2603 State Highway 30, RD 1, Atiamuri
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Atiamuri Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Atiamuri Playcentre is a parent-led education and care service located in the rural village of Atiamuri, 30kms southwest of Rotorua. It caters for children from birth to school age and operates two mixed-age morning sessions per week. The playcentre is licensed for 30 children including up to 18 under the age of two years. The roll has recently grown again after a sharp decline in 2016, fluctuating due to the transient nature of the rural community. The current roll of 12 children includes five who identify as Māori.
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. During this transition there is some overlap between associations and the new national regional systems and processes. At Atiamuri Playcentre the president is supported by a committee of parent members. A centre administrator is provided by the federation. All committee members are new since the 2015 ERO review.
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.
Since the 2015 ERO review, new members have had training about internal evaluation to support a more robust process. Assessment remains an area for development.
This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa Central North Island Region.
Children learn alongside their parents as first teachers, building strong, supportive relationships within their rural community. Oral language is well supported through open-ended questioning. Playcentre members have established useful positive relationships with the adjacent school. Older children visit school and participate with Māori waiata and kapa haka lessons, supporting transition to school and learning more about Māori culture. Children’s learning has followed an activity based, pre-planned approach. Recently members have been more responsive to emerging interests. They should continue on this journey and focus on a more child-led curriculum. Children are encouraged to be confident and competent learners.
Children benefit from an extensively equipped environment. Further consideration is needed to enable children to more readily access all of the rich resources and materials independently. The home-like environment and large outdoor space provides risk taking and challenge through the many areas of play. Trips and excursions out into the community support meaningful learning. Children’s participation in the programme is captured in learning portfolios. With the centre having many new members there is now a need to offer guidance for these parents to ensure that all children have their learning journeys assessed and planned for.
Children under the age of two years enjoy a calm and responsive learning space. It is age appropriate and allows for free movement, and for curiosity and independence to be fostered. Members are reading and responding appropriately to very young children’s non-verbal cues. Infants and toddlers attend with their parents or care-givers, supporting them to develop a sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Leaders are highly focussed on growing capability and the sustainability of the service. They share their knowledge and model quality assessment practices to newer members. A useful framework for internal evaluation is in place. This now needs to be further strengthened with a focus on children’s learning outcomes. The centre vision, mission and philosophy are well designed and shared amongst all members. A strategic focus ensures that the building and grounds are safely maintained. A collaborative culture ensures the smooth-running of this centre.
The Playcentre Aotearoa overarching strategic plan, philosophy, vision and individual annual plans have been implemented and guide the playcentre direction. There is a focus on building capability through recently reviewed and improved parent education programmes. Regular communication and support between the Playcentre Aotearoa and regions through the restructure supported business as usual. Existing policies and systems support centre operations until all new systems developed by Playcentre Aotearoa are implemented nationally. The federation is committed to offering more accessible localised training to respond to the needs of the community.
The key next steps for Atiamuri Playcentre leaders are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Atiamuri 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:
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:
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 Atiamuri Playcentre will be in three years.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
19 February 2019
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.
|
Location |
Atiamuri |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40077 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
12 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Girls 8 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2018 |
|
|
Date of this report |
19 February 2019 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
|
Education Review |
October 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
|
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Atiamuri Playcentre is a rural parent-led service that provides education and care for children from birth to school age. Located next to Atiamuri School, 30 km south west of Rotorua, the centre operates one morning session each week. The centre is licensed for 30 children, including up to 18 under the age of two years. At the time of this ERO review the centre had a roll of nine children including three babies and young toddlers.
Since the October 2013 ERO review there has been a change in the leadership of the centre and also a slight decline in its roll.
Atiamuri Playcentre operates under the umbrella of Rotorua Playcentre Association, which acts as its governing body. The association strongly endorses playcentre philosophy, and aims to empower parents to be the first and best educators of their children. It expects that parents will act as volunteer leaders and managers for their playcentre. The association employs staff to provide centre parents with guidance and support. The knowledgeable operations manager is readily available to assist with information, and an experienced centre support officer attends playcentre sessions and meetings to advise and mentor members. The association receives reports from the centre support officer and the centre that provide assurance of compliance with licensing, health and safety and other operational requirements.
Playcentres offer a recognised adult education qualification, designed to assist parents to provide appropriate learning opportunities for their children. The association offers training towards this qualification for all members. In addition, the association recently provided professional development through a Ministry of Education contract. An experienced tutor assisted the association and its centres to use self review to promote and evaluate the organisation’s strategic goals.
Through its strategic plan, the association provides a framework for centres to set their development goals. These relate to their Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitment, the vibrancy of their communities of learning, their recognition in the wider community, and their sustainable future.
This review was part of a cluster of six playcentre reviews in the Rotorua Playcentre Association.
Atiamuri Playcentre continues to provide a valuable service for the Atiamuri community.
The centre is led by an enthusiastic group of parents who are committed to providing a quality service for children and parents in this rural community. They are well supported by two experienced and knowledgeable centre life members who attend the weekly sessions. These important playcentre members have higher levels of playcentre qualifications and provide effective and ongoing mentoring for the parents. At the time of this ERO review several of the parents were undertaking playcentre training.
Children enjoy participating in a child-initiated programme alongside their parents, playcentre friends, and in some cases their siblings. Particular strengths of the programme include:
The spacious outdoor play area provides many opportunities for children to learn about their natural world, to explore, and to experience safe physical challenge. The centre’s home-like building includes a specifically resourced area for babies and toddlers that allow them to learn and explore in a calm and settled environment. The centre has an extensive range of learning resources, many of which reflect New Zealand’s natural environment. Parents ensure that these resources are well maintained and are easily accessible to children.
Parent leaders are conscious of recognising New Zealand’s bicultural heritage. Te ao Māori is celebrated in wall displays featuring te reo Māori and also in many of the centre’s resources.
A strong feature of the centre is the caring and nurturing relationships among adults and children. Parents actively participate alongside children in play. ERO observed parents thoughtfully responding to children’s emerging interests and learning by adding complexity to the play. Children have many opportunities to develop their problem solving, oral language and social skills.
Parents appreciate the opportunity while at playcentre to share with and learn about others parenting experiences and knowledge.
As a result of the recent self review of assessment practices, parents have developed several useful processes that support them to identify their children’s emerging interests and next learning steps.
Portfolios provide a colourful and well-presented record of each child’s involvement in the programme. These are greatly valued by parents and are well used by children to revisit previous learning experiences.
An important next step for parents is to complete a self review of assessment processes. This should support parents to embed the development of recently introduced assessment practices that support them to identify and extend on children’s emerging interests and next learning steps.
The association has agreed that recognising and celebrating learning for both adults and children is an essential part of valuing the ‘Playcentre experience’. Adding a goal to the association and centre strategic plans for identifying and building on programme successes would focus attention on the quality of learning opportunities and outcomes for children.
To implement this goal, agreed indicators are needed that identify effective teaching practices that build programme success. These indicators should include interactions that foster children’s language development, and intentional teaching strategies to engage in, and extend, children’s learning.
Consideration could also be given to including a responsibility for identifying and modelling quality teaching interactions, and providing feedback, as part of centre support visits. Including references to Ministry of Education guidelines would assist centres to evaluate their programmes and identify areas for further improvement.
Before the review, the staff and management of Atiamuri 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:
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:
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 Atiamuri Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
15 May 2015
|
Location |
near Rotorua |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
40077 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
9 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 5 Girls 4 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
9 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
|
|
Date of this report |
15 May 2015 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2013 |
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
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.