Ranui Playcentre

Education institution number:
22010
Service type:
Playcentre
Total roll:
32
Telephone:
Address:

2 Ranui Station Road, Ranui, Auckland

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New Ranui Playcentre - 16/11/2017

1 Evaluation of New Ranui Playcentre

How well placed is New Ranui Playcentre 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

New Ranui Playcentre is a parent cooperative that offers three parent-led sessions each week for children from birth to school age. An additional session for older children operates once a week and is open for children from other Playcentres in the surrounding suburbs. The roll includes children from Māori and Pacific backgrounds as well as families from further afield.

Parents/whānau are committed to the Playcentre philosophy, which is based on child initiated play in a mixed-age setting. Parents are valued as first and best educators of their children. All members take on roles and responsibilities that contribute to the smooth running of the centre. Centre members respond well to the opportunities for emergent leadership that this organisational framework offers.

Since the 2013 ERO review centre members have made significant changes to the building and the outdoor play area. These have increased space for play and improved hygiene provisions. New safety matting has recently been laid under outdoor equipment.

The centre is part of the Te Akoranga Playcentre Association, which provides governance and management support for 11 centres in West Auckland. The Association provides adult education programmes to support parents/whānau to gain Playcentre qualifications that help them to manage their centres and support children's learning. Each centre is supported by Association personnel who monitor, support and contribute to centre management and operations.

Playcentre Aotearoa is in the process of a national restructure. A new regional manager has been appointed and centre support personnel will be appointed towards the end of 2017. The Association has placed an appropriate emphasis on supporting and strengthening individual centres, in preparation for the changes to come.

This review is part of a cluster of three reviews in the Te Akoranga Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Children respond positively to opportunities for choosing and leading their own play. They play confidently alongside others and with trusted adults. Children explore resources and the environment, enjoying the variety and scope of activities and experiences that parents/whānau prepare for them. There is an appropriate blend of adult-designed play and children's creativity in the programme.

Parents/whānau engage with all children, building on their interests and developing strong, nurturing relationships. They have frequent conversations with children and ably support them to be independent learners.

Experienced centre members support parents/whānau who are new to Playcentre to develop their role as educators and to learn about their own and others' children. Centre members work well as a collegial team to ensure sessions are well organised and managed. They have a strong focus on improving the centre's environment and programmes.

The centre has a growing focus on including te reo me ngā tikanga Māori in programmes and some parents/whānau are beginning to use te reo words and phrases. Children sing waiata and join karakia with enthusiasm. Parents/whānau also embrace families who have English as an additional language. Sharing food and special cultural festivals has helped to draw centre members together as a cohesive parent/whānau team.

Children's individual portfolios record their participation in the programme. Centre members plan for individual children and intend to continue developing this aspect of their work and to record their evaluation of children's learning over time. Comments about the programme are becoming increasingly evident in the centre's day-book.

Te Akoranga Playcentre Association continues to provide a well organised, thoughtful management framework and appropriate policies, to help centre members to manage their centres. At present, the Association is using a well-considered plan to build centres' independence in their daily practice. This approach is balanced with providing additional administrative support that may be part of the new Playcentre Aotearoa framework.

Key Next Steps

Agreed next key steps are for centre members to continue:

  • supporting each other to strengthen their understanding and use of te reo and tikanga Māori

  • developing the programme planning cycle

  • building on centre resources and the outdoor environment as finances allow.

It would be useful for the new support personnel to more clearly record their conversations about suggested programme improvements, in their reports to centres.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Ranui 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:

  • 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 New Ranui Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

16 November 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

Location

Ranui, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22010

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

34

Gender composition

Boys 22 Girls 12

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Asian
Samoan
Tongan
other

8
8
4
2
1
11

Percentage of qualified teachers

Parent Led

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

16 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2013

Education Review

July 2010

Education Review

May 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.

New Ranui Playcentre - 27/06/2013

1 Evaluation of New Ranui Playcentre

How well placed is New Ranui Playcentre 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

New Ranui Playcentre operates as a parent cooperative within the Te Akoranga Playcentre Association. The Association provides the centre with management support and policies to guide centre operations. It also provides adult education programmes to support parents to learn more about how to promote learning for their children.

The Playcentre is licensed for 30 children, including 10 up to two years of age, and offers children and their parents three sessions a week. In addition to these centre-run sessions, Te Akoranga Playcentre Association holds sessions in the facility twice a week for older children. A group also uses the centre once a week for play sessions based around the Japanese language.

Playcentre members have recently undertaken a review the centre’s vision. The Association and centre members are planning improvements to the building and facilities aligned to criteria for relicensing under the 2008 Regulations.

The 2010 ERO report identified many positive aspects of the centre operations and some areas for development. These included self review, parent training, assessment practices and reflecting the cultural identity of children. Progress is evident in these areas.

The Review Findings

Children have a strong sense of belonging in the centre and interact confidently and respectfully with other children and adults. They freely explore the wide range of resources and activities available to them.

Children up to two years of age now make up a significant proportion of the roll. Centre leaders ensure that the learning needs of infants and toddlers feature in planning and decisions. They create a discrete area for children under two years of age to play in. Most younger children respond positively to interactions with the older children.

Many parents identify their children as Māori. Centre leaders encourage parents to use te reo Māori while playing with their children. They support parents to share the role of leading children in karakia at meal times. Centre leaders have introduced tikanga Māori protocols at centre management meetings.

Centre leaders encourage parents to participate in Playcentre training as soon as they join the group so that they are better able to support their child’s learning. This training helps to ensure that the centre has the required number of course holders to qualify for funding. The session support worker models good practice in interactions with children and provides support for parents.

At present, the centre has enough parents involved to fill leadership roles. Centre leaders actively seek support and guidance from the Association. They find ways of promoting the Playcentre philosophy and raising awareness of the centre within the wider community. Centre leaders identify this as a way maintaining and increasing enrolments so that the Playcentre is sustainable.

Parents welcome new members to the group and create opportunities to meet together socially.

Key Next Steps

Parents identify their children’s interests in their portfolios and note emerging interests in session evaluations. Parents could now work with the session support worker to use this information to plan for and extend children’s learning.

Centre leaders could encourage parents to work alongside the session support worker as she engages with children and models specific strategies to support children’s learning and to extend their thinking.

Centre leaders plan to continue building parent confidence in using te reo Māori in context when playing with their children. This could be a good way of promoting bicultural learning in the centre.

Te Akoranga Playcentre Association plans to provide professional development focused on developing a better understanding of self review in its centres. This training could help Playcentre members to formalise their self-review processes.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the management of New Ranui 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:

  • administration
  • health, safety and welfare
  • personnel management
  • financial and property management.

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 New Ranui Playcentre will be in three years.

Dale Bailey

National Manager Review Services

Northern Region

27 June 2013

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

Ranui, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

22010

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

27

Gender composition

Boys 14

Girls 13

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Pacific

12

7

8

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:2

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

May 2013

Date of this report

27 June 2013

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

July 2010

 

Education Review

May 2007

 

Education Review

March 2004

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.