18A Park Street, Hikurangi
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Hikurangi Educare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hikurangi Educare, north of Whangarei, provides education and care for 35 children, including up to 10 under the age of two years. Children are cared for in two age-related areas. Children transition to the older age group at approximately two years of age. The centre manager, who was appointed in April 2018, works closely with an Educare area manager.
The centre's philosophy is consistent with the values and philosophy of Educare Early Learning Centres, and aligns with the aims of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The centre promotes the values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kotahitanga and kaitiakitanga.
The 2015 ERO report commented positively on many aspects of the centre including relationships, teaching practices, partnership with parents, the curriculum, bicultural practices and cultural responsiveness. ERO recommended that children's learning be extended through their involvement in setting learning goals and assessing their own progress.
The centre is one of 16 centres owned by the directors of Educare Early Learning Centres. The shared vision across this group is "Learn, Laugh, Play". The group's senior leaders provide administrative and professional support. They also monitor and evaluate the centre's progress towards achieving centre-specific strategic goals that align with the organisation's goals.
Educare's focus over the past three years has been professional learning and development (PLD) in leadership and in te ao Māori. More recently, PLD has included a focus on supporting children’s oral language, programme planning, assessment and aspects of performance management.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews of Educare Early Learning Centres.
Children have many opportunities to learn, in a supportive environment. Their interactions with adults are positive and affirming. Teachers engage them in conversations that encourage them to think and respond. Teachers help children to access resources, and they make good use of questioning to extend children's play.
The programme encourages children to lead their own learning. It enables children to make choices about their play and work uninterrupted for extended periods. Rolling morning tea times help children to self-manage and take responsibility.
Infants and toddlers are well cared for. While they have their own space, they can interact with the older children. Teachers' approach is unhurried and respectful of the child and their whānau. Children are encouraged to make choices about their participation in the programme.
Tikanga and te reo Māori are an integral part of the programme. Teachers skilfully include te reo in their conversations with children and encourage their responses. They are developing links with local marae to extend their relationship with the local community, and build their knowledge of local history and places of cultural significance.
Teachers' documentation of planning and assessment enables them to share information about children's current interests and dispositions with their parents. Teachers collaboratively discuss their thinking about plans to support individual children's learning.
The learning environment is well resourced and organised. It provides appropriate physical challenge and supports the centre's curriculum focus on environmental sustainability. Resources are easily accessible to children as they move freely between the indoor and outdoor areas.
The new centre manager provides sound leadership, and has managed the centre well during a period of significant staff changes. Teachers work collaboratively to ensure that centre operations run efficiently and effectively.
Educare managers are proactively building leadership capability within the organisation. The sustainable leadership model is working well in this centre. An improved appraisal system and targeted professional learning are supporting ongoing improvements to teaching and learning.
Centre managers agree that key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Hikurangi Educare 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.
Centre managers should increase the detail in risk management plans for excursions to encourage staff to think carefully about how risks will be managed and how they should respond to emergencies.
The next ERO review of Hikurangi Educare will be in three years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
20 February 2019
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 | Whangarei | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 10426 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 35 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 48 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 24 Boys 24 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā other ethnic groups | 33 13 2 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | November 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 20 February 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | April 2015 | |
| Education Review | March 2012 | ||
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Hikurangi Educare located beneath the maunga of Hikurangi north of Whangarei, provides high quality full and part time education and care for infants and children up to school age. The centre is part of the Educare Early Learning Centres group of early childhood services. It operates under the management systems that support all Educare centres.
The programme for older children is influenced by the Reggio Emilia approach and teachers in the infants and toddlers area are guided by the Magda Gerber practices. It emphasises respectful relationships in a natural environment. The centre has the capacity to provide a dedicated space for infants and toddlers.
Value is placed on developing meaningful relationships with whānau and families. Staff are focussed on developing children’s understanding of sustainable lifestyle practices and involving whānau and the community on this journey. Positive relationships with the local primary school and kindergarten support children’s transitions into and out of the centre.
The newly appointed centre manager is an experienced early childhood practitioner. The centre currently has three qualified and registered teachers, two of whom are provisionally registered. Natural resources are well integrated throughout the centre. Recent renovations and refurbishments have enhanced the indoor learning environment.
This review was one of three reviews of Educare Early Learning Centres. Educare owners and senior managers took an active role in each review.
Teachers provide a sound emotional environment for children. Infants and toddlers benefit from responsive and trusting relationships. Teachers deliberately provide an unhurried programme allowing children time to absorb experiences and wonder at the resources they investigate. Calm routines, respectful interactions and relaxed play contribute significantly to happy children with a sense of wellbeing and trust in the adults who guide them.
Older children are self-motivated, confident explorers who lead their own play. They enthusiastically contribute to conversations and express opinions about ways their play might develop. They learn in a well-resourced environment that supports their sustained engagement in play and learning. Profile folders show connections between children’s learning and their world, and genuine opportunities for children to develop their leadership skills.
Skilful teachers engage older children in authentic learning experiences. They ask open questions, listen well to children and are responsive to shifts in children's interests and ideas. Teachers are inclusive and culturally responsive, guided by children’s interests and parents’ aspirations. They encourage children to make their own discoveries and celebrate children’s growing independence and exploration.
The curriculum is underpinned by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, bicultural practices and partnerships with parents/whānau. Māori concepts of aroha, whakawhanaungatanga, tuakana/teina and kaitiakitanga are evident in learning programmes and teacher practice. Literacy, numeracy, science and environmental practices are purposefully integrated through meaningful play scenarios.
The centre is well led. Despite being new to the role, the centre manager has formed a positive professional relationship with staff. Collaboratively, they have developed indicators to enhance teachers’ understanding of expectations reflective of the centre’s philosophy. The strategic plan guides centre direction and aligns with Educare’s new strategic plan. Self review is well established and focussed on improving outcomes for children.
The Educare leadership team provide effective governance and management systems and processes to centre leaders and teams. They support centre leaders and teachers to provide high quality education and care. Distributed leadership and sharing of expertise across centres is promoted. The owners provide very well for the professional development of staff. The general manager capably supports each Educare centre to improve outcomes for children.
The centre leader and teachers could enhance current high quality practices by extending older children’s critical thinking through goal setting and assessing their own progress.
At the organisational level, the leadership team could enhance Educare’s direction by reviewing teachers’ leadership pathways within Educare.
Before the review, the staff and management of Hikurangi Educare 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 Hikurangi Educare will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
10 April 2015
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 |
Hikurangi, Whangarei |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10426 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 19 Girls 11 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian |
10 19 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 April 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2012 |
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.