51 Edinburgh Street, Barrington, Christchurch
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 Building Blocks Community Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Building Blocks Community Kindergarten is one of four centres governed by the Building Blocks Community Trust. This trust has a close connection to the South-West Baptist Church. A recently appointed centre manager leads teaching teams across the trust. The kindergarten provides education and care for children aged two years to school age.
A varied and inclusive curriculum based on the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, empowers children as leaders of their own learning. Warm welcoming relationships encourage a sense of community for parents, whānau and children. Caring, learning focused relationships between kaiako and children promote social and emotional competence and independence. Children’s sense of belonging is fostered through these approaches.
Children’s learning and development are well supported by kaiako in a play-based context. Kaiako intentionally provide a learning environment that promotes rich language experiences and sustained interactions. Children have meaningful opportunities for leadership and decision making in the programme. They have contributed to the development of the outdoor environment to better reflect the local cultural narrative and te ao Māori perspectives. They are well supported as they prepare to transition to school.
Elements of te ao Māori and meaningful use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are integrated into the programme. Kaiako continue to develop their own knowledge and confidence to increasingly provide authentic opportunities for children to learn about the dual heritages of Aotearoa/New Zealand. The service is yet to establish intentional opportunities to engage with parents, whānau Māori and fanau Pacific to determine what educational success means for them.
Leaders and kaiako are strengthening assessment and planning practices. Assessment records focus on children’s strengths interests and learning dispositions. Children’s languages, cultures and identities and parent aspirations are not clearly visible in documentation. Kaiako and leaders are yet to carefully examine the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to identify what matters most for children’s learning.
Leaders intentionally foster trusting relationships and collaboration to encourage improvement and build teachers leadership capability. They advocate for, and alongside parents, children and whānau to ensure all children have access to meaningful education and care.
Internal evaluation processes are not yet used effectively to make decisions about change and improvement, particularly in relation to outcomes for children. Leaders continue to build teachers’ capability and understanding of effective internal evaluation.
Building Blocks Community Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Building Blocks Community Kindergarten 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
11 October 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Building Blocks Community Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 45785 |
| Location | Christchurch |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30, aged over two years. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 2, NZ European/Pākehā 18, Other ethnic groups 2. |
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Review team on site |
July 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
11 October 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, October 2016; Education Review, May 2013. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Building Blocks Community Kindergarten is one of three centres governed by the Building Blocks Community Trust. This Trust has a close connection to the South West Baptist Church. A centre director is responsible for the day-to-day running of the centres. Each centre has an onsite team leader who also provides daily leadership within the programme.
Since the 2013 ERO reviews, there have been many changes in staff. These include changes in team leaders, teaching staff and the establishment of a new position of curriculum coach who works across all the centres. The majority of staff are fully trained early childhood teachers.
The centre provides care and education for up to 30 children aged from two years.
The centres are involved in regular meetings with other local early childhood services and schools to promote collaboration and sharing of effective practices.
The centre has made good progress in meeting the recommendations of the 2013 ERO report.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews of the centres governed by the Building Blocks Community Trust.
The Christian philosophy is visible and evident in the environment and programmes.
Teachers promote effective relationships with children and families. Teachers have positive and learning-focused interactions with children. They help children think and talk about their ideas, play and choices. Children are supported to develop successful social behaviours.
Teachers provide a good range of activities and resources to support children’s learning. They set up interesting play environments that are purposefully linked to individual children’s interests, strengths and abilities.
Managers and teachers use a range of personalised practices to successfully support children with diverse needs and their families.
Teachers effectively incorporate aspects of te reo and tikanga Māori in programmes and practices. This has been an ongoing focus of self review and professional learning and development.
Managers have developed stronger systems and practices for building teachers' capacity. They have a good understanding of where teachers' strengths in teaching and learning are, and work to address issues when these arise. Teachers are provided with useful feedback to help them support children’s learning in more effective ways.
Managers have developed clearer guidelines and formats for planning and assessment. These are helping teachers focus more on being responsive to children’s individual interests and abilities. Useful guidelines for self review and teacher reflection constructively support teachers to increase their understanding of these processes.
Managers and teachers are making effective use of professional learning and development to improve aspects of practice and consistency across the centres. They have focused on growing centre leadership, especially at the team leader level, and establishing higher expectations for teaching and learning.
The Trust is now more involved in the governance of the centres. It has worked collaboratively with staff on the centre’s vision, mission and values.
Centre managers and ERO agree that the key next steps to improving outcomes for children’s learning include:
implementing consistent planning, assessment and self-review practices
using self-review findings to strengthen transition processes to support children as they move on to school
strengthening appraisal to build on and support teachers’ professional practice including reflecting on the effectiveness of their teaching
extending trustees', managers' and teachers' understandings of supporting success as Māori
more clearly defining key roles and responsibilities in leadership and strengthening strategic planning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Building Blocks Community Kindergarten 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.
The next ERO review of Building Blocks Community Kindergarten will be in three years.
Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
12 October 2016
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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45785 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, two years and older |
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Service roll |
33 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 19; Boys 14 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā African Other Ethnicities |
2 23 3 5 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2016 |
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Date of this report |
12 October 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report |
Education Review |
May 2013 |
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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.