202 Port Road, Whangamata
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Whangamata Kindergarten provides both school-day and sessional education and care for children from two years to school age. At the time of this ERO review 35 children were enrolled, and four are of Māori descent. Since ERO’s previous review in April 2012, the licence has been amended to reflect changes to kindergarten session times.
The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of Tauranga Regional Kindergarten Association (TRK), which is a not-for-profit early childhood education service, governed by a board of parent-elected community representatives. Consistent with TRK policy the kindergarten is staffed by three qualified and registered teachers, along with an administrator.
The association sets the strategic direction of its kindergartens with emphasis on nurturing reciprocal relationships with whānau and communities, organisational sustainability, meeting community needs and honouring the Treaty of Waitangi in their practices. The TRK provides kindergarten staff with clear guidelines and expectations for practice.
The kindergarten aims to provide quality, inclusive and accessible early childhood education to its community within a welcoming environment and to foster a culture of open thinking and manaakitanga. In addition, its mission endeavours to have every child believe in themselves, and ensure that they leave kindergarten with the foundations of personal development, and a love of learning for life.
The senior teacher provides valuable oversight, mentoring and encouragement for the teaching team, enhancing their professional work and learning.
Since the last ERO review there has been a new teacher appointed, further development of the outdoor environments, and the achievement of a Green/Gold Enviroschools award.
Children play and learn in a spacious and well-resourced environment that fosters their exploration, imagination and physical development. They benefit from close, positive and respectful relationships with teachers. ERO observed many examples of sustained engagement in meaningful play. Children demonstrated high levels of purpose and enjoyment in their play and a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Teachers are focused on providing children with many opportunities to use and explore oral language and literacy. They place priority on providing a wide range of natural materials and Māori artefacts that reflect the local cultural heritage of Whangamata. Teachers are inclusive and supportive of children with diverse needs and work well with their families and respond and care for them.
The Whangamata Free Kindergarten curriculum is strongly influenced by:
As part of the recent review of the kindergarten mission, vision and teacher's underlying beliefs about how children learn the following priorities for the programme have been established:
Teachers record children's learning in well-presented, individual children's profiles, learning journey folders, displays and notice boards. Parents are well informed through informal conversations, and parent/teacher meetings to discuss the six monthly summaries of children's learning and development. These meetings include goal setting and sharing of parents' aspirations for their children.
The long-standing, experienced, head teacher works effectively to develop and implement systems for the day-to-day operation of the kindergarten. She has been responsive to recent professional learning and development focused on reviewing and strengthening her leadership role. This is enabling her to re-establish a collaborative teaching team. The head teacher works effectively to develop strong partnerships with families/whanau. The recent initiative of termly whānau meetings is contributing to strengthening parent partnerships in their children's learning.
All teachers demonstrate effective leadership in aspects of the curriculum, and organising and participating in community events. Parents value the additional support and guidance they receive from teachers in relation to positive parenting strategies and utilising local support agencies.
ERO has identified the need for leaders and teachers to further develop and embed:
Teachers, with support from the association, access relevant professional development to address the key next steps identified above.
Before the review, the staff and management of Whangamata Free 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 Whangamata Free Kindergarten will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
22 November 2016
| Location | Whangamata | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 40294 | ||
| Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 40 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 35 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 18 Girls 17 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā | 4 31 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | May 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 22 November 2016 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2012 | |
| Education Review | March 2009 | ||
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.
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.
Whangamata Free Kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Tauranga Kindergarten Association and is licensed to cater for 40 children from two years to school age. There are currently 31 children enrolled. The kindergarten is located in the coastal town of Whangamata and offers an option of sessional or school-day programmes.
Children learn in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment. The kindergarten’s culture is highly inclusive, with positive, affirming and respectful relationships amongst children and adults. Teachers place great importance on encouraging children to develop and explore their imagination and creativity.
The head teacher is an effective leader who has built a strong, collegial team of highly competent teachers. They are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for children and their families. Teachers discuss individual children’s progress, reflect on group dynamics, and plan together to respond to emerging interests and children’s exploration and inquiry.
The kindergarten operates in a modern, expansive and stimulating learning environment. There is a wide range of high-quality equipment and materials freely available to children in all learning areas. Displays and individual portfolios, that include parents’ aspirations for their children, provide a comprehensive record of learning, participation and development. Parents are well informed and included as important partners in their children’s development and learning.
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Whangamata Free Kindergarten was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the centre to contribute to the scope of the review.
The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the centre (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children atWhangamata Free Kindergarten.
All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:
Whangamata Free Kindergarten benefits from the governance oversight of the Tauranga Kindergarten Association. There have been a number of changes in teaching staff over the last three years. The new teaching team have established effective relationships with each other and with the local community.
Leadership and teamwork: The head teacher is a highly effective leader who has built a strong, inclusive team of teachers. She has encouraged staff to take responsibility for aspects of kindergarten operations, and promoted the development of a culture of reflection and robust, effective self review. Teachers are very competent, reflective and collegial practitioners who are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for children and their families. Team members have high levels of confidence in each other’s skills and professionalism.
Interactions and relationships: Positive, affirming and respectful relationships are clearly evident amongst children, parents and teachers. Teachers model appropriate behaviours and trust children to use the equipment and environment safely and confidently. Children are encouraged to share their knowledge, skills, ideas and to value other opinions. Parents are well informed and included as important partners in their children’s development and learning.
Programme and planning: The programme effectively encourages and promotes children as self-managing learners. Children benefit from teachers who are highly responsive to their interests and provide a wide range of stimulating experiences and learning opportunities. There is a clear focus on children’s literacy evident through their enjoyment of books, writing and participation in dance, music and dramatic play. Many learning experiences are built around a living world context. Teachers use complex conversations to support children’s developing oral language.
Teachers plan, review and assess the programme and children’s learning as a team. They discuss individual children’s progress, reflect on group dynamics and plan together to respond to emerging interests and extend children’s exploration and inquiry. Teachers place great importance on encouraging children to develop and explore their inherent imagination and creativity.
Centre displays and individual portfolios provide a comprehensive record of learning, participation and development. Parents’ aspirations for their children are recorded, discussed and included in individual development plans considered at formal, twice-yearly meetings and regularly revisited through the portfolios.
Environment: A modern, expansive and stimulating learning environment, reflects the local area, encourages children’s physical activity and exploration, supports teachers’ professional needs and provides welcoming spaces for families and whānau. Indoor areas are attractive, well set out, and invite children to experiment, explore and manipulate equipment and resources. Children’s creativity is valued and encouraged. Outdoor areas provide opportunities for children to participate in more active play and encourage the development of social and cooperative skills. There is a wide range of high-quality equipment and materials freely available to children in all learning areas.
The association recently developed a framework to oversee the performance management of staff. The first cycle of this framework is yet to be fully implemented. Centre leaders now need to review and enhance the way in which teacher professional growth and development are encouraged and supported.
ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long term and systemic educational improvement.
As part of this review ERO evaluated the extent to which:
Although there are no children with moderate to severe special needs currently enrolled in this service the kindergarten retains the ability it has demonstrated in previous years to effectively provide for the specific needs of identified children.
Before the review, the staff of Whangamata Free Kindergarten completed an ERO CentreAssurance Statement andSelf-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 documentation, including policies, procedures and records of recent use of procedures. ERO also checked elements of the following areas that have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:
ERO recommends that:
5.1 the association continue to review the effectiveness of its systems to guide the development and appraisal of teachers, support their continual professional growth and provide quality assurance to the association.
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Makere Smith
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region (Acting)
|
Type |
Kindergarten |
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
Number licensed for |
40 children over the age of 2 |
|
Roll number |
31 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 16 Girls 15 |
|
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pakeha 19 NZ Màori 10 Other 2 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2011 |
|
Date of this report |
29 February 2012 |
|
Previous ERO report |
Education Review March 2009 |
29 February 2012
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Whangamata Free Kindergarten.
Whangamata Free Kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Tauranga Kindergarten Association and is licensed to cater for 40 children from two years to school age. There are currently 31 children enrolled. The kindergarten is located in the coastal town of Whangamata and offers an option of sessional or school-day programmes.
Children learn in a safe, supportive and welcoming environment. The kindergarten’s culture is highly inclusive, with positive, affirming and respectful relationships amongst children and adults. Teachers place great importance on encouraging children to develop and explore their imagination and creativity.
The head teacher is an effective leader who has built a strong, collegial team of highly competent teachers. They are committed to providing the best possible educational experiences for children and their families. Teachers discuss individual children’s progress, reflect on group dynamics, and plan together to respond to emerging interests and children’s exploration and inquiry.
The kindergarten operates in a modern, expansive and stimulating learning environment. There is a wide range of high-quality equipment and materials freely available to children in all learning areas. Displays and individual portfolios, that include parents’ aspirations for their children, provide a comprehensive record of learning, participation and development. Parents are well informed and included as important partners in their children’s development and learning.
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interest of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or contact person if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the centre or see the ERO website, http://www.ero.govt.nz.
Makere Smith
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region (Acting)
ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each centre’s self review.
ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre 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 this centre.
Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this centre.