Huimai Playcentre

Education institution number:
33011
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
6
Telephone:
Address:

32 Seifert Road, Tauhei

View on map

Huimai Playcentre - 24/06/2019

1 Evaluation of Huimai Playcentre

How well placed is Huimai Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Huimai Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Huimai Playcentre is a parent-led education and care service located in Morrinsville. It caters for children from birth to school age and operates three mixed-age sessions per week. The playcentre is licensed for 29 children including up to 15 under the age of two years and has a current roll of 24.

During 2018, the New Zealand Playcentre Federation transitioned from operating with 32 regional associations to become one national body with six regional offices. In the central north island six associations have merged into a regional hub renamed Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region that now includes 95 playcentres over a large geographic area. At Huimai Playcentre the president is supported by a committee of parent members. A centre administrator and centre support worker are provided by the Federation to assist with session operation.

Through their national philosophy, the playcentre places emphasis on whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together. They empower adults and children to play, work and grow together and value and affirm parents as first and best educators of their children.

Huimai Playcentre has a positive reporting history with ERO. Since the last ERO review in 2015, members have responded to strengthening their induction processes for families joining the centre. The centre's current strategic goals are to support members to increase their confidence in using te reo Māori.

This review was part of a cluster of 10 playcentre reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region.

The Review Findings

Children and their families develop a strong sense of belonging at the centre. Transitions into and out of the playcentre are well supported. Literacy, mathematics and science are integrated into the programme. Parents actively engage children in play within a well-resourced environment. Relationships are positive and respectful. Children with additional needs are supported through inclusive practices. Members work alongside external agencies where required. Children are self-managing and independent learners.

Children are confident and competent learners. A broad and rich curriculum engages all learners. The holistic, child-focused programme is planned around the knowledge that children and their families bring to the centre. Infants and toddlers benefit from being able to attend with their siblings and parents. Individual children's care needs are well met. Children are learning alongside older or more competent learners. Elements of bicultural practice have been established. Leaders and members have identified that this remains an area for continued development.

Children's learning is captured well in assessment portfolios and informative wall displays. Parents' views and aspirations for their children are gathered and used effectively in individualised planning. To further strengthen the assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning further consideration should be given to:

  • using the session evaluation observations to inform more responsive and timely planning

  • strengthening the evaluation of learning using the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki.

The centre support worker and the centre administrator are provided by the federation. Their support and detailed reports are leading to improved awareness of quality practice and building capability through appropriate feedback and feedforward.

The Playcentre Federation’s overarching strategic and individual annual plans guide playcentre direction. Parent education programmes have a focus on building knowledge and understanding of children’s learning and development. Communication and support between the federation and regions throughout the restructure has supported ongoing operations. Current policies and systems are in place until new systems implemented by Federation are rolled out nationally. The playcentre philosophy and vision and documented-strategic goals have been set. There is now the need to measure the impact of actions taken on outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

The next steps for Huimai Playcentre are to continue to strengthen:

  • assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning
  • the bicultural curriculum, as identified in the centre annual and strategic plan.

In order to improve and strengthen practice the Central region Aotearoa Playcentre regional leaders should continue to:

  • develop, implement and monitor strategic and annual regional plans to evaluate and report on the effectiveness of these in terms of outcomes for children
  • monitor internal evaluation systems and processes so that alignment to strategic and annual planning meets regulatory requirements
  • support individual playcentre personnel to robustly report on the progress towards their appropriate strategic goals
  • strengthen appraisal processes to support centre support and administrators to grow their practice.
  • monitor the recording of all injuries, illnesses and accidents as there is a high turnover of new members.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Huimai 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.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services Central

Central Region

24 June 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

Location

Morrinsville

Ministry of Education profile number

33011

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

29 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

24

Gender composition

Male 13 Female 11

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā
Other

23
1

Review team on site

April 2019

Date of this report

24 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

October 2015

Education Review

June 2012

Education Review

May 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

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.

Huimai Playcentre - 08/10/2015

1 Evaluation of Huimai Playcentre

How well placed is Huimai 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

Huimai Playcentre is a rural service that provides education and care for 15 families with 23 children. Families are from Orini, Whitikahu, Tauhei, Te Hoe, Morrinsville and Gordonton. Since the previous ERO review in 2012, the number of sessions has increased. There are now four sessions per week for 0 to 6 year olds and one session per week for 3 to 6 year olds, which has been recently introduced to facilitate transition to school.

The centre operates as a parent cooperative under the umbrella of the Waikato Playcentre Association (WPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation and the WPA continue to provide effective governance and strategic direction for the centre. Members also benefit from the ongoing guidance and support of centre support workers, and adult education courses. This support and training is underpinned by the association’s philosophy “Whānau tupu ngātahi -families growing together”. The association’s commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi is evident in its bicultural leadership model, support for Māori whānau, and funding to support members to include te reo and tikanga Māori in learning programmes.

The playcentre is located in attractive and spacious grounds, which provide extensive outdoor play areas and a native garden for the children to explore. The philosophy of Huimai Playcentre emphasises parents and children learning together and building a strong sense of community. Playcentre philosophy and expected practices are evident throughout the programme.

This review was part of a cluster of six playcentre reviews in the Waikato Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Huimai Playcentre recognises parents as first educators, offering a setting which actively allows parents to take a positive and more confident role in the development and education of their tamariki. The centre’s vision and goals are driven by the parent community and emphasise positive outcomes for children. A sustained, long-term focus has achieved quality funding for this playcentre as more parents engage in playcentre training, with several achieving course four level.

Children benefit from respectful and reciprocal relationships in an environment where parents and families know each other well. A high ratio of adult-child interaction facilitates rich oral language and opportunities for extended play. Children are challenged to explore and solve problems. All resources are at child level to encourage and empower them to initiate their own play. There has been deliberate provision of resources that reflect te reo and tikanga Māori. Indoor and outdoor areas include opportunities for literacy and numeracy development within play. Children’s learning is made visible in wall displays and attractive individual portfolios.

The programme is child initiated and based on children’s interests, which are identified by parents and regularly reviewed. Learning is revisited in portfolios and booklets that depict special events. An example of this is the recent Matariki celebration that included a hangi for the playcentre community. This was supported by Puriri Whakamaru O Waikato and was an opportunity to learn tikanga practise and protocols. Regular trips are a feature of the centre. These are planned around children’s interests, and are intended to broaden the experiences of children who live mainly in the country.

A recent review of the provision for children under two has led to the designation of a comfortable area for babies, toddlers and their parents. They are able to explore resources appropriate to this age group. Similarly, self review has led to the resourcing of ‘the big kids session’, which is led by a qualified supervisor and aims to extend children’s literacy, mathematics and science concepts. Younger children have many opportunities to explore and interact with siblings and older children fostering tuakana- teina relationships.

Long serving members of the playcentre demonstrate effective leadership and have many connections with the local community. Leaders see the potential of new members and support, encourage and empower them to feel confident in accepting roles and responsibilities. Within this shared leadership model, there is a strong emphasis on pastoral care for all children and families.

Professional development is provided by the WPA on the basis of individual and centre requests. The Centre Support Worker (CSW) gives regular affirmation and advice when needed. This centre provides support for other play centres in developing their practices and processes.

Key Next Steps

As a result of comprehensive and very effective self review, the playcentre members have identified the following areas for development and review:

  • ongoing succession planning for leadership
  • continuing te reo and tikanga Māori development, building relationships with the local marae, and incorporating local context into the curriculum.

ERO agrees with this direction and acknowledges that members are actively working towards these goals.

In addition, at WPA level there is a need to review and strengthen:

  • CSW reports linked to licensing criteria and the strategic aims of this centre
  • the appraisal system for paid supervisors that includes a clear job description and specific feedback aligned to expectations for teaching and learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Huimai 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 Huimai Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

8 October 2015

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Tauhei

Ministry of Education profile number

33011

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

29 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

23

Gender composition

Boys 11

Girls 12

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other

1

19

3

Review team on site

August 2015

Date of this report

8 October 2015

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2012

 

Education Review

May 2009

 

Education Review

October 2006

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.