209 Lumsden Road, Akina, Hastings
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Lumsden Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Lumsden Kindergarten is a privately owned education and care service. A director and recently appointed leader are responsible for the day-to-day operation. Under a quarter of children attending are Māori. A small number of children have Pacific heritages. Limited progress has been made towards the key next steps from the 2018 ERO report.
Children actively engage in a well-resourced environment and curriculum that reflects their interests. Teachers respond meaningfully to children’s inquiries to help them develop their understanding of how the world works. Respectful relationships enable children to grow as confident, capable, and independent learners.
Transitions into, through and from the service support individual needs. Infants and toddlers learn within a calm space, where teachers enact consistent care routines. Those with additional learning needs are well supported by teachers who enhance their knowledge and teaching strategies through professional development. This includes collaboration with parents and external agencies. Children’s social and emotional wellbeing is prioritised.
Leaders and teachers are beginning to build shared professional knowledge to design and implement a responsive curriculum for Māori and Pacific children and their whānau. This has been an identified area for improvement through ERO reports since 2013. The centre director has recently accessed a local Kahui Ako (community of learning). Some te reo Māori and tikanga Māori is evident in the environment and daily routines. Tuakana-teina (older-younger child) relationships are enabled. Other cultures are celebrated as part of the planned curriculum.
Teachers are beginning to explore the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in relation to the priorities of the service. They focus on parents’ goals for their children. Children’s interests, developing habits of learning, and engagement are evident in assessment. Further work is required to strengthen the visibility of learning outcomes and their use in evaluating how well teachers are progressing children’s learning.
The new leadership team are taking positive steps to build relational trust with teachers to enable team collaboration. Teachers actively engage in professional learning, mentoring and sharing their own expertise to improve teaching practice. Improvement actions identified through internal evaluation have not been monitored and evaluated to understand how they are influencing the outcomes of individuals and groups of children.
Lumsden Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lumsden Kindergarten 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:
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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
29 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Lumsden Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 55049 |
| Location | Akina, Hastings |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 68 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 78 |
| Review team on site | 1 May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 29 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, January 2022; Education Review, March 2018 |
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Lumsden Kindergarten is a privately-owned all-day education and care service. This is the first ERO review of the centre since a change in ownership in November 2020. The director is responsible for day-to-day operation and leadership. Children play and learn in two connected, age-based buildings.
Children experience a curriculum that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Infants, toddlers, and older children experience positive, respectful interactions with adults. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents for their children.
Systems, processes, and procedures guide the centre’s operation. Health and safety procedures are monitored, and a regular system of teacher appraisal and self-review is implemented. The premises and facilities provide suitable space for a range of activities for all children attending.
Next steps include:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
21 January 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Lumsden Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 55049 |
| Location | Hastings |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 68 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 75 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 10, NZ European/Pākehā 48, Cook Island Māori 5, African 4, Other ethnic groups 8 |
| Review team on site | December 2021 |
| Date of this report | 21 January 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2018; Education Review, March 2016. |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lumsden Kindergarten is a privately owned and operated service that provides all day education and care, five days a week. It is licensed for 68 children, including 15 up to the age of two. Separate areas are provided for infants, toddlers and young children. Of the 68 children currently enrolled, 10 are Māori.
The centre philosophy emphasises the importance of relationships and the environment in engaging learners. Respecting culture and making global connections is a key focus.
A board of directors has legal and financial oversight of the service. Strategic direction and
day-to-day operation are the responsibility of the centre director and manager. Since the March 2016 ERO report, two team leaders, with oversight of the curriculum, have been appointed.
The previous ERO review found significant improvement was needed in: governance and management practices; review and evaluation; planning and assessment; and strategies to support educational success for Māori children. Since that time the centre has received targeted support through a Ministry of Education funded programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO). The centre has made substantial progress.
Children experience a curriculum that is strongly underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the centre philosophy. They make choices about their learning within a programme designed to support and extend their interests and skills. Literacy, languages and art experiences are highly valued. Children demonstrate curiosity and confidence.
Infants and toddlers benefit from a well-resourced, calm environment. Teachers are responsive to their needs and deliberate in their actions to grow children's skills and knowledge. Children display a sense of security and belonging.
Children with additional learning needs are supported to achieve positive outcomes. Teachers use information from parents and ongoing professional education to help progress these children's learning.
Teachers are increasingly seeking ways to connect children to their culture, language and identity. Children are given opportunities to engage with te ao Māori through a developing bicultural curriculum. Continuing to increase the use of te reo Māori in meaningful contexts should further strengthen this.
Leaders and teachers are growing their understanding of approaches to promote educational success for Māori children. This continues to be a strategic focus as teachers begin to use this knowledge in practice. ERO's external evaluation confirms this direction.
Strategies to support educational success for Pacific children are yet to be fully explored. Leaders have identified the need to strengthen partnerships with Pacific families to allow teachers to be more responsive to these children.
Learning partnerships with parents and whānau are emerging. Many parents contribute to the curriculum and share aspirations for their children which are reflected in individual children's assessment.
Children's learning is regularly planned for and assessed. Their participation in centre activities and progress over time is presented in individual portfolios. Through the new planning framework teachers should better identify and respond to the complexity of individual learning across all areas of the curriculum.
Staff are well supported in their roles. Newly developed employment procedures describe clear expectations for teacher practice and support. The recently implemented appraisal system provides a sound framework to promote teacher growth. Teachers are highly reflective and engage in regular professional learning. A next step is to evaluate how changes in teaching practice improves outcomes for children.
Governance and management practices have been significantly strengthened since the previous ERO report. The centre philosophy is central to all aspects of operation. A comprehensive system of policies and procedures provides good guidance. Regular self review contributes to changes within the service. Leaders and teachers should develop their understanding and use of effective internal evaluation for improvement to ensure that:
ERO has identified that key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lumsden 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 Lumsden Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
20 March 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 | Hastings | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55049 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 68 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 68 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 36, Boys 32 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 10 56 2 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | February 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 20 March 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | March 2016 | |
| Education Review | March 2013 | ||
| Education Review | March 2010 | ||
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.