563 Pakuranga Road, Howick, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kauri Kids Howick is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kauri Kids Howick is one of 11 Kauri Kids community-based childcare centres owned by the Auckland Council. It operates out of the Howick Recreation Leisure Centre and is licensed for full-day education and care for 50 children, including 15 children under two years of age. The centre caters for children from the multicultural community. A non-permanent head teacher, who is supporting the centre for a short time, leads the long-serving teaching team comprising of six qualified and two unqualified teachers.
The philosophy of the organisation is based on setting an environment that empowers children to lead their own learning. Strong emphasis is placed on building partnerships with whānau based on trust, respect and the best interests of each child. Te Tiriti O Waitangi and Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are recognised as guiding documents.
There are two separate large indoor and outdoor spaces for children to play. Although the infants and toddlers are accommodated in separate areas, they regularly mix with older children at the start and end of the day.
The Kauri Kids Centres are managed centrally by Auckland Council. Kauri Kids, as part of Auckland Council, provide a governance and management framework, and support personnel to assist the centres. An ECE operations manager is responsible for the overall operation of the Kauri Kids services. The head teacher in each service reports to the centre manager of the facility where the service is based.
ERO’s 2016 report noted how children had fun, played co-operatively and interactions were affirming. These aspects of good practice continue. The report recommended that the centre strengthen internal evaluation using indicators of good practice. Although some aspects of effective internal evaluation have been sustained, this is an area that requires further development.
This review was part of a cluster of four reviews in the Auckland-wide Kauri Kids organisation.
The philosophy is highly evident in practice. Trusting, respectful and nurturing relationships between teachers, children and families are highly valued. Children have a strong sense of belonging. They settle quickly and engage with a wide range of open-ended materials that encourage imaginative play in a well-resourced environment.
Infants and toddlers benefit from learning in a small group with a high ratio of adults. They are well cared for and happily play alongside one another. A wide range of resources encourage children's role play of daily life tasks and opportunities to develop oral language.
Older children enthusiastically collaborate and take many opportunities to enhance their investigative skills within the large indoor and outdoor areas. They lead their own learning, uninterrupted, which encourages children's sustained play and interests. Children's individual learning portfolios provide meaningful evidence of children’s play.
Teachers know children well, fostering their sense of wellbeing and supporting them to grow their social competence. Children’s preferences are respected. It would be useful for teachers in the over two years area to consider ways of engaging children in more meaningful conversations to encourage children’s oral language and thinking.
The new head teacher has developed positive relationships with the staff and is committed to ongoing professional learning and development (PLD).
The ECE operations manager effectively oversees the centres. She implements appropriate processes to increase head teacher communication and develops a shared understanding of the philosophy. Kauri Kids provides a comprehensive framework of policies and procedures and a robust appraisal process. Internal evaluation frameworks are now being established.
For ongoing centre improvement and to enhance children's learning, the ECE curriculum manager and head teacher agree they should:
increase teachers’ understanding of their role in planning for children’s more complex thinking
strengthen teacher capability in evaluation, to measure the impact of their practice on children’s learning.
It would be beneficial for Kauri Kids to:
continue to offer leadership PLD and provide opportunities to enhance the leadership skills of head teachers and teachers
deepen educators' use of planning, assessment and evaluation processes for ongoing children’s learning
continue to identify how well new initiatives have impacted on learning outcomes for children
ensure children have opportunities to experience and enhance their language, culture and identity.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kauri Kids Howick 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
6 April 2020
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 |
Howick, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25017 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 years |
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Service roll |
53 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 26 Boys 27 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2020 |
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Date of this report |
6 April 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2016 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2014 |
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Education Review |
March 2011 |
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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:
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.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.
Kauri Kids Howick provides education and care for up to 50 children, including 15 children under two years of age. The centre is located in the Howick Recreation Leisure Centre. Many of the families who use the facilities also use this service. The centre provides casual, part-time and full-time education and care. Five of the eight staff are fully qualified teachers.
Since the centre’s 2014 ERO review, managers have addressed areas of concern and non-compliance identified by ERO. There have been staff and leadership changes and a new head teacher has been appointed. Targeted professional learning and development has resulted in significant improvements. The good quality practices that were noted in the 2014 ERO report remain evident. As a new team, teachers are developing consistent and cohesive practices to maintain ongoing improvement.
The centre’s philosophy has been reviewed in consultation with parents. Working with whānau to create a solid foundation that nurtures children’s interests and holistic development is an integral part of the philosophy, which is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and includes an organisational belief that ‘active bodies have active minds’.
Kauri Kids Howick is one of ten early childhood centres that are owned by and operate within policies and framework of the Auckland Council. The Auckland Council delegates management responsibility to the Childcare Services Manager. The centre’s head teacher works closely with a newly appointed curriculum manager, who visits regularly and provides professional advice and support for teachers.
This review was part of a cluster of four Kauri Kids reviews.
Children in this centre have fun, play cooperatively, and are confident in their environment. Most are aware of the centre routines. Infants and toddlers enjoy a sense of belonging and benefit from nurturing interactions in their separate space. There is respectful care for babies and they are free to explore in their spacious environment.
A newly appointed centre head teacher has led many of the recent improvements to curriculum, the environment and health and safety. She has implemented a change management approach that affirms teachers’ capability and encourages further development. An established self-review process is in place and supports staff to make ongoing improvements. Centre leaders are aware that self review is an area to be further developed.
With the support of the curriculum leader, teachers have established a system of planning to guide programme implementation. The planned programme is becoming more responsive to children’s interests, dispositions and strengths. All children now have learning portfolios with learning stories that show their individual interests. Teachers are now beginning to evaluate the outcomes of their planning. A teacher is responsible for the bicultural programme and all teachers are developing their confidence in te reo and tikanga Māori.
Teachers have successfully focused on team building and working collaboratively. They have an increased sense of ownership of their practice and goals. They should now consider how to increase the documentation of children’s ideas and how these ideas impact on planning and programme teaching practice.
Teachers’ interactions are warm and affirming, and support children’s play. Their next challenge is to support children to extend the complexity of their play.
Teachers benefit from the head teacher’s strong leadership. The Auckland Council also provides leadership and professional development opportunities for teachers. There is a comprehensive framework of policies and procedures, administration and professional support.
Self review is established and becoming more focused on improving outcomes for children. There is a shared vision and clear direction guided by the strategic and annual plans. A rigorous appraisal system has been implemented that aligns to the strategic plan and teacher goals. Teachers’ appraisals identify appropriate professional learning needed to support their development.
The Auckland Council has good systems to guide centre management and governance and to maintain ongoing improvement and ensure accountability. There is also a robust system in place to monitor health and safety practices and ensure all centres meet legislative requirements. The Auckland Council has a strong commitment to implementing bicultural practices and responding to community needs.
The centre leaders agree that key next steps for the centre include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kauri Kids Howick 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 Kauri Kids Howick will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Northern
25 August 2016
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 |
Howick, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25071 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
63 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 35 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
11 |
|
|
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
June 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
25 August 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2011 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2008 |
||
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.
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.