58 Garfield Road, Helensville
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Helensville Montessori are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Helensville Montessori is a privately owned service in a semi-rural community. A qualified leader oversees governance and management of the service and leads a fully qualified team of nine kaiako. Almost a quarter of children enrolled are Māori.
The philosophy is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the Montessori approach that prioritises children’s collaborative play and hands-on learning. Aspects of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, including a focus on relationships and resourcing of environments are valued by the service.
The service’s philosophy is highly evident in practice. Children lead the daily curriculum and have a strong sense of ownership of their learning. They take on active roles and responsibilities that influence the curriculum. Children are highly involved in their local community and regularly welcome international guests. These experiences help to build children’s identity as local and global citizens. They actively participate as kaitiaki (guardians) of their community.
Kaiako have established strong learning-focused partnerships with whānau. The voices of children, whānau and the wider community influence decision making and curriculum priorities. Parents who spoke with ERO spoke positively about how their views inform service operations and curriculum design.
Respect for families’ diverse cultures is highly evident in the service. Leaders and kaiako have built connections with local iwi that have contributed to their knowledge of a te ao Māori world view, and the history of the local area. Māori and Pacific whānau see their culture being valued in positive and meaningful ways through children’s involvement in kapa haka and engagement in Pacific celebrations. Intentional teaching strategies to support social competence have led to positive tuakana/teina relationships between older and younger children.
Lead kaiako demonstrate professional knowledge and practices that model highly effective ways to support children’s learning. Planning and assessment processes show the depth and complexity of children’s learning outcomes as identified in Te Whāriki and the Montessori curriculum. The service regularly engages in opportunities to influence the education sector with their expertise and knowledge.
An experienced leadership team skilfully mentors and coaches kaiako to develop their professional capability. A culture of high relational trust encourages professional discussion and critical reflection that results in improved teaching practices.
Systems for governance, evaluation and reflection are embedded in service practices. Kaiako have regular opportunities to share their knowledge and experience at local and international conferences. Their contributions help to build the knowledge and capability within the wider early childhood sector.
Helensville Montessori will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Helensville Montessori 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.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS17, GMA7A.
The service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following
non-compliances:
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
4 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Helensville Montessori |
| Profile Number | 10066 |
| Location | Helensville, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
76 children over two years of age |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
67 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 15 |
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Review team on site |
April 2021 |
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Date of this report |
4 June 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2016 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Helensville Montessori is licensed to provide education and care for up to 76 children aged over two years. Children can attend from 8:45am to 3:30pm daily. The centre is made up of three linked buildings over two spacious properties. Nido centre caters for up to 16 children aged between two and three years. Casa and Villa provide for children aged from three to six years of age.
The centre is privately owned and well established in the community. Centre leaders are the owner and three lead teachers. They lead a team of three other qualified teachers, two teachers in training, and five unqualified teachers.
The centre philosophy is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and embraces aspects of both the Montessori core curriculum, and the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Respect for children and the provision of a stimulating environment are a strong focus of the teaching team. Responsive and reciprocal relationships are seen by teachers and centre leaders as the key to the education that occurs in the centre.
Previous ERO reports have been very affirming. They have celebrated the provision of high quality environments and teaching practices which have supported children to become independent, confident, and competent explorers and learners. These positive aspects have been maintained and enhanced.
The centre philosophy is highly evident in practice. Children are educated and cared for in a secure, stimulating, aesthetically pleasing environment, which they are able to freely explore. They are self managing, independent and respectful of the environment and people in it. Children and adults are treated with great respect and the wairua of each individual is nurtured.
Children work and play in an environment which supports them to challenge what they see and hear, to solve problems, wonder, create, negotiate and achieve. They build and sustain meaningful, reciprocal relationships where they can be leaders and followers. Children are carefully supported by skilled teachers to develop an image of themselves as worthy, confident, and empathetic.
Parents are respected partners in the education of their children. Teachers acknowledge parents' deep interest in their children's learning, and in the documentation that makes the learning visible.
Parents who met with ERO spoke very positively about the teaching team and their knowledge of each child as a learner. They appreciate the individual responses from teachers to children's personal and learning needs. Transitions into and through the centre are very respectfully managed according to individual children's needs.
Teachers maintain a calm, unhurried pace to the programme. They encourage children to take ownership and set the direction of their learning. Assessment of children's learning is multi-layered and reflects the complexity of children's relationships with people, places and things. It captures the learning of every child against the principles of Te Whāriki, and within a Montessori context. Literacy, mathematics, science, knowledge of the natural world, and the local community are skilfully woven throughout the programme.
Teachers are reflective practitioners who critique their own practices through a process that is ongoing and intentional. They have developed, and include in the programme, an understanding and appreciation of the cultural heritage of both parties to Tiriti o Waitangi. They maintain an environment that is highly reflective of te reo and te ao Māori.
The centre is well managed, adaptable to the needs of the community, and inclusive of the language, culture and identity of all children. Shared leadership, and a commitment to a shared vision, empower teachers and promote a culture of trust. The shared leadership model is building capacity across the teaching team and enabling the service to sustain quality and improve outcomes for children.
Ongoing professional learning and development are highly valued. The three lead teachers have recently engaged in extensive professional learning around the Reggio Emilia philosophy, and continue to develop shared understandings of how this will promote richer experiences for, and deeper engagement of, children.
In order to enhance the current high quality provision for children, the teaching team plans to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Helensville Montessori 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 Helensville Montessori will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
1 September 2016
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 |
Helensville, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10066 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
76 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
79 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 40 Girls 39 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Cook Island Māori Japanese other |
16 53 3 2 5 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2016 |
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Date of this report |
1 September 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
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Education Review |
April 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:
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.
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.