74 Bell Street, Featherston
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Bell Street Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
|
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
|
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
|
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
|
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Bell Street Early Learning Centre is one of two early childhood services under common, private ownership. The owners/managers are qualified and certificated early childhood kaiako. They work collaboratively with the assistant supervisor to undertake governance responsibilities and oversee professional learning and day-to-day operations. Tamariki play and learn together in a shared space.
Tamariki participate in a rich, play-based curriculum. Kaiako work alongside them following their interests and extending their learning. The learning environment is well resourced and thoughtfully presented to support a range of interests. Infants and toddlers are encouraged to explore, investigate freely, and play and learn alongside their peers. Kaiako maximise opportunities for them to practice their emerging skills. Social competence and emotional wellbeing of tamariki are well supported to build their identity as successful learners.
Kaiako knowledge and understanding of bicultural practice has been enhanced through recent professional learning and development. Aspects of tikanga Māori are woven through the curriculum and at times some teachers use te reo Māori. Establishing a localised curriculum has been a collaborative focus within the centre community and with local iwi. This approach promotes a sense of belonging for tamariki and their whānau.
Tamariki with additional learning needs are well supported by kaiako who use a systematic and responsive approach to identify and respond to needs. Appropriate liaison with external agencies occurs, which assists them to provide a targeted learning programme.
The quality of the assessment documentation of tamariki is variable. A more intentional focus has recently been established incorporating parents’ aspirations for learning for their tamati, however further work is required of kaiako for this to satisfactorily inform goal setting for tamariki. Assessment practices are mana enhancing and provide parents with an insight into how their tamariki are participating in the programme and, at times, learning. However, information about progress is not always explicit. Kaiako are beginning to explore the use of learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Self-review is well led and supports the service to make ongoing improvements to practice. Relevant literature is drawn on to generate solutions and guide decision making. A useful internal evaluation framework is in place but not yet well understood.
Leaders foster collaboration and network to share expertise across the wider education community.
Bell Street Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Bell Street Early Learning Centre 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
6 October 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Bell Street Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 45057 |
| Location | Featherston |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
23 children, including up to 8 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
38 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 24, Other ethnic groups 7. |
|
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
6 October 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2018; Education Review, June 2015. |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Bell Street Early Learning Centre is a privately owned education and care service, situated in Featherston. The co-owners also operate Bell St Early Learning Centre Ltd in Martinborough. The centre is licensed for 23 children, including eight up to two years of age. The current roll of 38 includes a number of families from diverse ethnicities. Seven children identify as Māori. Thoughtfully organised learning areas cater for the needs of infants, toddlers and young children in a mixed-age setting.
Daily operation is overseen by the owner/supervisor. Four teachers are qualified and certificated and one is provisionally certificated.
The philosophy emphasises the importance of an environment that values strong parent/staff relationships being paramount to good quality care and education.
Since the June 2015 ERO report professional development has been undertaken by staff in response to ERO's findings. Progress in addressing key next steps is evident.
The owners' clear vision sets direction for the centre within a small, homelike setting. The philosophy reflects shared values and beliefs and is evident in teachers' practice. Staff understand the importance of relationships. They show a readiness to work collaboratively to determine parents' aspirations and expectations and responsively achieve them. Parents arriving at the centre are welcomed.
Children engage in a range of child-initiated, play-based experiences for the majority of their time at the centre. Teachers introduce a variety of learning opportunities that are planned by adults as part of the group programme planning. Mathematics and literacy learning feature meaningfully, at times, throughout the curriculum. Observations of children in everyday activities help to build a picture of what they know, understand, feel and can do. Teachers should continue to build their capability in assessment for learning to enhance positive outcomes for children.
Teachers show respectful and affirming relationships with children. They are supportive and play alongside them. Children’s interactions with each other are amicable. Staff respond promptly to learners' requests, and their physical and emotional needs.
Programme provision for very young children focuses on nurturing wellbeing through responsive care giving. Play is valued as a vehicle for learning. Tuakana teina relationships between older and younger children are highly evident and supportive. There are ample opportunities for infants and toddlers to be active communicators and explorers.
Teachers are developing their understanding of ways that reflect and respond to Māori learners. They increasingly incorporate te ao Māori into the programme as a part of children’s daily experiences. Programmes for children include Māori concepts, knowledge, customs, values and beliefs. Teachers should continue to increase their capability to be responsive to Māori children’s culture, language and identity.
Children’s sense of belonging is important when settling into the centre and moving on to school. The focus of teachers on seamless transition has led to increased sharing of useful information to assist parents when choosing a school for their child. The service should continue establishing positive relationships with contributing schools, so that children’s confidence and capability at the centre transfers to the next phase of their education.
Leadership is supportive. Clear expectations for centre operation are provided through a recently developed strategic and annual planning. Following professional training, the owners and teachers are introducing more robust internal evaluation processes. Appraisal systems include stronger use of evidence and clearer next steps for teachers’ development. These practices are likely to contribute to professional growth, decision-making and enriched outcomes for children and their families.
Leaders and teachers should continue to use developing internal evaluation processes to inquire into the effectiveness of teaching and strengthen:
assessment and planning practices to guide teaching and learning
responsiveness to Māori children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Bell Street Early Learning Centre 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Bell Street Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
29 May 2018
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 |
Featherston |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45057 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
23 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
38 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 21, Girls 17 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
April 2018 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 May 2018 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2012 |
||
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.