Kumeu Childcare

ERO’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.

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Kumeu Childcare is a purpose-built centre that provides education and care in three learning spaces for different age groups of children. A small number of children attending are Māori. There are five qualified teachers and seven unqualified staff. This is the first ERO review of the service since it was sold in 2020.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop their understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The service curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Adults providing care and education engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The design and layout of the premises supports the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• documenting children’s languages and cultures more visibly within assessment of their learning

• strengthening documentation to better show individual children’s learning, interests, and whānau and life contexts.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

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

29 August 2022 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

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 licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• 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.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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.

1 Evaluation of Playschool Early Education Centre

How well placed is Playschool Early Education Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

This is the second Education Review for Playschool Early Learning Centre in Kumeu. The purpose built centre opened in 2011. In 2014 the centre was bought by the Evolve group, who own, manage and support the governance of a large number of Early Education Services. The centre is licensed for 100 children, including up to 35 children aged up to two years. Infants, toddlers and older children are catered for in three well designed spaces which include access to well appointed, child-centred outdoor learning areas.

The centre philosophy and vision guides and underpins all practices and developments at the centre. The philosophy and vision focus strongly on independence, creativity, and learning in an environment where children are encouraged to be explorers, make decisions and actively participate in the centre.

The centre is very effectively led and well managed by the new centre manager and three head teachers. High staff ratios allow for good quality interactions with children and their parents. The teaching team are committed to supporting children to become capable and confident, lifelong learners. Respectful relationships and children’s wellbeing continue to be nurtured by well qualified teachers who plan and develop programmes that respond to children's individual learning needs.

Since the last review, centre leaders have successfully built a capable professional teaching team who all share and actively contribute to the centre's philosophy, vision and direction. Self-review processes and bi-cultural practice have been strengthened. Parents' and whānau input into children’s learning has also been further developed.

The Review Findings

The centre's philosophy is well reflected in practice and underpins the emphasis on establishing and sustaining positive and respectful relationships. Children and their whānau are welcomed into the very well resourced centre. A warm, inclusive culture is strongly evident. Well planned and managed arrival routines enable children to freely access play equipment and activities. This supports them to settle quickly into self-directed play. Teachers' caring, unhurried interactions with children promote children's sense of wellbeing and fosters their strong sense of belonging.

Parents express high levels of satisfaction with the centre and the staff. They value communication with staff, authentic 'hands on learning', and successful transitions through the centre and on to school.

Children benefit from a rich curriculum that is well aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and to the Regio Emilia philosophy. The child-centred and well-paced learning programme builds on children's existing knowledge, emerging interests and individual learning dispositions. Children engage in sustained collaborative play and show respect for one another. They are supported to explore, create, problem solve and initiate their own inquiries. These strategies promote the development of children's independence and lifelong learning capabilities.

Children access a wide range of equipment and have many opportunities to make choices about their play. Teachers encourage children to self manage, initiate play with others, and build friendships. These social competencies and self-management skills should support children when they transition to school.

Teachers collaborate well, communicating with each other and responding quickly to children’s learning needs. They skilfully make good use of open-ended questioning that encourages children’s thinking and exploration. Children’s language skills are extended through meaningful contexts and sustained conversations with their teachers.

Te reo and tikanga Māori are interwoven through both the indoor and outdoor programmes. The unhurried pace in the centre and the respect that teachers have for the children gives children the opportunity to express themselves and direct their own learning.

Infants and toddlers enjoy an atmosphere of quiet, respectful, responsive care. Children's freedom of choice supports their individual exploration and physical movement. Children aged up to two years are settled and comfortable with their teachers and benefit from warm interactions with all staff. Teachers actively play with children. They provide many opportunities for children's curiosity and imagination to flourish and for children to learn through play. There are very good systems in place for teachers to keep parents well informed about their child’s day.

The outdoor areas are particularly inviting for children. They offer children a range of equipment and play options designed to capture their interests and meet their learning needs. There are good opportunities for children to develop their physical coordination, strength and agility. Children can construct, create and explore and enjoy natural and quiet spaces. ERO observed many individual children and groups of children happily engaged in sustained imaginative and creative play. Use of the local environment and adjoining bike track are special features of the programme. This provides children with opportunities for extended physical activity and to experience the facilities of their local community.

Parent feedback is regularly sought and used. Stories about children's learning are well documented online. Parents receive current information about the children's learning experiences. This enables parents to follow up and extend children's learning at home. Parents can also share children's emerging interests with teachers as they surface. As a result, richer partnerships with parents have been created and parents' contribution to their child's learning has been enhanced.

The owners and leadership team maintain knowledgeable and capable governance and oversight of the centre. The policy framework and management planning are sound. The highly capable centre manager has built a strong professional team. She strategically promotes high levels of team engagement and collaboration. Leaders and teachers participate in effective ongoing professional development to provide best practice in early childhood education and to make ongoing improvements to centre practices.

Leaders and teachers undertake in-depth review focused on improving all aspects of centre operations. They successfully invite parent contributions and feedback. Strengthening bi-cultural practice is an example of a recent review that has significantly and positively impacted on children and whanau's sense of identity and connection with the centre. Teachers reflect as a team and want to continue to deepen their inquiry into their individual practices. These approaches are very likely to enable staff to continue providing high quality care and education for children.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders and ERO agree that the next steps for the centre include continuing:

• to build the critical reflection of staff to further enhance the centre's focus on ongoing improvement
• to expand parents' understanding of lifelong learning and the role of early childhood education
• to share knowledge and leadership across the organisation to build and enhance leadership capability.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Playschool Early 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:

• 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. 

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Playschool Early Education Centre will be in four years. 

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

25 August 2016 

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 

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.