Whānau Tree House

Education institution number:
47640
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Maori ECE service (excluding TKR)
Total roll:
22
Address:

78 Lees Grove, Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt

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Whānau Tree House

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Whānau Tree House are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions
Whāngai Establishing
Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Whānau Tree House is the enacted vision of the community, to recreate the aroha held within a whānau kainga, within a puna reo kohungahunga. The co-owners, supported by kaumatua and the wider community, including kohanga reo and kura kaupapa, are building a team of established and new kaimahi committed to this vision. Almost all tamariki are Māori, with a small number of tamaiti from Pacific and other heritages.

3 Summary of findings

The service is guided by the principles of whakapapa, whakawhanaungatanga and aroha, tamariki me ngā whānau, ngā kaimahi, and the wider community is at the heart of decision making. Their whakakitenga – vision, sets a clear direction for the service. The kaupapa is grounded in Poipoia te reo me ōna tikanga, kia puawai – a future where te ao Māori is celebrated. Hauora is foundational to support the wellbeing of the learning community.

Ngā tamariki wairua flourishes within an environment immersed in te ao Māori. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are clearly visible, and extended into the local community. Kaimaihi are well attuned and responsive to the wellbeing of tamariki and the developmental stages of pepī me ngā tuakana. Well-considered routines enable tamariki to learn at their own pace and to develop a strong sense of learner identity and belonging.

Kaihautu, who are well supported by kaumātua, develop intentional opportunities for the community to deepen their knowledge of te ao Māori. Relevant professional learning supports kaimahi to build their understanding and capability aligned to the service’s vision.

Meaningful, curriculum self-review informs changes to support positive outcomes for tamariki me ngā whānau, me ngā kaimahi wellbeing and learning. Embedding the assessment, planning and evaluation framework inclusive of Te Whārikithe early childhood curriculum, learning outcomes, and reflective of tamariki cultures is a key next step. It is timely, to further develop Te Ara Whakapakiri - appraisal pathway to growth, and the Arotake internal evaluation framework, to identify the impact of new learning on outcomes for tamariki.

4 Improvement actions

Whānau Tree House will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Continue to build the capability of kaimahi in assessment, planning and evaluation and integrate through tamariki pūrākau ako documentation.
  • Include Te Whāriki learning outcomes, and the cultures, languages, and identity of tamarikiparticularly for those of Pacific heritages and other cultures in assessment, planning and evaluation.
  • Further develop and implement Te Ara Whakapakiri - appraisal pathway to growth, and the Arotake - internal evaluation framework to better identify what is working, or not, for which tamaiti or groups of tamariki.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Whānau Tree House completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Action for Compliance 

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

  • Ensuring that safety checking is constantly undertaken to consistently to meet the requirements of the Childrens Act 2014 (GMA7A).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

7 December 2023

7 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameWhānau Tree House
Profile Number 47640
LocationWainuiomata, Lower Hutt
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll23
Review team on siteOctober 2023 
Date of this report7 December 2023
Most recent ERO report(s)Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2020

Whānau Tree House - 29/10/2020

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards
ERO’s judgement
CurriculumMeeting
Premises and facilitiesMeeting
Health and safetyMeeting
Governance, management and administrationMeeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Whānau Tree House is a privately owned puna reo located in Wainuiomata that opened in March 2019. The owner and head teacher lead a team of four teachers in the mixed-aged setting. Teachers speak and encourage tamariki to korero i te reo Māori.

This is the first ERO review of the service.

Summary of Review Findings

The philosophy expresses the service’s beliefs and values that are important to whānau. Kaiako provide a programme that allows tamariki to participate in a range of experiences, indoors and outdoors, based on a kaupapa Māori approach using the Māui assessment framework. The service curriculum is inclusive. Whānau aspirations are sought and valued by using them to plan the programme.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured
  • the design and layout of the premises support effective adult supervision so that children’s access to the licensed space, indoors, is not unnecessarily limited
  • all indoor furniture and equipment are safe and suitable for their intended use
  • toilet and associated handwashing/drying facilities intended for use by children allow children capable of independent toileting to access them safely without adult help
  • there is a first aid kit that meets the requirements of Appendix 1 and is readily accessible to adults.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008 HS6, PF2, PF5, PF20, PF28

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

29 October 2020

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NameWhānau Tree House
Profile Number47640
LocationLower Hutt
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers80%+
Service roll29
Gender compositionMale 16, Female 13
Ethnic compositionMāori 16
NZ European/Pākehā 3
Other ethnic groups 10
Review team on site22 September 2020
Date of this report29 October 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

First ERO review of the service.

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service
  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.