Meadowood Community Creche

Education institution number:
10090
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
30
Telephone:
Address:

55 Meadowood Drive, Unsworth Heights, Auckland

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Meadowood Community Creche

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 Meadowood Community Creche are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Meadowood Community Creche is a non-profit community centre, owned by Meadowood Centre Incorporated. A long-standing centre manager oversees day-to-day operation and is supported by a well-established service provider and board. A small number of Māori and children of diverse ethnic backgrounds attend the centre. 

3 Summary of findings

Children are capable and confident, including peers in their play. Teachers intentionally promote oral language. As a result, children use oral language for a range of purposes. Children understand how things work and can adapt to changes.

Infants and toddlers use gestures and movements to express themselves. They experience a calm, slow pace that gives them space and time to lead their own learning. Outcomes for young children are reported to management who have identified that teachers are to continue to build their capability of intentional teaching for this age group. All children have access to intentional teaching through multi-faced literacy. Leaders and teachers consider all aspects of equity. The programme promotes equity of access and experience despite their age, needs and capability in the mixed-age environment.

The service is deliberate in using learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children’s assessment information shows the breath, depth and complexity of children’s increasing capability over time. Teachers capture children’s interests and respond to them in meaningful ways.

Learning-focused partnerships with parents are evident in regular opportunities for whānau to share their voices. The curriculum is culturally responsive which is highly evident through the service working with tamariki Māori and Pacific children. The service teaching practices reflect Māori and Pacific values. Leaders self-acknowledge that assessment records could be further strengthened to reflect all children’s cultures, languages, and identities.

Teachers are supported to build their knowledge through a newly established professional growth cycle and extensive professional learning. Ongoing mentoring from management, and constructive feedback, promote capability building within the team.

A well-developed internal evaluation process reports learning outcomes and progression for all children, including those for infants and toddlers. Monitoring the implementation of improvement actions and their impact could provide useful data to inform decision making.

4 Improvement actions

Meadowood Community Creche will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Continue to build teacher capability of intentional teaching for infants and toddlers and provide more age-appropriate resources for this group of children.
  • Through internal evaluation, monitor the implementation of improvement actions and their impact on groups of children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Meadowood Community Creche 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.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

30 August 2024

6 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameMeadowood Community Creche
Profile Number10090
LocationUnsworth Heights, Auckland
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 25 children, including up to 8 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 100%
Service roll34
Review team on siteJune 2024
Date of this report30 August 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, March 2021; Education Review, May 2016

Meadowood Community Creche

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 (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 Meadowood Community Creche are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learnersWhakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakawhanake Sustaining

2 Context of the Service

Meadowood Community Creche operates under the governance of Meadowood Community House Incorporated. Children are from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds. A small number are Māori. The centre manager is supported by a parent committee and chairperson. All the teachers are qualified and registered.

3 Summary of findings

Children at the creche demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They use a wide range of strategies to communicate and socialise well with their peers and adults. Children demonstrate respect for the rules and rights of others, and they take care of their environment.

Kaiako thoughtfully provide opportunities for children to learn about their local and wider communities. The learning environment promotes children’s curiosity, persistence and decision making. Opportunities for children to extend their literacy and mathematical skills are purposefully incorporated in the curriculum. The programme enables infants and toddlers to participate and explore.

Teachers integrate aspects of tikanga and te reo Māori in the programme. Te ao Māori concepts, such as manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga are promoted through children’s curriculum experiences.
Tuakana/teina relationships between older and younger children are highly visible.

Kaiako recognise the diversity of children with Pacific heritages. They seek ways to maintain children’s connections to their home language and cultures. The intentional, inclusive curriculum provides very well for children with additional learning needs. Teachers are responsive to children’s individual requirements. Children have opportunities to learn multiple languages, including Makaton.

Leaders and kaiako have the knowledge and skills to respond meaningfully to children’s interests and strengths. Professional development in relation to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, has enabled the teaching team to extend and deepen their understanding of effective curriculum and assessment practices.

Leaders implement policies, procedures and practices that support positive learning outcomes for children. There is a strong focus on continuous improvement as a result of effective internal evaluation processes.

4 Improvement actions

Meadowood Community Creche will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • to broaden engagement and networking in the local community to sustain and enhance how the cultures and home languages of families are honoured in the curriculum programme
  • to investigate how technologies can be used more effectively to streamline processes, systems and policies.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Meadowood Community Creche 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.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

31 March 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service NameMeadowood Community Creche
Profile Number10090
LocationNorth Shore, Auckland
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for25 children, including up to 8 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers80%+
Service roll39
Ethnic compositionMāori 4
NZ European/Pākehā 21
Asian 11
other ethnic groups 3
Review team on siteFebruary 2021
Date of this report31 March 2021
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, May 2016
Education Review, December 2012

Meadowood Community Creche - 05/05/2016

1 Evaluation of Meadowood Community Creche

How well placed is Meadowood Community Creche to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Meadowood Community Creche provides high quality early childhood education and care that promotes the wellbeing and learning of all children attending the crèche.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Meadowood Community Creche operates under the guidance of Meadowood House Incorporated. It is a non-profit community early childhood centre that provides sessional, mixed age education and care for more than 100 children a week. The centre is licensed for 25 children per session and operates with four qualified teachers. At present most children attend the centre only once or twice a week.

The philosophy for the centre is under review at present with the appointment of a new staff member this year. The original philosophy statement has been regularly updated to reflect the team's understanding of the values and aspirations that underpin and their guide practice. Parents are consulted about the philosophy statement before it is finalised.

The manager and the teachers together undertake the day-to-day management of the centre. They are supported by a parent committee. The manager reports monthly to the committee. The centre receives regular support from the committee chairperson.

The centre serves a diverse community and caters for a number of children with identified special needs. The teachers have developed good relationships with external support agencies.

Meadowood Community Creche has a positive reporting history with ERO. The 2012 ERO report noted the nurturing and respectful relationships between children and teachers, and the strong partnerships with parents. These positive features remain highly evident.

The Review Findings

Meadowood Community Creche provides high quality education and care for children in a calm, peaceful learning environment. Inclusive and respectful relationships with families and children support children's sense of belonging and wellbeing in the centre. Children play in friendly groups. Teachers work closely with children and foster independence and learning through play. They have authentic and meaningful conversations with children that help them to make decisions about their learning.

Children benefit from teachers' learning about Te Ao Māori, te reo and tikanga Māori. Teachers' use of te reo Māori in waiata, daily conversations and retelling of legends is working positively to support children's knowledge of, and connection with, New Zealand's dual cultural heritage. Children are beginning to use Māori words as part of play. Support and encouragement from Māori whānau has helped teachers to interweave into programmes a focus on manākitanga, wairuatanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga. The centre environment includes teachers' written affirmation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi as a formative document that supports their values.

Teachers intend continuing to learn about the values and cultures of their families with Pacific Nations heritage. They already ensure that centre practices affirm and support children from the Solomon and Cook Islands and Samoa. The centre's programmes demonstrate to children and their families that their cultures are valued and important. Teachers use some words in children's home languages. They are also adept at using Makaton signing and gesture to communicate when children have English as an additional language. The environment reflects the varied cultures of the families using the centre.

Curriculum design and implementation are led effectively. Teachers' assessment is purposeful, and continues to grow in depth and understanding. Professional reflection linking assessment and planning has helped teachers to maintain quality programmes for individual children. Many parents comment in their children's portfolios about children's learning and adventures at home. Frequent sharing of information helps teachers to set learning goals based on parent's aspirations.

Teachers' planning is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. They promote children's rights to learning and play. This has helped them to develop a quality programme for infants and toddlers. Teachers work effectively alongside the families of children with diverse needs. The strong focus on inclusion and respect makes this an affirming environment for all children.

Children use literacy, numeracy and science concepts and thinking in their play. Teachers support children to develop this foundational knowledge by providing appropriate resources and support.

Management systems are well established and efficient. Strategic and annual planning are linked, and contribute to planning for the programme. Performance management procedures are regularly undertaken. This helps teachers and managers to select and provide appropriate professional development. The employment of an administrative assistant has helped to ensure that documentation and review is timely and efficiently organised.

The long-serving and dedicated manager provides strong leadership, mentoring and guidance for staff. She manages the centre calmly, supporting emergent leadership and collegiality. She also provides opportunities for families and children to take some leadership roles. The centre is well poised to continue to maintain and improve its high quality provision for children and families.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre management agree that the next key steps for the centre are to; continue refining and developing the planning cycle, improve their understanding about Pacific Island cultures and complete the philosophy statement consultation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Meadowood Community Creche 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Meadowood Community Creche will be in four years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

5 May 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

LocationUnsworth Heights, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number10090
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for25 children, including up to 8 aged under 2
Service roll100
Gender compositionBoys 56 Girls 44
Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

German

Cambodian

Indian

Indonesian

Japanese

Macedonian

Middle Eastern

Solomon Island

other

9

71

3

2

2

2

2

2

2

2

3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteFebruary 2016
Date of this report5 May 2016
Most recent ERO report(s)Education ReviewDecember 2012
Education ReviewNovember 2009
Education ReviewFebruary 2007

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.