including the restructure of the national Playcentre organisation.
Key next steps for centre members are to continue to:
strengthen internal evaluation process and evaluate changes and outcomes for children
support members to extend their Playcentre education and increase their knowledge of curriculum planning and documentation
evaluate how the environment and programme reflect and promote cultural diversity.
To help enhance practices in all North Shore centres, new regional support personnel should consider ways to support members to:
increase their bicultural understanding and integration of te reo me ona tikanga Māori
improve their understanding and use of internal evaluation as a tool to guide and improve practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Warkworth 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:
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 Warkworth Playcentre will be in three years.
Violet Tu'uga Stevenson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
30 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.
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Location |
Warkworth |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
22056 |
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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 |
26 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 11 Girls 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
23 |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
30 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
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Education Review |
November 2007 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Warkworth Playcentre operates as part of the North Shore Playcentre Association and provides early childhood education for children up to six years of age. The centre is open for two sessions each week and is licensed for up to thirty children, including a maximum of fifteen children under two years of age. At present, the majority of children are two years old or younger.
The North Shore Playcentre Association is the umbrella organisation for twenty one playcentres situated in North Auckland. Many of these centres are semi-rural. The association manages and distributes centres’ funding and provides a training programme for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications. It also has good systems to support centre members to manage the playcentres and to provide educational programmes for children. The association is currently reviewing many aspects of its operations to help reduce the administrative workload for its members.
The Playcentre philosophy, 'whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, affirms parents as first educators. This philosophy provides strong links and continuity between home and the centre. Parents work collaboratively within the association’s framework of governance and management, and ongoing input and guidance to provide positive outcomes for children.
The association has provided high levels of support to parents at the centre, particularly since August 2012. Significant work has been done to increase membership and training levels for parents. Parents are now focused on developing their knowledge and expertise in Playcentre education and care through relevant training to become a self-sufficient operation. The centre has continued its positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was part of a cluster of 21 playcentre reviews in the North Shore Playcentre Association.
Children experience respectful relationships with adults and each other, based on a willingness to listen. Adults listen carefully to children, and their language development is fostered. Children engage in both child and parent initiated activities. Children have fun. They have freedom to learn and play in the large, well resourced playcentre that has suitable equipment for different play areas and age groups. The large outdoor area promotes children's exploration and physical development.
Children up to the age of two are cared for and nurtured, primarily, by their own parent. Their social development is promoted by all parents who demonstrate a shared responsibility for their care. This approach enables children to interact confidently with each other and adults.
Bicultural awareness is developing in the centre. Parents participate in professional development and receive good support from the recently appointed bicultural officer. This support is providing a solid foundation for increasing parents’ knowledge and confidence in te reo and tikanga Māori. Parents are also considering ways to extend multicultural practices in the centre.
Since ERO’s 2010 review, the Association has continued to provide assistance for parents to increase their understanding of ways to support and further develop children’s learning. Through ongoing professional development, parents are noticing and documenting children’s learning. They are developing their understanding of how to respond appropriately to children’s interests and to provide an engaging curriculum.
A bicultural partnership with Māori whānau is evident in Association operations. The management team have a strong commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and to building both adults’ and children’s familiarity with te reo and tikanga Māori.
The Playcentre is efficiently led by the newly appointed president. The very supportive parent and Association team work collaboratively to promote positive outcomes for children. They are using parents’ skills well to promote sustainable practices. Centre members are progressing well through the Playcentre parent education programme.
The association management team takes responsibility for specific tasks relating to the function of the association. They are committed to and enthusiastic about their involvement in Playcentre and actively foster emergent leadership to help sustain the association. The management team demonstrates the professional leadership necessary to help the association respond to change, make decisions and manage issues as they arise. The North Shore Playcentre Association provides effective support to help this Playcentre remain well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
Key next steps for ongoing centre development are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Warkworth 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.
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Warkworth Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services Northern Region
15 November 2013
|
Location |
Warkworth |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
22056 |
||
|
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 |
15 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 9 Girls 6 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Brazilian Niue |
2 10 2 1 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
August 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
15 November 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
October 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.