BestStart Clarence Street

1 Evaluation of BestStart Clarence Street

How well placed is BestStart Clarence Street to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

BestStart Clarence Street is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

BestStart Clarence Street is situated in central Hamilton. It is licensed for 43 children including up to 16 under the age of two years. At the time of this review 44 children were enrolled, including a small number of children identified as Maōri and a number from a range of other ethnic groups. The centre provides all-day education and care in two aged-based rooms.

The service is operated by BestStart, a charitable organisation owned by the Wright Family Foundation. Since the ERO May 2016 evaluation of this centre a new Chief Executive Officer has been appointed. Regional and local professional service and business managers oversee the Central North Island BestStart centres. Their vision is to work in partnership with families, whānau, teachers and communities to enable children to achieve their learning potential.

The centre has recently been re-named from Kids to Five Preschool to BestStart Clarence Street. A centre manager and a head teacher support the teaching team, the majority of whom are new since the last ERO review. The centre operates under the Central North Island Waikato regional management team within BestStart.

The reviewed philosophy places priority on four principles: Wellbeing, tikanga Māori, communication and enacting the New Zealand early childhood curriculum Te Whāriki. The centre has responded to positively to address the next steps from the last ERO report to strengthen shared leadership, add complexity to learning and extend children's interests.

This review was part of a cluster of 15 reviews in the BestStart organisation.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from a broad and rich curriculum. They are supported to lead their own play and make decisions about their learning in a well-resourced and spacious environment. A localised curriculum, including priorities for learning at the centre, has recently been developed in consultation with parents. A variety of experiences is intentionally planned for to add complexity to learning. Flexible routines allow for uninterrupted time for children to engage in sustained play. The environment promotes peer learning, small group and independent play. Children are supported to become confident learners.

The assessment and planning of children's learning is visible for parents and invites their collaboration. Assessment portfolios are also available online. Children have individual goals set. A project-based approach to planning integrates learning experiences through all learning areas, both indoors and outside. The documentation of the assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning requires further strengthening to develop consistency across the centre.

Developing strong relationships with children and families has been an appropriate focus for the new teaching team. Teachers engage children in learning conversations, supporting oral language development. Inclusive practices support children with additional learning needs. Teachers work with families and external agencies when required to develop individual development plans for children requiring additional support. Nurturing and respectful teaching practices were observed by ERO in the calm infant and toddler room. Transitions into and within the centre are well supported. It is now timely to look at ways in which transition to school for the eldest children could be further supported.

A strategic aim of BestStart, and a principle within their newly developed team philosophy, is to strengthen the bicultural teaching and curriculum to honour the Treaty of Waitangi. A local bicultural committee, peer support from within the organisation and parents sharing their skills is responding to these goals. Leaders and teachers should continue to strengthen their knowledge of te reo, tikanga and te ao Māori. This will support Māori children to achieve success and all other learners to appreciate the rich bicultural curriculum and history of Aōtearoa. The centre is ethnically diverse. Teachers should also continue to explore ways to capture and celebrate children's individual language, cultures and identities, including children from Pacific heritage.

A shared leadership approach effectively builds teaching capability within the service. Professional development in leadership alongside regular mentoring and coaching is developing leaders at all levels within the centre. Relational trust has been established within the team. The centre annual plan is displayed in monthly goals and visible for parents. Parent's contribution is valued. Children and their families develop a sense of belonging at the centre.

Strong systems and processes guide centre operations. Internal evaluation is improvement focussed and includes ongoing consultation with families and whānau. There is clear alignment between the regional strategic direction and centre annual plans. The appraisal process supports teachers to inquire into strengthening their practice, supported by regular and ongoing coaching and mentoring. Several initiatives to remove barriers to education and support wellness for children promotes equity for all learners. The organisation's philosophy, vision and goals promote positive learning outcomes for all children.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for BestStart Clarence Street are to strengthen:

• assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning. Priority should be given to teachers developing shared expectations for portfolios and assessment documentation; making progression of learning over time more visible in relation to individual goals, and capturing children's languages, cultures and identities

• the bicultural curriculum and teachers' knowledge and confidence in te reo, tikanga and te ao Māori.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of BestStart Clarence Street 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 practice more vigorous daily hazard checks, particularly in relation to furniture and items that could topple, and fall are required. (Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS6)

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

9 September 2019

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

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

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.

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.