Greenpark Pre-school

Education institution number:
30255
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
48
Telephone:
Address:

106 Argyll Road, Greerton, Tauranga

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Greenpark Pre-school

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Greenpark Pre-school is a privately owned service, where tamariki learn across two separate aged-based learning spaces. The owner and centre manager are responsible for the service’s governance. The philosophy prioritises whanaungatanga as the basis for all tamariki and their learning. A small number of enrolled tamariki are Māori.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to tamariki as confident and competent learners. Their preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Tamariki are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development, indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance the learning of tamariki and nurture reciprocal relationships. Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua. Tamariki are supported to be confident in their own cultures and to understand and respect other cultures.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • exploring ways to increase the involvement of whānau Māori in the design, implementation and evaluation of the service’s local curriculum

  • increasing the range of opportunities children and their whānau have to share aspects of their cultures with others in the service.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

30 October 2023

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Greenpark Pre-school

Profile Number

30255

Location

Greerton, Tauranga

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

45 children, including up to 16 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

53

Review team on site

September 2023

Date of this report

30 October 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, August 2022
Education Review, June 2018

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Greenpark Pre-school

ERO Early Childhood Service Akarangi | Quality Evaluation Report

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 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 Greenpark Pre-school are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions

Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Greenpark Pre-school is a privately-owned centre providing full-day education and care. Children from birth to school age learn in two separate, age-based settings. The owner and centre manager are responsible for the governance. The centre’s philosophy prioritises whanaungatanga as the basis for all tamariki and their learning.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and kaiako collaboratively develop and maintain respectful partnerships with tamariki, parents and whānau as:

  • long serving kaiako nurture caring, learning-focused relationships with infants and toddlers
  • transitions into the centre are well supported
  • external agencies are utilised to support children with additional needs
  • the curriculum supports infants’ emotional wellbeing and sense of belonging.

Assessment practices inform planning and curriculum. Kaiako identify learning priorities for tamariki and consult with whānau about their aspirations. Some progression of learning in terms of the valued learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, is evident but is not yet consistent for all tamariki

Some groups of children’s’ cultures, including Indian and Korean, are well supported. Responsiveness to other learners’ culture, language and identity is at an early stage within the curriculum as:

  • there is some inclusion of Māori and Pacific culture
  • tuakana-teina relationships are fostered
  • kaiako are beginning to integrate te reo Māori and tikanga practices
  • a local curriculum is being developed.

Organisational conditions are effective in some areas. Teachers are leaders participate in professional learning and development to grow their capabilities. The service is establishing ongoing inquiry for improvement. Internal evaluation systems are being well utilised. The service is yet to implement a system to monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement actions on learning outcomes for tamariki.

4 Improvement actions

Greenpark Pre-school will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Consistently implement and evaluate tamariki learning in relation to the valued outcomes of Te Whāriki.
  • Continue to develop the local curriculum to support Kaiako to consistently respond to all children’s culture, language, and identity.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Greenpark Pre-school 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

17 August 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

45 children, including up to 16 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

56

Review team on site

May 2022

Date of this report

17 August 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

These are available at
www.ero.govt.nz

Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, May 2015

Greenpark Pre-school - 11/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Greenpark Pre-school

How well placed is Greenpark Pre-school 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

Greenpark Pre-school is a privately owned and operated education and care centre located in a residential suburb of Tauranga. It is licensed for 45 children from birth to school age, including up to 16 under the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review 57 children were enrolled, including six who identify as Māori.

The centre’s philosophy promotes whanaungatanga – where relationships are a focus to enhance children’s learning. The philosophy documents the intent to celebrate the achievement and to support children’s progress without interference through movement, and a peaceful respectful approach to learning.

Since the previous ERO report in 2015, the centre has reviewed assessment, planning and evaluation processes, redesigned the outdoor area in the infant/toddler space, and further developed the appraisal system.

The Review Findings

Children’s learning is effectively promoted through responsive and respectful teaching. Relationships are positive and affirming between teachers and children. Teachers have established collaborative partnerships with parents focused on their children’s learning. Children are encouraged to extend their thinking through in-depth discussions and gain confidence and competence through relationships with their teachers.

Children experience a challenging and rich, well-resourced environment. A wide range of learning opportunities are fully accessible to all learners. Children lead their own learning, and their independence is fostered successfully by teachers through a flexible and inclusive programme. Literacy, numeracy and science are purposefully integrated into the learning programme. Planning, assessment and evaluation identifies children’s developing skills and knowledge and shows progress over time.

Children under the age of two experience respectful and nurturing relationships in a calm and settled environment. They are supported to make choices and decisions about their learning and be independent and challenged through play. Children’s rights are promoted through respectful interactions with teachers. Children with additional learning needs are encouraged to achieve success through close relationships with key teachers. Positive transitions into, through and out of the centre support children's confidence and sense of belonging.

Teachers effectively model appropriate language to promote children’s oral literacy. Positive and engaged interactions between teachers and children support social competence. Responsive teaching practices support children for whom English is a second language. The outside learning environments support risk taking and problem solving, and cater for a range of interests and skill development. Children benefit from a curriculum that provides the opportunity to explore, inquire and follow their own interests.

Teachers promote te reo Māori, waiata, karakia and tikanga practices to build on children’s knowledge of te ao Māori. A bicultural curriculum has been developed and the centres vision and strategic planning identify a commitment to further improve this. Children are supported to develop knowledge about New Zealand/Aotearoa and the uniqueness of its bicultural heritage.

Leaders have established a reflective learning environment. Leadership opportunities for teachers are provided through the appraisal system which is enhancing teacher capacity and capability. Leaders have fostered a culture of collaboration through effective consultation that promotes positive partnerships between parents and teachers. Leadership has successfully established a culture where all children are valued and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning.

Effective governance promotes positive learning outcomes for all children. Clear policy, procedures, systems and effectively guide daily operations. The centre vision and philosophy, is well-established and promotes quality teaching practice. Internal evaluation includes a strategic approach to change management leading to improvement. Children experience an environment where high-quality opportunities underpinned by effective governance and management processes and practices.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and ERO agree that to further improve teacher practice:

  • teaching as inquiry needs to be aligned with the centre’s strategic vision to further build teacher capacity and capability

  • teachers should undertake internal evaluation to strengthen children's connectedness to their language culture and identity.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Greenpark Pre-school 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.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

  • all workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the vulnerable children's act 2014 - a record of all safety checks and the results.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7A]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Greenpark Pre-school will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

11 June 2018

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

Tauranga

Ministry of Education profile number

30255

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

45 children, including up to 16 aged under 2

Service roll

63

Gender composition

Girls 34 Boys 29

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Indian
Korean
African
Other

6
42
5
4
3
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

11 June 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

May 2015

Education Review

January 2010

Education Review

January 2009

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.