Unit K 277 Te Irirangi Drive, Botany, Auckland
View on mapTreetops ELC Botany Junction
Treetops ELC Botany Junction
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 Treetops ELC Botany Junction are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
2 Context of the Service
The service is located upstairs in the Botany Town Centre. It is one of three centres with the same ownership. The centre manager is supported by a director and three kaitiaki. At the time of the 2015 ERO review, the centre was part of Lollipops Limited. This is the service’s first review under a new name.
3 Summary of findings
Children settle quickly to play. They engage in activities of their choosing for sustained periods of time. They initiate conversations with their peers and kaiako and confidently express their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Familiar routines and tikanga support children’s developing independence. Children display a strong sense of belonging in the centre.
The recent internal evaluation of the curriculum for infants and toddlers has had a positive impact on teaching practice with a focus on enhancing care and aroha. Primary caregiving practices support kaiako to have time to develop positive relationships with individual children and their whānau. Kaiako build toddlers’ vocabulary, and they encourage their curiosity by initiating conversations and asking carefully worded questions.
Children of Māori heritage experience te ao Māori through the curriculum. Wall displays and resources reflect tangata whenua motifs and symbols. Kaiako could increase their use of te reo Māori in conversations with children and in programme documentation.
Children of Pacific heritage and other cultural backgrounds are well supported by kaiako who reflect children’s ethnicities. Kaiako actively seek ways to maintain children’s connections to their cultural identity and attain fluency in their first language. They could include in assessment records how children’s identity, language, and culture contribute to their individual learning journeys.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teacher interactions and interventions are responsive and inclusive of each child’s identified needs. Leaders advocate for and alongside children, parents, and whānau to ensure all children have access to quality, inclusive education and care.
A process for internal evaluation is established. A clearer focus on how the service responds to the findings of each evaluation would strengthen the process and better promote ongoing improvements. The service is in the process of developing shared understandings of effective programme planning that can track children’s progress and development over time.
4 Improvement actions
Treetops ELC Botany Junction will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
- Design and implement a responsive curriculum consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
- Develop assessment practices that record children’s developmental progress and trajectory of learning over time.
- Show how the service promotes and enacts equitable outcomes for children by strengthening the implementation of documented internal evaluation processes.
5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Treetops ELC Botany Junction 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.
6 Compliance
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
- The results of the safety checks must be recorded, and the record kept as long as the person is employed at the service. (GMA7A).
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
4 November 2021
7 About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name | Treetops ELC Botany Junction |
Profile Number | 20222 |
Location | Botany, Auckland |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
75 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 years |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
80 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 9, NZ European/Pākehā 6, Chinese 22 , Indian 20, Samoan 7, Filipino 4, Vietnamese 4, other ethnic groups 8 |
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
Date of this report |
4 November 2021 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
First ERO review for Treetops ELC Botany Junction |
Lollipops Educare Botany Junction - 20/11/2015
1. Evaluation of Lollipops Educare Botany Junction
How well placed is Lollipops Educare Botany Junction to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Lollipops Educare Botany Junction provides high quality early childhood education and care for up to 75 children. The centre is located upstairs in the Botany Junction shopping complex and is one of two centres owned and managed by the same partnership.
The centre has three separate age specific rooms for children. Each room is headed by an experienced team leader. Younger and older children also have opportunities to play and learn together in a mixed-age outdoor environment. The indoor and outdoor areas are spacious, attractive and well resourced. The centre environment is visually stimulating and homely for children. Teachers are responsive to children’s home routines and provide them with nutritious meals. Transitions between these areas and into school are well managed and supported.
Most teachers are experienced and qualified and have worked together in the centre for many years. A culturally diverse staff with a range of skills and strengths is representative of the centre’s community.
The centre’s philosophy is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It focuses strongly on respecting children as capable, competent learners. The philosophy is largely based on the theories and practices of Reggio Emilia and promotes trust in children to be initiators and explorers in their learning.
The owners continue to provide good governance and management support for the centre, with the aid of a capable centre director. The 2009 and 2012 ERO reports recognised positive relationships within the centre, strong partnerships with parents and child-initiated programmes. The 2012 ERO report recommended that the centre continue to build a critically reflective culture. Very good progress has been made in this area.
The Review Findings
Children are confident in the centre environment, settling easily into different areas of play in their own time and at their own pace. Older and younger children play well together. The calm, child-focused environment supports children to create meaningful relationships that are trusting and respectful.
As skilled practitioners, teachers are responsive to children’s care and learning. They are gentle, nurturing and affectionate with children, and listen respectfully and carefully to children’s ideas and concerns. Teachers value whanaungatanga and promote children’s social and emotional competence well.
Children appreciate the freedom to explore and to develop curiosity and joy in their learning. They have good access to all areas of play and resources. Teachers follow children’s lead in their learning and support and extend their individual and emerging interests. They promote children’s oral language, encouraging good opportunities for children to express themselves.
Teachers consider ways to challenge and engage children in their learning. Children’s creativity is nurtured well in integrated science, writing and art in the context of children’s play. Children also enjoy opportunities to participate in swimming and dance.
Babies and toddlers receive good quality care and supportive learning opportunities. They are encouraged to grow in confidence with an approach that promotes freedom of movement and self-management. Children with special needs are well catered for in play and learning.
Teachers support children’s familiarity with the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa/New Zealand. They are continuing to increase their use of te reo Māori with children throughout the day.
Teachers communicate effectively and regularly with parents and whānau, and engage them as partners in their children’s learning. Parents appreciate the range of ways that the centre welcomes and includes them. The introduction of e-portfolios makes the sharing of learning stories with parents more immediate and meaningful. It encourages parents to contribute to their children’s learning, and supports teachers as they respond to children’s emerging interests and strengths.
The head teacher provides opportunities for teachers to develop strong professional leadership that is focused on promoting child centred learning. Teachers collaborate and reflect on their teaching practices well to enact the centre’s philosophy.
Teachers value and promote meaningful and ongoing improvements so that children’s enjoyment in play and learning are continually enhanced. Strategic planning is well aligned to teacher appraisal processes and to professional learning.
The owners resource the centre generously and strategically, enabling managers and teachers to achieve their vision of a high performing centre. The management team and teachers work collaboratively to promote centre wide improvements and sustainable practices.
Key Next Steps
The managers, centre leaders and ERO agree that the centre would benefit from:
- teachers continuing to promote learning opportunities for children to think, create and express themselves
- teachers continuing to promote children’s use of te reo Māori
- centre leaders rationalising teachers’ appraisal processes to develop more meaningful and relevant performance management
- centre leaders enhancing self-review processes by incorporating indicators of effective practice.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Lollipops Educare Botany Junction 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 Lollipops Educare Botany Junction will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
20 November 2015
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
Location |
Botany Downs, Auckland |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
20222 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
75 children, including up to 35 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
82 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 44, Boys 38 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Indian South East Asian Samoan Other |
8 15 20 20 8 5 6 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
October 2015 |
||
Date of this report |
20 November 2015 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) These are available at www.ero.govt.nz |
Education Review |
May 2012 |
|
Education Review |
May 2009 |
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.