10 Kea Street, Piopio
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluations evaluate the extent to which early childhood services have 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 and Early Childhood Education (ECE) Improvement Framework (teacher led services) are the basis for making judgements about the quality of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Evaluations for improvement | Ngā Aronga Whai Hua is integrated across all of the above domains.
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 (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 Curious Keas Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators | ERO’s judgement |
| What the service knows about outcomes for learners | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning | Whāngai Establishing |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement | Whakatō Emerging |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement | Whakatō Emerging |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management | Whakatō Emerging |
Curious Keas Ltd is a mixed-age service catering to the rural area of Piopio. The privately owned service was established in 2012 by the owner to meet the needs of the community. Leaders and teachers within the centre enact a philosophy that promotes nurturing relationships as the basis of learning.
Children experience positive and responsive relationships with people and places that are important to them. Teachers and leaders know children and their families well, and this forms the basis of the daily curriculum. Parents and whānau are involved in the events that inform the developing local curriculum. There are established, reciprocal connections between the centre, local community, and schools within their area. Children benefit from a programme that reflects the local rural culture of the area.
Children of all ages are supported to be active learners who drive their own learning. The centre is well resourced and offers a range of challenging opportunities for learning, with teachers viewing children as capable and confident learners. Experiences and invitations to explore are based on children’s developmental stages and interests, supported by teacher professional knowledge. Children and teachers experience a calm and focussed environment, with time and space for individual and group interactions.
Teachers are in the early stages of developing assessment practices that reflect individual children’s learning over time. Current planning and assessment practices give a lens on what is happening for groups of children. However, a reflection of individual learner identity is not yet consistent. Children’s language, culture and identity through assessment, planning and evaluation systems and processes are not clearly evident.
Leaders and teachers are beginning to build their knowledge and understanding of effective internal evaluation. The service is exploring how collaborative inquiry can support teachers to reflect on practice centred on outcomes for children. Leaders are considering how to strengthen organisational conditions that will support a focus on ongoing improvement. The service is not yet regularly evaluating what is and is not working, and for which children.
Curious Keas Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Curious Keas Ltd 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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
5 July 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Curious Keas Ltd |
| Profile Number | 45900 |
| Location | Piopio |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 40 children, including up to 16 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 60 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 17, NZ European/Pākehā 38, Other ethnic groups 5 |
| Review team on site | May 2021 |
| Date of this report | 5 July 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2017; Education Review, January 2014 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Curious Keas Ltd is a privately owned all-day education and care centre located in Pio Pio. The centre is licensed for 35 children, including up to 13 under two years old. At the time of this ERO review, the roll of 66 included 15 Māori children. Centre leaders recognise the significance of Ngāti Maniapoto culture and traditions to families in this area. This is the centre's second ERO report.
The centre manager employs two head teachers who have responsibilities for programme oversight in each of the age-group areas. There are designated indoor and outdoor environments for both age groups. During recent years, staffing has remained consistent and most staff are qualified. Owners and teachers have worked together to address development areas identified in the 2012 ERO report.
Recent professional development has included training in Maniapototanga, positive guidance, boys' education, best practice for the education and care of infants and toddlers, and new health and safety requirements.
The centre’s philosophy emphasises that children should learn and grow in an environment where their physical, intellectual, emotional and social wellbeing are promoted. Family and community relationships are also of significant importance.
The centre's high-quality learning environment is educationally stimulating for children and welcoming for families. In particular the spacious outdoor play areas provide opportunities for safe physical challenge, exploration and other age-appropriate activities in a well-designed and naturally landscaped playground. Indoor areas are home-like and provide children with access to a wide range of carefully considered resources. Children are empowered to lead their learning and play.
Positive, and responsive relationships between children, teachers and families are a further strength of the centre. Teachers work sensitively with children, tuning into their interests and conversations. They encourage children's problem solving, self-management and sustained engagement in activities of their choice. Literacy, mathematics and te reo Māori are continually integrated into the programme. Children enjoy well established routines which foster the development of social skills and a strong sense of belonging at the centre.
The emergent curriculum is well supported by continual discussions with parents/whānau. Teachers know children and families well and regularly incorporate home interests into the centre's programme. Children with diverse needs are readily included in daily learning and play. Planning and learning are prominently visible in attractive wall displays. Children's profiles capture a range of interesting centre-wide activities. Next steps are for teachers to:
These developments are likely to ensure that children's individual learning and is well articulated and more clearly understood by parents and children. They will also assist in ensuring that planning and assessment for Māori children is more explicit and culturally responsive.
Children up to two years old benefit from nurturing, responsive, respectful interactions in a secure and caring environment. Teachers have created calm and uncluttered play areas with readily accessed age-appropriate resources. They maintain regular contact with parents about children's immediate and ongoing needs, and respond readily to children's individual cues and routines. Children are in charge of their learning as confident, competent learners and explorers.
The centre manager's collaborative leadership style and strong communication skills contribute to stable staffing, a shared vision and positive links with the community. She has developed networks with other local education providers that facilitate professional discussion, and support transition to school. She also accesses a wide range of professional development opportunities for teachers and maintains an emphasis on keeping up with current early childhood education trends and requirements. Teachers benefit from professional learning discussions and are empowered to develop their leadership and teaching capabilities in the best interests of children.
Centre leaders are developing robust systems for self rkeview, strategic planning and appraisal. These processes now need to be further aligned. Ongoing strategic and annual planning should include goals to address the next step for assessment practices identified in this report.
ERO recommends that centre leaders engage external education advisers to assist in implementing the next step identified in this report.
Before the review, the staff and management of Curious Keas Ltd 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 identifies that there is a need to:
[Early Childhood Education Regulations 2008 GMA7]
To improve current practice, centre leaders should ensure that policies and procedures for record keeping are continually monitored and adhered to.
The next ERO review of Curious Keas Ltd will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
24 March 2017
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 | Pio Pio | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 45900 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 35 children, including up to 13 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 66 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 34 Boys 32 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Filipino Other | 15 47 2 2 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | February 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 24 March 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | January 2014 | |
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.