49 John Street, Pukekohe
View on mapAkarangi | 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. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Wise Owl Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning Conditions Organisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
Wise Owl Early Learning Centre is a privately owned service with two age-based rooms. The service is governed by the owner, who provides leadership and support to the teaching team and is responsible for centre operations. The centre philosophy promotes bicultural practices and sustainability.
Children learn in a calm and unhurried environment, with access to a range of activities that supports their interests and development. Children are encouraged to make choices about their own learning through play. Teachers are responsive to children’s individual needs through caring relationships. Children are seen as competent and confident.
Children’s learning is documented over time through embedded assessment practices. Portfolios document their interests and experiences. The gathering of children’s and parents’ views supports teachers to respond to children’s needs. There is some consideration of the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in assessment practice.
Children’s cultures, languages and identities are beginning to be reflected through the curriculum. Te reo and tikanga Māori are meaningfully integrated. Tuakana teina relationships are promoted through intentional teaching. Teachers are developing their cultural competence to support children’s learning. Children are viewed as successful learners.
Shared leadership is contributing to collaboration within the team. Teachers work together to progress centre values and vision. Professional learning and critical reflection promote improvements in practice. Collaborative relationships between the service and external agencies support the inclusion of children with additional learning needs. Children and their families experience an environment where their well‑being is cared for.
Embedded internal evaluation processes are used to identify what is and is not working to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Opportunities for the perspectives of families and the community to be included in this process are provided, but not yet consistently responded to.
Wise Owl Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
continue to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation practices to ensure the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki provide the basis for learning and to reflect individual children’s culture, language and identity
Before the review, the staff and management of Wise Owl 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
3 May 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Wise Owl Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 25358 |
| Location | Pukekohe, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
42 children, including 15 children under the age of two |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 12, NZ European/Pākehā 21, Indian 5, Other ethnic groups 12 |
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Review team on site |
February 2022 |
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Date of this report |
3 May 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, March 2015 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Wise Owl Early Learning Centre is a privately owned education and care service located in Pukekohe. The centre is licensed for 42 children including up to 15 under two years of age. The roll is 33, including six children who identify as Māori.
The owner purchased the centre in January 2018 and is also the centre manager with a teaching role. She brings significant previous experience to the day-to-day running of the centre and has sought additional outside expertise to help establish sound governance practices. A new philosophy has been developed and strategic and annual plans designed. There has been significant roll growth since the change of ownership.
The centre philosophy states that the number one priority is to have trusting relationships with families. Teachers agree to engage children in meaningful experiences and to teach resilience alongside good values. They aim to inspire and encourage children to be proud of who they are and where they come from.
Since the 2015 ERO review all of the teachers are new to the centre. Teachers have developed personalised approaches to assessment for individual children. Teachers have accessed professional development from the centre owner and continue to develop self-review processes. The centre has continued to refine programme planning to extend the inclusion of bi-cultural practice.
Wise Owl Early Learning Centre’s philosophy and vision effectively promotes learning outcomes for children. The values and beliefs promote the wellbeing, health, safety, and learning of children. The newly arrived owner/centre manager has introduced systems and procedures to provide clear direction for continued centre development. Internal evaluation is valued, effectively undertaken and leads to improved outcomes for children.
The centre manager is promoting a collaborative and well-considered approach for centre-wide improvement. She provides professional leadership for staff and has a clear vision and high expectations for the education and care of children. Collaboration with teachers, parents and whānau is contributing to a shared understanding, and consistent practices across the centre. The centre manager has established a culture in which children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning.
The responsive curriculum is promoting positive learning outcomes for all children. Teachers integrate aspects of literacy, mathematics and science into the daily programmes and a range of resources support this integration. Environmental sustainability is part of the daily programme. Assessment is well used to identify individual progress and achievement. Teachers have an understanding of each child as a unique learner and effectively support children’s sense of belonging.
Teaching and learning practices effectively promote positive outcomes for all children. Teachers encourage children’s curiosity and thinking by using open-ended questions and promote meaningful conversations. ERO observed teachers' positive, sensitive and responsive relationships with children. Teachers are beginning to integrate te reo and tikanga Māori into daily programmes. The environment promotes choice, is calm and children can learn at their own pace. Processes are in place to meet the needs of any child requiring additional support. Children are engaged in sustained and uninterrupted play and learning.
Provision for babies and toddlers is well considered and nurturing. Teachers are sensitive to children’s preferences and requirements. They interact with these young children in a calm, unhurried way giving them time and space to lead their learning.
Parents spoken to by ERO were well informed about their children's progress and learning and expressed high levels of confidence in teachers to provide an environment where each child is respected and valued as an individual.
ERO and centre management agree that the key next steps are to:
continue to develop systems and processes for effective centre governance and management
review the centre philosophy in relation to the revised Te Whāriki
strengthen the use and understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori within the centre.
Before the review, the staff and management of Wise Owl 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Wise Owl Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
14 June 2018
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 |
Pukekohe |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25358 |
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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 |
42 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
33 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 19 Boys 14 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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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 |
May 2018 |
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Date of this report |
14 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2009 |
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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:
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.