Angels Childcare - New Lynn

Education institution number:
45577
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
112
Telephone:
Address:

32 Arawa St, New Lynn, Waitakere

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Angels Childcare - New Lynn

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 Angels Childcare - New Lynn are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Whakawhanake Sustaining

2 Context of the Service

Angels Childcare - New Lynn is privately owned. It operates from a purpose-built centre which can cater for 130 children. The centre community is diverse, and this diversity is supported by a team of teachers who reflect the cultures of the children attending. The centre’s team is led by an experienced centre manager who encourages shared leadership among the team.

3 Summary of findings

Children experience a curriculum which supports them to be capable and competent learners. They demonstrate strong social skills and can express their thoughts and feelings with ease. Children show a sense of agency, independence, and decision making, supported by intentional teaching practices. Teachers understand and enact current theories of early childhood education and child development. An ongoing focus for the service is deepening the understanding and implementation of a local curriculum.

Children’s languages, cultures and identity are valued and visible. These are displayed in the environment and noted in planning and assessment documentation. Leaders work collaboratively with whānau and external agencies to understand children’s individual needs, providing authentic opportunities for them to contribute to the curriculum. Through this whakawhanaungatanga, children’s mana and sense of belonging are enhanced.

Kaiako who work with infants and toddlers provide education and care that maintains a calm pace and is centred within the values of aroha and respect. Care practices are culturally located, and careful consideration is given to replicate the child’s home experience.

Leadership and kaiako practices enable all children to participate fully in the curriculum. The service successfully engages strategies for removing barriers to children’s learning. As a result, children are provided with equitable opportunities to succeed.

Professional learning ensures leaders and kaiako have the knowledge needed to respond meaningfully to children. They engage in critical reflection to develop an understanding of why things happen and what changes need to be made. Coaching and mentoring practices are well developed, and relational trust is evident at all levels.

Evaluation practices are well embedded. They support growth and improvement throughout the service’s learning and organisational conditions. Leaders share knowledge of successful practices with whānau, the community, and the wider education sector. Collaboration with the local kāhui ako has begun the development of a shared understanding about effective transition practices. Leaders and kaiako will continue with this initiative as a way of further influencing positive change in this important transition for children, families and whānau.

4 Improvement actions

Angels Childcare - New Lynn will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. Leaders and teachers will continue:

  • deepening the service’s local curriculum
  • exploring ways to foster relationships, share initiatives and quality practices between the service and the wider education community
  • influencing strong transitions to school to meet the needs of all children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Angels Childcare - New Lynn 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.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

20 July 2022 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Angels Childcare - New Lynn
Profile Number 45577
Location New Lynn, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

130 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

129

Ethnic composition

Māori 17%, NZ European/Pākehā 20%, Samoan 16%,
Indian 13%, Tongan 8%, Filipino 6%, Chinese 5%,
other Asian 5%, other Pacific 4%, other ethnic groups 6%

Review team on site

May 2022

Date of this report

20 July 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, May 2019; Education Review, July 2015

Angels Childcare - New Lynn - 23/05/2019

1 Evaluation of Angels Childcare - New Lynn

How well placed is Angels Childcare - New Lynn to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Angels Childcare - New Lynn is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Angels Childcare - New Lynn is privately owned and operates from a purpose-built centre. The centre is licensed for 130 children, including 25 children up to two years of age. Children come from culturally diverse backgrounds, and the roll includes a small number of Māori children.

Christian values and the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are reflected in the centre programmes. Relationships and aroha guide the centre's philosophy. Staff are committed to providing a child-focused environment where children feel a strong sense of love and belonging.

The experienced centre manager is assisted by a curriculum leader and a team of predominantly qualified staff. Head teachers in five rooms have responsibility for care routines and programme implementation. Some teachers are of the same cultural backgrounds as some families, and are able to speak with children in their home languages.

The centre provides a 'Free Kindy' service for children from three to five years of age. It offers three sessions free of charge for those parents who are either studying, seeking employment or do not require full-day care for their children.

Since ERO's 2015 report, there has been a focus on embedding good practices, refining planning and assessment, and strengthening bicultural practices.

The Review Findings

Children enjoy periods of uninterrupted play in a culturally diverse and inclusive environment. Teachers know the children well and there is a strong sense of respect and belonging in the centre. Children have easy access to a variety of resources and make independent choices about their play.

Infants and toddlers have their own rooms and outdoor play area. They move around the centre freely enjoying many opportunities to make choices. Routines are unhurried, and respectful care practices support the development of self-help skills and independence. Teachers skilfully foster children's developing language. Parents are kept well informed of their children's routines and progress through daily communications.

The experienced teachers work collaboratively. They demonstrate an understanding of children through their discussions and written observations. Teachers have focused on child-led learning and ensuring their dispositions are supported. Teachers' understanding of Te Whāriki and Tātaiako Cultural Competencies for Teachers of Maori Learners, is woven into learning programmes.

Teachers' knowledge of children's learning is documented well in their individual portfolios. Programme planning is responsive to children's interests, and parents receive good information about their children's learning and development. They have opportunities to learn about science and the natural environment, as well as developing their physical capability and imaginative play in the spacious outdoor area.

A strong commitment to biculturalism is evident in the way that bicultural practices enrich the programme. Teachers value and are committed to incorporating the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in their practices. Te reo Māori is used confidently in the context of children's play, and at group times. Teachers model good practice and help colleagues to develop their knowledge and skills. Teachers respond to the multicultural community by sharing their languages and cultures with the children.

Relationships with parents and whānau are well established. Parents appreciate the care and nurturing their children receive across the centre. Written surveys, informal discussions and electronic communications are used to support parents to be partners in their children's learning. Teachers have strengthened their focus on building learning partnerships with families. Transitions between the rooms are managed very well.

Thoughtful presentation of the environment and a wide variety of resources foster children's creativity. The print and photo rich walls illustrate the learning that is happening in the centre for the parent community. Children's cultures are well represented in displays.

Leaders work collaboratively and are supported by external advisers. Teachers' individual strengths and interests are recognised. Individual inquiry goals provide opportunities for further professional development and leadership. Leaders are supporting new teachers to build their evaluative practice through the appraisal system. Targeted professional learning and internal evaluation have helped to ensure good quality can be maintained.

Centre leadership is effective. Leaders have a clear vision and a strong commitment to building teachers' capability and leadership. A sound policy and management framework guides practice. Comprehensive internal evaluation processes have been established. The leadership team has created a professional learning culture based on high expectations and continuous improvement.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps include:

  • continuing to strengthen the documentation of parent aspirations in their child's assessment records
  • extending children's critical thinking through planning
  • recognising and responding more purposefully to children’s prior knowledge
  • continuing to refine the use of evaluative questions to deepen and increase the rigour of internal evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Angels Childcare - New Lynn 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.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

23 May 2019

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

Location

New Lynn, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

45577

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

130 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

139

Gender composition

Girls 52% Boys 48%

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Indian/Asian
Samoan
African
other ethnic groups

11%
32%
28%
12%
4%
13%

Percentage of qualified teachers

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

March 2019

Date of this report

23 May 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

July 2015

Supplementary Review

May 2011

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

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.

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.