Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust

Education institution number:
40249
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Definition:
Non-denominational
Total roll:
37
Telephone:
Address:

220 Church Street, Palmerston North

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Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust

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 Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust are as follows:

Outcome Indicators 

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) 

​​Whakaū Embedding​ 

Ngā Akatoro Domains 

 
Learning Conditions 
Organisational Conditions 

Whakaū Embedding​ 

Whakaū Embedding​ 

2 Context of the Service

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust is a Christian community-based service governed by a board of trustees. A recently appointed centre leader guides a teaching team of seven qualified staff. Of the tamariki enrolled a small number identify as Māori. Some progress has been made in response to the improvement recommendations in ERO’s 2021 report relating to improving the bicultural curriculum and understanding of internal evaluation.

3 Summary of findings

The Christian philosophy and the service’s learning priorities are woven through a gospel-led curriculum. The environment is calm, caring, and responsive to the needs of each tamaiti. Kaiako are reflective and work closely alongside tamariki to initiate meaningful learning experiences in a well-resourced environment. Tamariki with additional learning needs are well supported by leaders, kaiako, outside agencies and through collaboration with whānau.

Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are naturally included in routines and rituals. Kaupapa Māori concepts of tuakana/teina and wairuatanga are upheld through the positive interactions of kaiako that nurture the social and emotional wellbeing of tamariki. Tamariki show a strong sense of whanaungatanga. The service’s acknowledgement of mana whenua continues to develop.

Aspects of the cultures and languages of all tamariki are reflected in the physical environment. Kaiako continue to grow their professional knowledge of ways to respond to the diverse cultures of families in their community.

The learning of tamariki is well supported by the knowledge and expertise of leaders and kaiako. Kaiako are increasingly intentional in using the learning outcomes in Te Whārikithe early childhood curriculum to inform the experiences provided. Group planning is drawn from noticing and responding to the interests of tamariki. Parent and whānau aspirations are gathered and inform how kaiako plan to extend the learning of each tamaiti. These partnerships with whānau are learning-focused and anchored in relational trust.

Management systems effectively contribute to the service achieving its strategic direction, vision, and improvement goals. The wellbeing and learning of tamariki are prioritised in decision-making. Team evaluation and inquiry is focused on improving outcomes for tamariki. Deepening understandings of how to use evaluation processes to determine the difference improvements make for the learning of tamariki is an area to further embed.

4 Improvement actions

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Increase the capability of kaiako to deliver a bicultural curriculum for all tamariki.
  • Increase the understanding and use of internal evaluation across the teaching team. 

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

16 August 2024

6 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameCrossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust
Profile Number40249
LocationPalmerston North
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 45 children, including up to 15 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll40
Review team on siteJune 2024 
Date of this report16 August 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, December 2021; Education Review, October 2018

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust

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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learnersWhakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakaū Embedding

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust is a not-for-profit, community-based service. Morning and afternoon programmes cater for children from birth to five years. The philosophy forefronts Christian values, relationships and partnerships with families from a diverse ethnic community. The principles of the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Whāriki, early childhood curriculum, underpin centre practices.

3 Summary of Findings

Children enjoy positive relationships alongside peers and adults. An inclusive environment reinforces social and cultural values and beliefs.  Children communicate confidently and demonstrate a sense of belonging and wellbeing.

Transitions into the centre respond to individual children’s needs and are reinforced by teachers and parents. Infants and toddlers’ exploration is promoted within a nurturing environment. Additional learning support enables children’s full participation in a responsive curriculum. Their interests and wonderings are highlighted as they engage confidently to grow alongside others. Interactions foster children’s sustained dialogue and participation.

Teachers are refining and improving their evaluative lens to be increasingly responsive to learners. The planned curriculum prioritises learning outcomes for children. The progress of children’s interests, skills and dispositions are recorded in portfolio narratives.

Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are promoted through centre protocols, interactions and learning experiences. Te ao Māori curriculum and implementation are informed by iwi narratives. Children share their pepeha, use te reo Māori and enact Māori values and beliefs of manaakitanga, ako, tuakana teina and wairuatanga.

Quality education for children informs decisions to build teacher capability. The professional growth model is being implemented. Mentoring and learning is building critical reflection. Children’s learning is enhanced through differing teaching approaches.

Leaders are embedding evaluation and inquiry for improvement, that continues to be strengthened and developed. Gathering information and linking to identified strategies are yet to fully inform and support children’s learning and wellbeing.

Governance systems prioritise equity and social justice for all children and whānau. Parent aspirations inform the organisation’s philosophy, vision and plans. Children experience a responsive curriculum.

4 Improvement actions

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • to strengthen evaluation to more clearly show the impact of strategies and actions in improving teaching and learning outcomes for children
  • continue to enhance culture, language and identity through curriculum range and opportunities for all children
  • for leaders to continue to develop their knowledge and understanding of internal evaluation and build staff capability that promotes and supports positive changes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust 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.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

6 December 2021 

5 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service NameCrossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust
Profile Number40249
LocationPalmerston North
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for45 children, including up to 15 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers80-99%
Service roll86
Ethnic compositionMāori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 64, Other ethnic groups 18.
Review team on siteOctober 2021
Date of this report6 December 2021
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, October 2018; Education Review, October 2015.

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust - 24/10/2018

1 Evaluation of Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust

How well placed is Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust 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

Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust is a not-for-profit, community-based Christian early learning service. It is licensed for 40 children, including 15 aged up to two years. The centre serves a diverse ethnic community. Of the 102 enrolled, seven identify as Māori.

The centre runs morning and afternoon programmes. The 'Explorers' group operates in the morning where children from birth to five years can attend with their parent. A separate programme, 'Bright Futures', is for older children who may attend all day. Flexible enrolment times are offered to families. Many children attend casually or part-time.

The centre is governed by a trust board and is part of the ministry of Crossroads Church.

There have been several changes in leadership since the October 2015 ERO report. The centre leader, appointed in 2017, is responsible for day-to-day operation and supported by five registered teachers, an employed kaitiaki and volunteers.

The philosophy emphasises the importance of Christian values, relationships and partnerships with families. The intent of the Treaty of Waitangi is acknowledged and valued.

Areas for development identified in the previous ERO report included evaluation of programmes and practices to determine their impact on children's learning; and implementation of bicultural practices. Recent progress has been made.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from warm and respectful interactions. They freely access a good range of materials linked to their own interests and confidently participate in the learning programme. The outdoor area is well developed to support physically active play. Regular excursions into the local community and visitors to the centre add richness to the programme.

Teachers are kind, respectful and responsive to children and promote and sustain their interests. Developing learning partnerships with parents is well facilitated. Children with additional needs and those who are English as second language learners are well supported. Knowledge and use of external agencies is accessed when required.

Beliefs expressed in the philosophy strongly underpin practice and operation. As a next step, teachers should consider identifying valued learning outcomes for children and strategies used. These actions should support teachers to measure the effectiveness of programme implementation.

Teachers sensitively respond to infants and toddlers. These learners attend with parents from a young age for a few hours a week. This provides parents with an opportunity to engage with their child in the programme, as well as support for each other. Teachers should consider how to purposefully record the participation and learning of these children in their learning portfolios.

The Church and centre are very supportive of families, actively valuing their input. Employment of a kaitiaki is evidence of this strong commitment.

The daily programme is largely based on children's emerging interests and needs. Literacy, mathematics and arts are well integrated into learning experiences. A bicultural perspective is evident in the programme. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are valued. Leaders agree they should continue to build their approach by seeking suitable resources, information and iwi connections.

Teachers continue to develop their approach to planning for learning. Professional development is supporting implementation of the revised early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki. The centre leader agrees that a stronger focus is required to consistently show:

  • individual children's strengths and interests
  • strategies teachers will use to progress children's learning and the impact of these
  • what learning is valued.

Attractive children's portfolios record narratives and photographs of their participation and aspects of their learning. Some links to the curriculum plan are evident. Teachers should consider:

  • increasing the visibility of children's cultures in documentation
  • deepening the analysis of learning in narratives
  • how well they are recording children's progress over time
  • strengthening the assessment process for children who attend the 'Explorers' programme.

A useful appraisal process, supported by recent Education Council professional development, is in place. The centre leader has implemented this well to build the quality of professional practice. A next step is to develop appraisal of the centre leader.

Children's transitions are carefully planned. The 'Bright Futures' group for older children specifically focuses on building their leadership and skills in making 'wise' choices, in readiness for school. Information from local schools is available for families to support the move to school.

Self review is becoming established as a tool to promote improvement. A next step is to embed understanding and use of the agreed framework and support teachers' shared understanding of internal evaluation.

The trust is well informed about teaching, learning and day-to-day management through centre leaders' reporting. A vision for the future operation that is more inclusive of church and centre relationships is being considered. A next step is to strengthen guidelines for governance roles and responsibilities to ensure sustainability of practice and operation.

Key Next Steps

ERO and management representatives agree that teachers, leaders and trustees should continue to strengthen:

  • planning for learning
  • cultural responsiveness
  • guidelines for governance
  • internal evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified non-compliance in relation to governance and management, and health and safety. The service provider must ensure:

  • suitable human resource management practices are implemented including appraisal for the centre leader.
    [Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, GMA7]

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Crossroads Early Childhood Centre Trust will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

24 October 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

LocationPalmerston North
Ministry of Education profile number40249
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for40 children, including up to 15 aged under 2
Service roll102
Gender compositionGirls 55, Boys 47
Ethnic compositionMāori 
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups
7
73 
22
Percentage of qualified teachers80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:1Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:5Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteSeptember 2018
Date of this report24 October 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewOctober 2015
Education ReviewNovember 2012
Education ReviewApril 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.