20 Scotsman Valley Road, Tauwhare-Hamilton
View on mapPukeko Country Preschool
Pukeko Country Preschool
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
Pukeko Country Preschool is a community-based early learning service located next to Tauwhare School. The centre was relicensed in 2019 following its relocation to a purpose-built facility. A new centre manager took up her position early in 2020. The centre is governed by a community trust.
Summary of Review Findings
The service’s curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors. Teachers engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service’s curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. It is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of indoor and outdoor experiences.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include:
- further developing assessment, planning and evaluation processes to support a more intentional approach to promoting children’s learning and respond to parent aspirations
- strengthening teachers’ understanding of children’s learning and development particularly in relation to the balance between teacher-led and child-initiated activities.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
19 July 2021
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Pukeko Country Preschool |
Profile Number |
34080 |
Location |
Tauwhare |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 7 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
Service roll |
27 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 21 |
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
Date of this report |
19 July 2021 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
First ERO review of the service |
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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
- evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
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.
Pukeko Preschool - 02/05/2018
1. Evaluation of Pukeko Preschool
How well placed is Pukeko Preschool 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
Pukeko Preschool is owned and operated by a not-for-profit community trust. It provides a full-day education and care service for children from two years to school age, in a mixed-age setting. The preschool is located on grounds adjacent to Tauwhare Primary School, and shares a number of their facilities. The preschool is licenced for a maximum of 17 children at any one time. The current roll is 23, including three children identified as Māori.
The trust board retain responsibility for centre governance, which includes strategic and annual planning, financial and property management, employment of staff and meeting legislative requirements. The centre manager is responsible for professional leadership and day-to-day operations. There have been minimal changes of the qualified teaching staff since the 2014 ERO review.
The preschool aims to provide quality care in a welcoming and safe environment, which promotes inquiry, curiosity and creativity. Children are respected and nurtured as unique individuals, and diverse cultures are valued. The centre fosters close links with families, the local school and the wider community.
The trust board and centre leaders responded positively to the recommendations in the 2014 ERO report. The appraisal process has been reviewed and more closely aligned to current Education Council requirements. Visually effective displays of learning have been developed and used to inform families about the programme.
The Review Findings
Children experience responsive, sensitive, and empowering relationships with adults. Teachers know the children very well in this small centre. High levels of relational trust are evident between teachers, children and their families. Children have opportunities for sustained and complex play, both individually and in small groups. Teachers have had recent professional development on the effective support for children with additional needs. Children are well supported to develop their dispositions for learning, social competencies and self-management skills.
Intentional teaching and learning practices are effective in promoting positive outcomes for children. ERO observed children’s interests and strengths being valued and supported. Teachers frequently extend children’s understanding through conversations that involve high levels of oral language. These conversations promote children’s critical thinking, and problem solving skills.
Children are engaged in a child-initiated curriculum that is responsive to their interests, strengths and capabilities. The curriculum design allows children to make choices and lead their own learning, between the more formalised times of transition. There are many ‘hands-on’ practical learning activities and children have ready access to quality equipment, including many natural resources, to manipulate and explore. Children experience a wide range of meaningful learning experiences in the indoor and outside play areas, surrounding school environments and on planned trips. They have many opportunities for physical challenge and risk taking to stimulate their development. Imaginative and creative play is valued and encouraged. Literacy, mathematics and the natural world learning experiences are skilfully integrated throughout the programme in meaningful and authentic contexts.
Planning and assessment is effectively informed, term-by-term, with parent input about their child’s current interests and strengths. Teachers prepare high-quality individual assessment portfolios which are attractively presented and appealing to children and parents. These portfolios are greatly valued, frequently re-visited and include an appropriate mix of individual and group experiences.
A feature of service is the close support of, and ease of transition to, the neighbouring school for all children. Preschool children attend many shared events, use the school playground, library and native forest area. Frequent interactions with older siblings at the school ensure children feel confident prior to transition. The inclusive and stimulating curriculum is effective at supporting all children to become competent and confident life-long learners.
Māori children benefit from the welcoming culture and underpinning values of the preschool. Whānau input is valued and a sense of community is evident. Teachers have reflected on the revised Te Whāriki curriculum document, and recognise that the bicultural and local curriculum are areas for further development. Shared cultural events support an awareness of Māori language, culture and identity, but these are not currently focussed on individual whakapapa. Māori children are supported to succeed along with all other children.
The experienced head teacher models professional commitment to improving educational outcomes for all children. She works effectively with the staff to establish mutually respectful relationships throughout the local community, including with parents and the neighbouring school. Teachers work as a collaborative and reflective team, and are involved in effective internal evaluation focused on continual improvements in practice and outcomes for children. Staff work well with the head teacher to create an inclusive and supportive culture which promotes a sense of belonging and pride for all children.
Pukeko Preschool Community Trust Board provide effective governance that promotes successful learning outcomes for all children. The established philosophy, vision and values provide a shared sense of direction for the preschool community. Generous support for staff professional learning and development supports capacity building and fosters the sustainability of quality provision of education and care.
The preschool benefits from the strong support of parents and the local community, which includes past and present families, and the neighbouring school. An annual parent survey is completed, analysed and the results used to inform decisions. Parents spoken to by ERO expressed trust and confidence in preschool leadership and staff. The community trust board provide effective governance that promotes successful learning outcomes for all children.
Key Next Steps
The next steps for the preschool are to:
- continue to implement the principles of Te Whāriki (2017), with particular reference to the local curriculum, and how the language culture and identity of each child is affirmed
- review the current philosophy to more strongly reflect the service’s commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand
- review centre routines for shared kai and rest times, to minimise interruptions to children's learning through play
- strengthen the links between teaching as inquiry goals and the preschool's strategic priorities.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Pukeko Preschool 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 Pukeko Preschool will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region
2 May 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 |
Tauwhare, Waikato |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
34080 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
17 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
23 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 13 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Review team on site |
February 2018 |
||
Date of this report |
2 May 2018 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2018 |
|
Education Review |
July 2011 |
||
Education Review |
June 2008 |
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.