169 Moore Street, Howick, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
The Learning Ladder is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Learning Ladder is a small, privately-owned centre located in a refurbished commercial building. The centre provides education and care for up 40 children with a maximum of 14 up to two years of age. Families from a range of cultural backgrounds attend the centre and staffing reflects this diversity. Some children are learning English as an additional language.
Children play and learn in two separate rooms specifically organised to meet the needs of the age groups. They have access to an inside gym space with climbing equipment, as well as a shared outdoor area.
The centre's philosophy emphasises the importance of a happy, nurturing environment that promotes mutual respect of each other, family and other cultures. It fosters a programme based on learning through play that encourages curiosity and imagination while supporting children’s growing confidence.
Since the 2016 ERO review, there have been a number of personnel changes. There has been a shift in ownership to a sole director responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre, and a new centre manager has been appointed.
Centre leaders and teachers have made useful progress towards addressing the key next steps from the 2016 ERO report. Many of the positive features identified in the report have been maintained.
Children are well supported to settle into the learning programme. They experience respectful, caring relationships with each other, their teachers and staff. This helps to foster children's sense of belonging and wellbeing while at the centre.
Children confidently engage in their chosen activities. They have many opportunities to work cooperatively in small or larger groups and to play with resources that invite their curiosity. Some children work alone while exploring activities and equipment at their own pace. They have regular access to the gym space that promotes physical development and challenges.
Teachers are welcoming and inclusive. They know children and their whānau well. Teachers value children's cultural backgrounds and languages. Some teachers speak with children in their home language as well as English. Centre leaders have identified that teachers are at the early stages of incorporating te reo and tikanga Māori into the daily programme and will continue providing appropriate support for further development.
Teachers recognise children's strengths, interests and abilities and document these in attractively presented portfolios. They use a range of approaches to encourage their participation. Teachers skilfully use questions to help children think more deeply about their learning and to extend their oral language development. Teachers offer a variety of experiences that foster physical development and creativity. Centre leaders are aware that they need to ensure that the transition to school programme for older children reflects the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, more closely.
Infants and toddlers benefit from the small number of children in this room. They experience calm, unhurried relationships with nurturing adults. They have opportunities to explore and choose their interests from an appropriate range of easily accessible resources.
Transitions into and within the centre are based on the needs of each child and family. Centre staff build positive relationships with parents and whānau. This encourages them to be involved in children's learning and contribute to the centre. Parents who spoke with ERO said they appreciate how teachers care for and interact with their children and maintain friendly relationships.
There is a clear governance and leadership structure to support centre operations. The strategic plan, and policy and procedure framework, guide processes and practices. Centre leaders have identified that the appraisal process could be further strengthened to more clearly reflect Teaching Council guidelines.
Centre leaders agree that the key next steps include:
continuing to evaluate the philosophy and make the centre's commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and bicultural practice more evident
further developing assessment, planning and evaluation processes and practices to make learning and teaching more visible
ensuring that the transition to school programme reflects the principles of Te Whāriki
aligning the strategic and annual action plans more meaningfully and reporting on how effectively the goals are achieved
using evaluative questions to build internal evaluation capability across the centre.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Learning Ladder 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:
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
31 October 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.
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Location |
Howick, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45905 |
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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 |
40 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
52 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 28 Girls 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā |
25 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2019 |
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Date of this report |
31 October 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2016 |
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Education Review (as Adventure Discoveries Early Learning Centre) |
October 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 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.
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.
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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.
The Learning Ladder (previously known as Adventure Discoveries Early Learning Centre) is located in a large commercial building that is undergoing refurbishment. It offers all day education and care for children from three months to five years. The centre’s education and care licence allows for a maximum of 40 children, including 14 children under two years of age. The steadily increasing roll includes 5 Māori children.
The centre is managed by new owners who are committed to improving the quality of education and care. The owners are ably supported by a recently appointed centre supervisor. Most of the teachers employed under the previous ownership remain on the staff and most are registered. Teachers work as a close team to develop their practice.
The service’s newly developed philosophy reflects the aims of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It emphasises the promotion of children’s social competence and independence.
The centre owners are making good progress to meeting the key next steps and areas of compliance identified in the 2013 ERO report.
Respectful relationships between adults and children are evident. Teachers are welcoming and supportive and as a result, children settle happily into the centre. Children are well cared for and are actively involved in centre activities. The centre owners and staff value close partnerships with parents and whānau and are considering various ways of further strengthening these partnerships.
There is good provision for children aged under two years. The children are in a separate, comfortable area that allows for them to explore their space safely. Positive and sensitive interactions between teachers and babies and toddlers are evident. Teachers are responsive to children’s ways of communicating and teachers use many opportunities to foster children's English and early mathematical language. Teachers are respectful of the children and talk with them about decisions that affect them.
The centre’s physical environment is large and colourful. Teachers continue to review how well the discrete play areas meet children's needs. They are keen to provide children with more resources and choice. A feature of the centre is children's access to gymnastic equipment in a separate area of the building. This effective resource promotes good opportunities for physical challenge.
Children benefit from the many opportunities available to increase their independence and self-management. Teachers are participating in relevant professional learning and development to increase their understanding of current teaching and learning practices. This new learning is evident in the daily programme. Teachers discuss children's emerging interests during team meetings and use this information to plan opportunities to develop children's creativity, oral language and confidence. The centre owners and supervisor agree that they could consider ways to extend and challenge children's learning through play.
Assessment records identify children's growing skills and understanding. These are highlighted in attractive individual portfolios of learning. It would be useful if the portfolios were more accessible by children, parents and whānau.
Teachers are participating in appropriate professional learning and development to increase their use and knowledge of te reo Māori. They plan to incorporate te ao Māori more into the daily programme. Teachers value the cultural identities and knowledge that children and their parents bring to the centre. Teachers welcome parent participation and their sharing of cultural experiences with children.
The owners and the centre supervisor are implementing effective systems to guide centre operation. Efficient self-review processes have been introduced by the centre supervisor to ensure ongoing improvement. It could be useful now for the owners to develop a strategic plan based on their philosophy and vision for the centre. Ensuring that staff have a shared understanding of the centre vision and philosophy could provide a good foundation for this strategic plan.
The owners, centre supervisor and ERO agree that key next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Learning Ladder 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.
The next ERO review of The Learning Ladder will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
19 February 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.
|
Location |
Howick, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
45905 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
33 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 17, Girls 16 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Asian Fijian Indian other |
5 16 4 4 4 |
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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 |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
19 February 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review Previous report as Adventure Discoveries Early Learning Centre |
October 2013 |
|
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.