101 Coulter Rd, Henderson, Waitakere
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 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 Henderson Valley Private Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whakatō Emerging |
Henderson Valley Private Kindergarten is one of two services under the same ownership. The qualified owner oversees governance and curriculum operations. The service’s rural setting supports a curriculum where children are able to engage with the natural world. A small number of children enrolled are Māori or from Pacific heritages.
Children experience a curriculum where the development of a positive learning culture is at the heart of the philosophy and strategic vision. A high level of engagement between children and the teaching team provides support for children’s developing social competence. As a result, the environment is calm and settled.
The team is in the early stages of developing a culturally responsive curriculum. Some te ao Māori concepts are used within the service’s values and basic te reo is woven into the daily curriculum through karakia and waiata. Leaders and teachers recognise that they now need to strengthen their knowledge and cultural competences to enable them to offer a rich bicultural curriculum.
The service is beginning to consider equity for their learners through the implementation of individual planning for children with additional learning needs. A responsive approach from the team ensures learners are cared for and that integration into play and transitions are undertaken with ongoing respect.
Learning focused partnerships have been established with parents. Teachers consistently seek parent voice and use the information to inform individual goals for children. Teaching strategies are not yet recorded or evaluated to show how well this response is supporting children’s learning progression.
The service’s vision, systems and priorities for improvement focus on children’s learning and wellbeing. A system for internal evaluation has been developed, although it does not yet sufficiently consider, or measure the impact of change on outcomes for learners. At this time the conditions which support the development of leadership capabilities among the team have not yet been established. The collective capability of staff needs to strengthen to l better support decision making, progression of learning and ongoing improvement.
Henderson Valley Private Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Henderson Valley Private Kindergarten 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:
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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS9, HS17
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
13 August 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Henderson Valley Private Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 45473 |
| Location | Henderson, Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 65 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 55 |
| Review team on site | May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 13 August 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, August 2019; Education Review, November 2015 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Titirangi Private Kindergarten - Rural Campus is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Titirangi Private Kindergarten - Rural Campus in Henderson Valley, is one of two privately owned centres. It provides sessional or all-day education and care for up to 39 children over two years of age. There are small groups of children with Māori or other ethnic backgrounds.
The service's philosophy promotes children's confidence and acknowledges the importance of partnership between teachers and families. Teachers aim to provide predictable routines and encourage children to grow in knowledge and experiences in preparation for school. Features of the service are spacious environments and opportunities to interact with farm animals.
The licensee holds a full practising teacher certificate and is responsible for the service's governance and management. He leads the teaching team and is supported by three registered teachers, one of whom is the centre supervisor, and two other staff members. The owner has a leadership role, working with local schools in the Kōtuitui Community of Learning | Kāhui Ako.
The 2015 ERO report identified parents' enthusiastic support and noted that children interacted confidently and cooperatively. The report recommended improvements in assessment, planning and evaluation, including sharing written information with whānau about their children's learning progress. It also noted the need to improve understanding about changes in legislation and licensing requirements in relation to children's safety. While some progress has been made there is still work to be done to strengthen curriculum documentation, teacher appraisal, management and administration practices.
Warm, responsive relationships underpin centre practices. Parents and children are greeted on arrival by staff. Children settle well and engage in play in the spacious, well-resourced learning environment. Children converse confidently with each other and approach adults for comfort, care and individual needs. They show care and concern for others, are eager learners, and demonstrate a sense of belonging.
Teachers are warm and encouraging as they guide children’s learning. They enact their philosophy of providing predictable routines to support children's sense of security. Children play either inside or outdoors at set times each day.
Children have good opportunities to explore, be adventurous and physically active in the large outside area. Teachers know children and families very well and provide a language rich curriculum. They demonstrate intentional teaching and encourage children to share their ideas.
The structured programme prioritises the development of oral language, literacy, numeracy and social competence skills. There is an emphasis on preparing children for school and supporting their transition to school. Children participate in mat times, games and activities, and access a wide variety of resources.
Teachers promote the use of te reo Māori at mat times and sing waiata with the children. Displays and resources reflect their bicultural commitment. Children with additional learning needs are integrated into the programme. Teachers are inclusive and responsive, and work closely with parents and external agencies.
Leaders and teachers engage in informal and purposeful daily internal evaluation. They have end-of-session meetings to discuss their observations, often with a focus on individual children's behaviour, and some group planning. Group planning that reflects Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, is well established. Teachers are aware they should focus planning and assessment on children's individual interests and dispositions for learning, and make their extension of child-led learning more visible in assessment and planning documentation.
The kindergarten has well-established leadership and extensive connections with local schools, and wider educational community. Leaders and the teaching team are reviewing their strategic plan, which is closely aligned to their philosophy. They could consider how to better reflect Te Whāriki, through this review, leading to likely improvements in teaching practice and children's learning outcomes. As part of the centre's internal evaluation, increasing the rigour and analysis of regular parent surveys would also help to identify ways to enhance practices.
Leaders and staff would benefit from accessing external support to build capacity and improve practices across different areas of service operations, including internal evaluation, teaching and learning, governance and management.
Leaders and teachers agree that their next steps are to:
Since the on-site phase of this ERO review, the owner has taken steps to address aspects of practice and documentation that did not meet legal requirements.
A new steering committee provides opportunities for parents to contribute to centre review and development.
Some policies and procedures have been adapted to reflect requirements, particularly those relating to safety checking of staff.
The owner has established a centre manager role to provide management and leadership, and to ensure that regulatory requirements are met at all times.
ERO has requested an action plan from the service provider that shows how priorities for improvement will be addressed. ERO will request progress updates against the plan.
Before the review, the staff and management of Titirangi Private Kindergarten - Rural Campus 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to health and safety, governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8,17,28,31, GMA6,7,7A; Children's Act 2014.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
2 August 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 | Henderson, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 45473 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 39 children aged over 2 years | ||
| Service roll | 44 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 24 Boys 20 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā other ethnic groups | 3 36 5 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | May 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 2 August 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | November 2015 | |
| Education Review | September 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:
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.
Titirangi Private Kindergarten Rural Campus is situated in Henderson Valley and provides flexible options, including full day sessions, for up to 39 children over two years of age. Teacher practice reflects the centre’s philosophy that children's “happiness, academic growth and behaviour results from them forming a positive self-image at an early age.”
Children have opportunities to interact with farm animals and play in spacious indoor and outdoor environments. They are well cared for and interact confidently and cooperatively with each other and adults.
The supportive and collaborative relationship between the experienced owners, centre management and teachers benefits centre operations. They have identified ways of including parent contributions and ideas more in decision making about the centre’s strategic direction.
The centre supervisor and teachers have developed systems to improve and sustain recommendations from the 2012 ERO report.
Children are supported by teachers to develop their social skills and interests. As a result of positive changes, children benefit from teachers who recognise and respond to incidental learning opportunities. This practice contributes to children settling well to their play and making friends. Children have opportunities to learn independently and collaboratively. They interact confidently with others in their play in an unhurried centre environment.
Teachers know children and their families well. Relationships between teachers and children, and between teachers and parents, are warm and respectful. Teachers help children to interact in caring ways and to develop empathy towards others. High teacher ratios provide very good opportunities for adults to interact with individual children and to support their learning. Children are encouraged to try new experiences and explore areas of play independently. They have meaningful opportunities to develop understandings about the natural environment.
Children’s transitions to and within the centre are well managed. Teachers are committed to helping children and families experience a seamless move to school. They are currently developing partnerships with local schools to help strengthen this important transition in children’s lives.
Programme planning and assessment has been refined since the 2012 ERO review in order to support each child in their growth and development. The supervisor has successfully promoted processes for recognising and responding to children’s learning dispositions. As a result of her leadership, there are some good examples of teachers extending individual children’s learning. These models of sustained, extended play provide a basis for further enhancing high quality teaching and learning practices.
Teachers meet to discuss daily observations of children's learning. This responsive approach to planning ensures that teachers support children's mathematical and literacy development. A next step for teachers in planning for children’s emerging interests is to consider ways of recording and sharing children’s ongoing learning and development. These records of learning could provide children and families with a means for revisiting learning.
Other features of effective teaching practice in the centre include:
In response to the 2012 ERO report, teachers have also explored ways to enhance the centre’s bicultural development to improve outcomes for Māori children. Staff have sought and used the knowledge of whānau of Māori children to support this development. Teachers’ use of te reo Māori has now been extended beyond mat times to the rest of the programme.
ERO agrees with the centre’s self-identified next steps for ongoing improvement. Its self-review processes could be used to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Titirangi Private Kindergarten - Rural Campus 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.
To further improve practice, ERO and centre leaders agree that staff should be supported to understand changes in legislation and licensing requirements that impact on their role of ensuring children’s safety.
The next ERO review of Titirangi Private Kindergarten - Rural Campus will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer
Northern
5 November 2015
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 | Henderson Valley, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 45473 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 39 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 53 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 29 Girls 24 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Asian | 6 46 1 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Review team on site | July 2015 | ||
| Date of this report | 5 November 2015 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | September 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 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.