29 Brightside Road, Whangaparaoa-Auckland
View on mapERO’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.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education Centre is a privately owned service. A qualified centre owner is responsible for daily operations. She leads a team of three qualified teachers and five unqualified staff. At the time of the review, approximately 20 percent of children enrolled have Māori heritage.
The service curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decision making about their own learning.
Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. Information and guidance is sought, when necessary, from agencies and services to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents.
Service leaders must ensure regulatory standards are implemented, monitored, and maintained.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
having a current fire evacuation scheme that is approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand
ensuring that when hazards are checked, considerations of hazards must include but is not limited to cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, and other hazardous materials, hazards present in the laundry facilities, vandalism, dangerous objects, foreign materials (e.g. broken glass, animal droppings) and windows and other areas of glass
ensuring water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60° Celsius
having excursion records that include the full documentation requirements of this criterion; and ensures that there is evidence of parental permission and approval of the adult: child ratios for regular and special excursions; and the signature of the person responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place
having a record of medicine given to children that includes written authority from parents for the administration of medicine in accordance with the requirement for the category of medicine, and evidence of parental acknowledgment that medication has been administered.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS4, HS12, HS14, HS17, HS28.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are appropriately secured (HS6).
Having evidence that the written emergency management plan is reviewed on an annual basis (HS7).
Ensuring the procedure for monitoring children’s sleep contains a provision which requires children to be checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing at least every five to ten minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs; that children do not have access to food or liquids while in bed; and having a record of the checks made by adults on sleeping children (HS9).
Having a written child protection policy which contains provisions for identifying abuse and neglect and a procedure which sets out how the service will respond to, and report, suspected child abuse and neglect (HS31).
Having a complaints procedure that includes the contact details of the local Ministry of Education office (GMA1).
Having a record of all safety checks and their results, including a documented risk assessment process that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
25 May 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Nam |
Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education Centre |
| Profile Number | 45065 |
| Location | Whangaparaoa, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
30 children over 2 years |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
42 |
|
Review team on site |
April 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
25 May 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2019 Education Review, May 2015 |
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 license to operate.
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.
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 regulatory 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education Centre provides a full-day education and care service for 30 children over two years of age. The centre is located in a converted house, and provides children with a home-like environment. The head teacher is one of the centre's co-owners. She leads a team of qualified teachers.
The centre's philosophy reflects a commitment to creating an inclusive learning community where children, whānau, teachers and the environment are respected. It is based on the teachings of Maria Montessori and aligns with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Montessori approaches are evident in the environment, resources and teacher interactions.
The 2015 ERO report commented positively about the quality care and education provided for children. Areas for development included self review and learning-focused relationships with whānau. ERO also recommended improvements in teachers' responsiveness to children with additional needs. Very good progress has been made in this area.
Children enjoy trusting relationships with adults and each other. They are very settled in the centre environment and play well alongside others. Teachers know the children and families well. Children and staff display a strong sense of belonging and enjoyment in the centre.
Routines are unhurried, children have opportunities to develop practical skills, and there is a strong sense of respect and calmness. Teachers' caring, inclusive practices ensure children with additional needs are able to participate in all activities.
Teachers work as a collaborative team, communicating well and supporting children as capable learners. They listen to children and respond to their ideas. Teachers provide learning experiences that encourage children to experiment and problem solve. Opportunities to develop independence and self-management skills support children as they transition to school. Teachers are developing useful relationships with neighbouring primary schools.
Carefully designed learning spaces allow children to choose from a variety of sensory, literacy, mathematical and culturally themed materials. Children can easily access resources and direct their own learning. A variety of resources in the outdoor space invite imaginative play, creativity and physical challenge.
Through the use of external support, teachers are increasing their knowledge of te ao Māori through the use of te reo, waiata, storytelling and aspects of tikanga Māori. Respect for the natural world is woven through the curriculum and evident in a focus on environmental sustainability.
Teachers notice, recognise and respond to children's emerging interests. They develop strategies for documenting assessment, planning, and evaluation. Individual records inform parents about their children's learning. Parents are encouraged to share their aspirations for their children and participate in decision making through consultation. Strengthening their planning focus on investigation and inquiry could help teachers support children to develop more complex play.
The owners and teachers are committed to ongoing improvement. Teachers' professional development is being supported by a relevant appraisal process and an external mentor. A more evaluative focus in the internal evaluation process would help to guide ongoing improvements in teaching practices. Developing an annual plan that aligns with the centre's strategic goals would also support centre operations.
Key next steps include:
strengthening internal evaluation processes through evaluative questioning and inquiry
planning deliberate acts of teaching to extend children's critical thinking
continuing to increase teachers' understanding of te ao Māori to guide their practice and documentation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
13 June 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 |
Whangaparaoa, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45065 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children over the age of 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
44 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 24 Girls 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 June 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
May 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 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:
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.
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.
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.
Montessori Beginnings is located in a converted house and provides children with a home-like environment. Programmes reflect the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and are guided by the Montessori learning approach to preschool education.
The centre provides a full day education and care service for up to 30 children over 2 years of age. The good level of qualified staff contributes to the centre’s professional culture. The head teacher is also one of the centre’s co-owners.
During 2014, new owners and staff have implemented changes, many of which have addressed the recommendations from the 2012 ERO report. Professional development has focused on refining self-review processes and on extending children’s learning. The centre now has more robust self review that is focused on improving outcomes for children.
Children benefit from friendly and calm relationships in the centre. This positive tone supports them to be capable, confident learners. Children direct their play and, therefore, their learning. They choose from a variety of sensory, literacy, mathematical and culturally themed materials in an uncluttered environment.
Children’s transitions into, and within the centre are well managed. Staff are committed to supporting children and families as children move to school. Teachers are developing partnerships with local schools to help strengthen this transition in children’s lives.
Teachers listen carefully to individual children and respond appropriately to their ideas. They access resources to cater for individual children’s emerging interests and stages of development. Children’s curiosity, thinking and complexity in play are encouraged by teachers’ skilful questions.
Children have opportunities to develop their sense of belonging and wellbeing. The centre’s unhurried programme supports children to learn by themselves, in pairs or in small groups. Children express their ideas knowing that their teachers will value and build on their contributions.
Teachers are focused on what is best for children. They engage in discussions with each other about ways they can modify their practice to meet individual children’s learning requirements. Planning and assessment is responsive to individual children’s interests and strengths. Teachers also use children’s preferences about ways of learning to shape the programme. Teachers actively contribute their ideas and talents to provide children with a curriculum that extends their thinking. Children experience literacy, mathematics and the sciences in the context of play.
Centre staff have explored ways to promote Māori children’s language and identity. Several innovations have successfully supported children’s sense of connection to each other and their local environment. Teachers provide children with a history of the area that includes the meaning of Whangaparaoa to Māori.
Very good progress has been made in building reciprocal relationships with a local marae. The planned development of the centre’s pepeha and plantings of native vegetation in the outdoor environment indicate the commitment of staff to the centre’s ongoing development of bicultural practices.
Parents value teachers’ good knowledge about their children. They are able to see clearly their children’s progress in assessment portfolios. Increasingly, parents provide learning stories to complement those recorded by teachers. They appreciate the way staff openly share information about their children’s strengths and interests.
Staff manage communications about possible additional support for children with special needs in a sensitive manner. Parents are informed about centre developments and are invited to provide centre owners with their feedback.
Effective leadership contributes to the good quality of education and care for children. The head teacher works collaboratively with staff to build a sense of teacher ownership of curriculum processes. A commitment to continuous improvement is evident.
Centre priorities are currently focused on revisiting the principles of Te Whāriki to inform philosophy and practice. An important priority is to explore ways that self review can be adapted to suit different purposes and contexts.
Governance and management of the centre is effective. The head teacher/owner has worked well to align operational systems and processes. While management provides staff with regular and timely feedback about their worth as team members, staff appraisal is yet to be formally implemented.
ERO is confident that the centre has the capability, through its good quality leadership, to sustain its successful practices that are focused on improving outcomes for children.
The centre’s planned next steps appropriately include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education 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.
The next ERO review of Montessori Beginnings Early Childhood Education Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
25 May 2015
|
Location |
Whangaparaoa, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45065 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
27 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 14 Girls 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
|||
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
25 May 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 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.