Daystar Early Learning Centre

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. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric 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 Daystar Early Learning Centre are as follows:

2 Context of the Service

Daystar Early Learning Centre is owned by an incorporated society. It is governed by a board that consists of four church members. Two parent members, the centre manager and head teacher work alongside church members on a committee that manages centre operations. Five qualified teachers provide care and education for children aged between two and five years of age in a mixed-age setting.

3 Summary of findings

Children engage in play of their choosing in a settled, calm environment. Their developing social competence and oral language learning are very well supported by teachers. Children are articulate and play well with their peers. Teachers’ interactions are respectful and enhance the mana of each child.

Teachers, parents and children know and understand the values of the service which focus on creating a respectful environment where people work peacefully together. Adults incorporate the values into interactions at home and in the service, and in documentation.

The multi-ethnic teaching team speak with many of the children in their home languages. Teachers learn words and phrases of children’s languages to enhance their connection to each child. The retention of home language is recognised as a vital connection to a child’s culture.

Te ao Māori is highly visible in programme planning and evaluation. One teacher is a fluent speaker of te reo Māori and guides the service’s practice in the use of te reo me ona tikanga Māori. She also brings a deep cultural knowledge of children and families of Pacific Island heritage.

Parents who spoke with ERO shared their high regard for the curriculum provided by teachers and their collaborative approach when planning for children’s learning. Teachers work closely with parents and whānau to identify learning goals for each child. They work skilfully alongside individual children to support their progress and learning over time.

Books, storytelling and drama feature strongly in the curriculum alongside opportunities for children to investigate scientific and mathematical concepts. Each child’s progress and learning are documented in an individual development pathway and monitored through a thoughtful evaluation process.

Teachers provide equitable opportunities for children to learn by providing a well-considered programme consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The service’s good provision for children with additional needs is acknowledged in feedback from external agencies that provide specialist support.

The board maintains a strong focus on health and safety. Board members, teachers and whānau participate in professional learning opportunities to deepen their knowledge of the early childhood curriculum. The board, centre leaders and kaiako work collaboratively with whānau to ensure equitable outcomes for all and to sustain conditions that promote continuous improvement.

4 Improvement actions

Daystar Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

• providing increased opportunities for older children to set goals, and lead and assess their own learning
• continuing to develop the centre’s professional growth cycle for teachers and leaders to ensure the high-quality programme provided for children is maintained and enhanced.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Daystar Early Learning Centre 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

26 February 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

1 Evaluation of Daystar Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Daystar Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Daystar Early Learning Centre is a small centre in Mt Eden that provides education and care for up to 35 children over two years of age. The centre operates as part of the Eden Community Church and is governed by a board of trustees. Two newly appointed managers are responsible for daily centre operations, and lead the teaching team. The centre's philosophy and programmes include Christian beliefs and values.

The 2015 ERO report noted that the centre required external support to improve the quality of governance, management, and teaching and learning. The report recommended that the Ministry of Education work alongside the board and managers to provide advice and professional development training.

Since 2015, positive changes have been made to governance, management and centre leadership. A new governance board has been appointed. In May 2016 a consultant was appointed to work in a professional advisory capacity. This advisor was then appointed to the role of centre manager in September 2016. She is working systematically, in collaboration with staff, to address gaps in practice and the non-compliance areas identified by ERO in 2015.

The Review Findings

The recently refurbished learning environment is thoughtfully resourced to facilitate children's engagement, exploration and curiosity. Teachers recognise children's high levels of social competence, language skills and comprehension. Many children speak English in addition to their first languages.

Children participate well in mixed-age play. Tuakana/teina relationships are evident. Children are kind, include others during play and affirm each other's sharing of ideas.

Teachers are gentle and calm with children. They respect children as active participants in learning. Children are increasingly well supported by teachers to be independent thinkers who solve problems, question and reflect on their own thinking.

Teachers have made a good start with using te reo Māori as part of the programme. Mat times have a deliberate emphasis on promoting te reo. Managers recognise that there should be a stronger commitment to implementing bicultural practices.

Natural learning environments are inspired by Reggio Emilia philosophical approaches. Reggio values of respect, responsibility and whānau/community involvement are now features of the programme. Managers mentor teachers and build their professional knowledge about how effective learning environments provide choices and opportunities that support children's learning.

The centre's transition-to-school programme has an appropriate focus on developing children's skills for collaboration, research and enquiry. Programmes include literacy, numeracy and science experiences. Good assistance is provided for children needing additional support to benefit from the programme.

The new centre manager is working alongside teachers to help them implement and value new teaching approaches that promote positive learning outcomes for children. Professional development has rekindled teachers' enthusiasm for their role in nurturing children's thinking and learning. Useful assessment and evaluation practices are beginning to improve teachers' planning for learning and to focus more clearly on children's strengths, interests and learning dispositions.

A long-term plan identifies strategic priorities and is supported by an annual plan. Policies and procedures have been reviewed and quality management systems introduced. Financial procedures are now more clearly articulated. Self review is becoming embedded and has resulted in many improvements. Strong leadership and staff commitment support the sustainability of these improvements.

Leadership influence is becoming more evident in the centre. The predominantly new board, led by a new chair, is learning about the attributes of high quality teaching and learning. The board is also becoming more aware of how decisions at board level can contribute to the growth of staff and improved learning outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Managers and teachers have identified appropriate goals to:

• add more complexity to children's learning

• plan more frequently for the needs and interests of individual children

• make clearer links between the centre's philosophy, strategic plans and children's learning

• strengthen bicultural practices.

Important next steps are to monitor progress towards strategic goals and evaluate the impact of changes on outcomes for children. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Daystar Early Learning Centre 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 Daystar Early Learning Centre will be in three years.

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

9 June 2017 

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 

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.