Main Road, Kaeo
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kaeo Playcentre is located in a rural area, beside the local primary school. Operating as a parent co-operative, it is licensed to provide three sessions per week for 28 children, including up to 10 under two years. Children currently attending are from Māori and Pākehā cultural backgrounds. They learn and play together in a mixed age group.
The Playcentre philosophy affirms parents as valued and best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and the organisation is committed to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Two parents with Playcentre training have responsibility for the management of the centre. Newer members are working to complete training courses, and are taking on roles and responsibilities in the centre.
The 2015 ERO report resulted in Ministry of Education (MoE) assistance to help develop effective practice in the areas of strategic, annual and curriculum planning. A centre support worker from the Northland Playcentre Association has worked with members to establish these processes.
A process has begun for Kaeo Playcentre to become part of the Northland Playcentre Association. The Association provides systems to help members to manage the centres and support their children's learning. It also provides adult education programmes for Playcentre qualifications. As part of a national restructure of Playcentre Aotearoa there will be a new regional manager and new centre support roles.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews in the Northland Playcentre Association.
Children play well together in small groups, and for sustained periods of time. They use the environment well. There are good opportunities for children to engage in physical challenges in the spacious outdoor area. Toddlers explore and participate well in the programme, alongside older children. Good information is available to support members to provide meaningful play for infants.
Adults provide a wide range of experiences for children. They follow the lead of their children as they settle in to play. An attractive wall display notes the strengths and interests of each child, supporting adults to get to know individual children. Most children keep close company with their parents or caregivers as they build confidence and a sense of belonging in the centre.
Literacy, mathematics and science are included in the programme in meaningful ways. There is some use of te reo and tikanga Māori in the centre environment and practices. This has been identified by Playcentre members as an area they want to develop further.
The Playcentre and local primary school have a close relationship that offers older children opportunities to participate in a transition to school programme.
A planning process has been established. Members record children's participation in the programme and identify their interests, strengths and abilities. They recognise that this process could be strengthened by consistently documenting planned responses to observations of children. This practice could support continuity in the programme, and promote more complex learning.
The principles in the philosophy are evident in children's portfolios which document their lives and learning in their families, and during Playcentre sessions. Individual assessment records provide opportunities for parents to reflect on children's learning and to plan for the next session. Relevant links are made between children's learning and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Professional development funded by the MoE has helped members to develop effective management systems. These systems have contributed to the viability of Kaeo Playcentre, and promoted positive outcomes for children's learning.
A sustained commitment from experienced members has resulted in the successful implementation of internal evaluation, long term goals and curriculum planning systems. Detailed information is provided for new parents on how they can contribute to the management of the centre.
Centre members agree that to improve outcomes for children they could:
use daily programme records to plan meaningful learning experiences in response to children's interests
continue to develop bicultural practices that reflect the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.
To strengthen operations in all Northland Playcentres, key next steps for the Association include supporting members to:
build upon recently established programme planning and assessment practices
develop programme evaluation by recording the impact of the programme on children's learning
Before the review, the staff and management of Kaeo 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:
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 Kaeo Playcentre will be in three years.
Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
15 June 2017
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 |
Kaeo, Northland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
17241 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
14 |
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|
Gender composition |
Boys 10 Girls 4 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā |
5 9 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
April 2017 |
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Date of this report |
15 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
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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:
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 |
Requires further development
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kaeo Playcentre operates as a parent cooperative. It is located in the small rural town of Kaeo beside the local primary school. It has a strong relationship with the school and this benefits children when they transition to school. The centre provides one early childhood session a week for a small group of children up to six years of age. Most of the children enrolled are of Māori descent.
The centre is part of the Mid North Playcentre Association. The association provides a framework of governance and management systems. It also provides ongoing parent education programmes for members.
Since ERO’s review in 2011 there have been changes in centre membership. Parents manage the centre and are committed to Playcentre values and philosophy. However they are finding it increasingly difficult to manage the centre, maintain the needed parent education levels, and sustain and grow the centre.
Children benefit from positive relationships with each other and parents who attend sessions. They are settled and have a sense of belonging in the centre. Children have good oral language skills and have warm friendly conversations with each other and the adults around them.
The centre has an attractive and purposeful environment and this supports children to become confident and capable learners. It provides opportunities for them to experience challenge and to grow in confidence and capability. Toddlers play alongside older children within the session.
The programme is responsive to children’s interests and they are provided with a good range of play choices. Children play well, both independently and cooperatively. Good centre resourcing supports children’s play and the activities they choose. Some whānau engage well with children, providing good guidance and skilfully affirming and extending their play. Through parent education programmes, adults are developing the skills to notice, recognise and respond to the needs and interests of all children.
Centre members endorse Playcentre’s commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi and New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. They include some te reo and tikanga Māori in children’s learning, but also recognise that this area of the programme would benefit from ongoing development.
More experienced members provide good leadership. They are focused on increasing centre membership and parent education training levels. These members are committed to reaching out to the community and on continuing to build strong relationships with other parents and their children.
Most administration, management and housekeeping duties are undertaken by a core group. To ensure the centre's sustainability, more members now need to become actively involved in the Playcentre and in training. While members recognise the value of strengthening their role, they also identify challenges in achieving this goal. They particularly note two issues that are negatively impacting on the centre: the geographical isolation of many families which prevents them attending centre sessions, and the distance they need to travel to attend training sessions in nearby regional centres. The Mid North Playcentre Association is aware of the significance of these issues. A key consideration for the association is how it can further support the centre to address the challenges it faces.
Centre members and ERO agree that in order to improve learning outcomes for children, they need to:
In order to ensure sustainability the Mid North Association should support the centre to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kaeo 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:
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:
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance relating to centre practices and performance. To meet requirements the service now needs to improve its performance by ensuring:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008; C1 (13), C2, C3, C4].
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Kaeo Playcentre will be within two years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer-Northern Northern Region
13 March 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 |
Kaeo, Northland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
17241 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
16 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 8 Girls 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
13 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
NA |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:2 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
December 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 March 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2005 |
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.