165 Normandale Road, Normandale, Lower Hutt
View on mapNormandale Playcentre
Normandale Playcentre - 28/01/2020
1 Evaluation of Normandale Playcentre
How well placed is Normandale Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Normandale Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Background
Normandale Playcentre is one of 13 playcentres in the Hutt Valley region. The service operates for five sessions each week and is licensed for 20 children, including up to 15 aged under two years. At the time of this review, many families enrolled were new to the service.
At the time of its April 2016 ERO review, the centre was one of 17 administered by the Lower Hutt Playcentre Association, under the umbrella of The New Zealand Playcentre Federation Inc. In June 2019, the 32 associations nationwide amalgamated into one new entity, a charitable trust called Playcentre Aotearoa. Hutt Valley playcentres are now managed as part of a regional hub (the organisation) within the new entity.
A centre support worker (CSW), employed by the organisation, regularly visits the playcentre and provides professional advice and feedback to strengthen the programme for children. A centre administrator (CA) works with parents and caregivers (members) to support compliance with regulations. Day-to-day management is the role of centre-elected office holders. Most office holders are very new to their roles. Two session facilitators, with recognised levels of training, provide ongoing support for the implementation of the daily programme.
Playcentre philosophy recognises the importance of parents working together, alongside their children, to support their self-initiated play and promote their learning.
The previous ERO report identified several areas for improvement. These included assessment, appraisal and internal evaluation. Progress is evident in these areas.
This review was one of eight in Playcentre Aotearoa, Hutt Valley region.
The Review Findings
Children are well supported to be confident, creative and explorative. Inviting resources, spontaneous group experiences and a stimulating outdoor play environment foster their engagement in the programme. The neighbouring bush reserve is used effectively to extend the curriculum, as well as excursions into the local area and beyond. Children aged under two are respected as capable explorers and communicators. Members value the rich learning opportunities within messy and sensory play. Adults take a collective approach to supporting the learning and wellbeing of all children, including those with diverse learning needs.
Members acknowledge that the bicultural curriculum and culturally responsive strategies are in the early stages of development. ERO agrees that growing understandings and practices in these areas would benefit children. This is a priority next step.
A strength of this centre is that adults are highly supportive of children’s interests. Playcentre's child-led philosophy is strongly evident in practice. Members should now consider how they can use their sound knowledge of individual children's interests as a platform for more purposefully extending their learning, through meaningful, challenging experiences and conversations.
Members know children well, and document how they provide engaging experiences that support their interests. Assessment, planning and evaluation should be strengthened, to focus on extending children’s learning characteristics, rather than their activities. Exploring the goals of Te Whāriki, the early learning curriculum, and considering how these could guide planning for ‘where to next’ for children, would be a useful first step.
Collaborative internal evaluation processes are becoming embedded in centre practice, with association support and guidance. ERO and leaders agree that this is an area for ongoing development. The process would benefit from an increased focus on measurable success indicators, based on positive learning outcomes for children. This would better support members to know the impact of their practices.
Considerable turnover of families, office holders and association support people has been an ongoing challenge for the service. A core group of members have successfully maintained consistent, positive practices for children. Members are improvement oriented and demonstrate commitment to the playcentre and its community. There is now more stability in membership and improved association support, which should be maximised as an opportunity to focus on key areas for development.
The CSWs work collaboratively to support centre members in their roles. Relational trust is prioritised. They offer useful guidance, support and encouragement to foster members’ understanding and engagement. At times, written feedback does not include sufficient detail about next steps to strengthen centre practices. The organisation should establish consistent reporting expectations, with a particular focus on promoting the next steps outlined in this ERO report and monitoring necessary improvements.
Across the organisation, children and their families would benefit from increased clarity around identifying and supporting children with diverse learning needs, including speech and language. This should involve proactive, timely information-sharing and guidance for all playcentres.
The restructure of playcentre operation is being carefully worked through to support a new and more sustainable future for the organisation. The regional office provides a range of support for centres. Regional leaders agree that key next steps are to embed the recently reviewed policy framework and appraisal systems.
Key Next Steps
Organisation leaders should prioritise support for Normandale Playcentre members in the following areas:
-
continuing to grow culturally responsive practices
-
focusing assessment, planning and evaluation on deliberately extending children’s learning
-
using measurable, child-focused success indicators in internal evaluation
-
embedding new policies and procedures, including appraisal, in centre practice.
In addition, the organisation should:
-
establish clear and consistent practices for providing challenging feedback to centres, focusing on priority improvement areas
-
ensure that centres receive clear, useful and timely guidance around identification and support strategies for children with diverse learning needs.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Normandale 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.
Guiding policies and procedures have been recently revised at national level by Playcentre Aotearoa, to reflect current legislation. To improve practice, members should build their understanding of these new documents and ensure they consistently guide centre practice.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
28 January 2020
The Purpose of ERO Reports
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.
2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
Lower Hutt |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
60020 |
||
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 |
24 |
||
Gender composition |
Male 15, Female 9 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
2 15 7 |
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:2 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
November 2019 |
||
Date of this report |
28 January 2020 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2016 |
|
Education Review |
June 2013 |
||
3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews
ERO’s Evaluation Framework
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.
ERO’s Overall Judgement
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
-
Very well placed
-
Well placed
-
Requires further development
-
Not well placed
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
Review Coverage
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.
Normandale Playcentre - 14/04/2016
1 Evaluation of Normandale Playcentre
How well placed is Normandale 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.
Background
Normandale Playcentre is one of 17 centres administered by the Lower Hutt Playcentre Association (the association). The association is made up of elected volunteer representatives from its member centres. It provides the parent committee at Normandale with governance and management support. A kaitautoko, a centre support person employed by the association, provides guidance.
The playcentre is licensed to provide mixed age sessional education and care for 30 children five days a week. This includes 15 children up to the age of two. An extended session is held on Wednesdays. This primarily focuses on achieving the aspirations families, whānau and aiga hold for older children. On Friday's, a 'tamariki iti' session is offered to cater for the interests, needs and special characteristics of infants, toddlers and their parents.
Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a team of parent educators who hold playcentre training certificates. When necessary they employ a supervisor with the level and training that meets legislative requirements for group supervision.
Almost all centre members are involved in the adult education training programme provided by the association. The centre has sustained good numbers, taking advantage of this opportunity for active involvement in their child's education recognised at the time of ERO's June 2013 report.
The service and the association has a positive reporting history with the ERO. Effective centre practice identified in the previous ERO report has been sustained.
This review was part of a cluster of eight playcentre reviews in the Hutt Playcentre Association.
The Review Findings
Children’s interests and learning are well supported by parent educators. Adults know all children well. They facilitate relationships with and between children to positively contribute to their sense of belonging.
Children participate enthusiastically in a varied range of planned and spontaneous activities. The youngest children are made to feel welcome and quickly establish a sense of belonging. Literacy, mathematics, science and creative and expressive activities are an integral part of children’s playcentre experience. The inclusion of te ao Māori and acknowledgement of all children's cultures, languages and identities in the programme, continues to evolve.
The centre enjoys strong links with the nearby school and its community.
Comprehensive systems, ably developed by centre leaders support the smooth day-to-day operation of the playcentre.
The service’s philosophy reflects playcentre philosophy of parent-led education, learning through play and the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
There are extensive opportunities provided for children to learn about healthy eating, active movement and sustainable practices. Frequent trips in the community enrich these experiences. The outdoor learning space promotes a range of positive physical challenges.
Assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation practices are fit for purpose and provide adults with useful information to provide programmes of learning responsive to children’s interests, strengths and, if required, identified needs. Individual learning profile books attractively celebrate children's progress and show their developing skills, knowledge and attributes. Helpful strategies are in place to support parents who are new to documenting and recording their child's and others' learning.
The association is an improvement focused organisation committed to providing timely and relevant support for its member centres. The ERO's June 2013 cluster reviews found the support provided at the centre level by kaitautoko was appreciated and supportive. ERO also recognised that formalising this arrangement to promote a more effective approach to responding to the needs of individual centres was a next step for development. An evaluation of the effectiveness of changes to kaitautoko practice in improving outcomes for centre members and children is planned for.
Normandale Playcentre members are made up of a diverse group of committed parents who bring valuable skills and knowledge to their roles. The high levels of involvement of the centre's community and a collective sense of responsibility to children, provides a positive platform for learning.
The previous ERO report identified that centre leaders would benefit from association support to further develop aspects of assessment and self review practice. The dual purposes of self review for accountability and improvement are understood and increasingly guide ongoing decision making. The association should continue to support the centre to develop these practices to contribute to effective internal evaluation.
Key Next Steps
The association:
-
must implement rigorous annual appraisal for the kaitautoko and identify professional development to support them in their leadership roles
-
should build kaitautoko knowledge and capability to undertake effective internal evaluation. This should include a focus on providing centre members with evaluative feedback that assists them to further develop aspects of the curriculum and centre practice.
Playcentre members:
- should continue to build assessment practices.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Normandale 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.
Action for compliance
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management practices. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area:
-
fully implementing a system of regular appraisal[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7]
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Normandale Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
14 April 2016
The Purpose of ERO Reports
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.
2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
Lower Hutt |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
60020 |
||
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 |
37 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 22, Boys 15 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Samoan Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
2 28 7 |
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
March 2016 |
||
Date of this report |
14 April 2016 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2013 |
|
Education Review |
August 2009 |
||
Education Review |
June 2006 |
3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews
ERO’s Evaluation Framework
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.
ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review
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:
- Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
- Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
- Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
- Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
Review Coverage
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.