54 Pokeno Road, Pokeno
View on mapPokeno Playcentre
Pokeno Playcentre - 30/06/2017
1 Evaluation of Pokeno Playcentre
How well placed is Pokeno 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
Pokeno Playcentre provides a parent-led early childhood education and care service, operating three mornings a week for children from birth to school age. The centre is licensed for 28 children with a maximum of 20 under two years of age. The current roll is 20 children, 2 identify as Māori, and there are also children from Europe and South America.
The playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association (CPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) and the CPA provide governance oversight for the centre. This includes strategic direction, management support, documentation and adult education programmes. In addition, the centre receives regular visits from experienced personnel who offer advice guidance and support to centre members. The NZPF is currently undergoing restructuring, and this has implications for CPA governance actions in the future.
The playcentre philosophy aims to provide a rich learning environment that is safe and fun, and recognises children's interests. It encourages parents to learn with and alongside their children.
Members have responded positively to some of the recommendations in the 2013 ERO report. Centre members have developed a strategic plan that outlines areas for ongoing development and an annual plan that guides centre operations. Further work is required to develop a planning process that extends and adds complexity to children's learning.
This review was part of a cluster of five reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
The Review Findings
Children are empowered by a programme that follows their interests and enthusiasm. The numerous areas of play set up by parents give the children many opportunities to extend their thinking, solve problems and learn social and self-management skills. An emphasis in the centre on visual art and imaginary play fosters children's creativity. Literacy and mathematical learning is integrated into the children's play. Children's rights are respected. They are given choices and are involved in decisions that affect them.
The indoor environment is inviting for children. All areas of play are well maintained and resourced. The outdoor environment provides many opportunities for children to explore and develop their physical skills.
Parents are at the beginning stages of enacting culturally responsive practices that promote Māori children's sense of belonging and give other children a greater understanding of their bicultural heritage. Centre leaders are very supportive of children learning te reo Māori and about the Māori world. They promote te reo Māori amongst parents using a 'word of the week' strategy. Some parents use Māori words and phrases when talking to children. The centre has bilingual signage and resources such as books written in te reo Māori that also promote a greater sense of belonging for Māori children.
Parents are committed to supporting their children, and providing quality, fun and enjoyable activities that lead to learning. Interactions between parents and children are positive, caring and affirming. ERO observed high levels of parent engagement with their own and others children. Adults listen to children and add to their conversations and discussions. Babies and toddlers benefit from interaction with older children. There are shared understandings about managing children's behaviour in a positive and respectful way that builds their confidence.
A CPA liaison worker provides support for supervising centre sessions. She models good practice through positive learning conversations and interactions with children and adults. A centre support worker regularly visits the centre to provide members with advice and guidance and support with aspects of playcentre training. The centre education officer has maintained continuity of day-to-day centre operations through a period of challenge and change. She is encouraging emergent leadership and building the confidence of new members as they take increasing responsibility for centre management. This shared leadership approach is contributing to centre sustainability and fostering ongoing commitment to training amongst centre members.
Relationships among centre parents are strong and inclusive. New members are warmly welcomed as part of the centre community. End of session evaluation and planning sessions celebrate all children and are an opportunity for everyone to have input into planning activities for the next session. Communication is enhanced through the use of social media. There is strong informal support for parents undertaking playcentre course work.
Leaders have a good understanding of the place and purpose of self review. Ongoing spontaneous self review, particularly of the areas of play, has led to a richer environment for children to play and learn.
Key Next Steps
ERO and centre leaders agree that they now need to strengthen the following areas.
Strategic and Annual Planning, Self-Review
-
Strategic and annual planning need to be strengthened so that these processes provide a sound foundation for ongoing review and improvement. There needs to be stronger links between the strategic and annual plan and the strategic plan needs to have a greater emphasis on ongoing curriculum improvement.
Assessment and Planning
-
Learning stories for children should focus more specifically on recognising the learning that has occurred as a result of involvement in an activity. This may be expressed as a disposition, a skill or new knowledge. The learning story might also suggest how this learning could be extended. Learning stories could then also be a record of children's learning and progress over time.
-
Planning and evaluation should make greater use of the goals and learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. This should assist parents to add complexity to their children's interests and learning.
Interactions with Children
-
Parents need to take a more deliberate approach to extending children's language and ideas when they are supporting their play.
Te Ao Māori
- Parents should investigate ways to include aspects of local Māori history and sites of significance in the programme. This is necessary to enhance Māori children's sense of identity and belonging, and further promote New Zealand's bicultural partnership.
Environment
-
Parents should consider developing a quiet space specifically designed for infants and their mothers where they can interact in a calm, less hurried way.
Recommendation
ERO recommends that CPA:
-
develops strategies to ensure that its centre members are kept up-to-date with obligations and expectations in relation to current regulatory requirements and policies.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Pokeno 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.
In order to improve current practice the centre needs to strengthen measures which prevent injury in the event of an earthquake. [Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, HS 6]
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Pokeno Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty
30 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
Location |
Pokeno, Auckland |
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25210 |
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|
Service roll |
20 |
|
Gender composition |
Girls 12 Boys 8 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
14 |
Review team on site |
May 2017 |
|
Date of this report |
30 June 2017 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2014 |
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
Education Review |
February 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.
Pokeno Playcentre - 30/04/2014
1 Evaluation of Pokeno Playcentre
How well placed is Pokeno 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
Pokeno Playcentre provides for up to twenty-eight children and their families. The centre is cooperatively managed by centre members. The centre offers three general sessions each week, when children attend with their parents, and an extended session for a small group of children over the age of three. The Playcentre philosophy of whānau and children learning together underpins centre operations.
Pokeno Playcentre is one of seventeen centres in the Counties Playcentre Association, which provides a management and policy framework for centre operations. Liaison workers and other elected Association officers provide support for centres. Association members deliver the Playcentre adult education programme to help whānau build their understanding about children’s learning.
This well established centre continues to maintain strong links with the community. Since ERO’s 2010 review, some experienced centre members have moved on and the centre is gradually rebuilding its membership. However, the current low membership is a challenge for centre members, who are discussing strategies to support recent new members to continue the provision of the service. New parents are participating in adult education courses and are committed to the collective management of the centre. The centre is working towards relocating the Playcentre to a site alongside the neighbouring school.
This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
The Review Findings
Children are confident and self assured. They benefit from positive learning opportunities and play well together. Affirming relationships between adults and children contribute to a settled and nurturing atmosphere. Well resourced and spacious learning environments provide chances for children to explore and initiate play. These different spaces enable toddlers and older children to play cooperatively or on their own.
Adults skilfully engage in conversations with children to extend their learning. Experienced centre members model good questioning strategies during the session. Children’s learning of literacy and numeracy is integrated naturally throughout the programme.
Centre members know their families well and provide opportunities to celebrate each other’s cultures. A sound knowledge of the community contributes to and enhances the inclusive and positive tone of the centre. Some bicultural practices are followed but adults could now increase the use of te reo and tikanga Māori in the programme.
Centre members have developed a process for assessment, planning and evaluation. They use portfolios to celebrate children’s learning and to revisit past experiences with their children. Portfolios are increasingly being shared with schools and productive relationships with the neighbouring school also contribute to well managed processes for children’s transitions to school.
Informal self review is ongoing, consultative and informs programme planning and improvements to the environment. Centre members are developing systems to strengthen self review. The centre has identified the need to continue to strengthen strategic and annual planning to develop a clear direction for the future of the centre.
Association management practices are well established. Self review involves centre members and contributes to decision making. A strategic review is currently underway, with a view to streamlining Association systems and practices and making them more manageable for centre members. This review could also consider how liaison workers could help centres to establish effective strategic and annual planning, and strengthen their self-review practices.
Key Next Steps
Centre members and ERO agree that next steps for Pokeno Playcentre include continuing to:
- develop and strengthen strategic and annual plans
- explore ways of making planning visible for each child
- develop the curriculum to extend individual children’s emerging interests.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Pokeno 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 Pokeno Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
30 April 2014
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 |
Pokeno, Waikato District |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
25210 |
||
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
17 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 9 Boys 8 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
1 16 |
|
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 |
December 2013 |
||
Date of this report |
30 April 2014 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
Education Review |
February 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.