26 Elizabeth Street, Orewa
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 Early Adventures are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
|
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Early Adventures is a well-established, privately owned early childhood centre operating from a renovated house in Orewa. The centre provides for all-day education and care for 34 children over two years of age. Most of the children enrolled are Pākehā and a small number of Māori children also attend the centre.
Children are well supported by teachers to problem solve, learn collaboratively and lead their own learning. They have ready access to a wide range of resources designed to celebrate and affirm their interests. Teachers provide indoor and outdoor environments that are attractive and inviting. Children are encouraged to be curious, capable and highly engaged learners.
Teachers know the children well. They maintain a calm, settled environment that fosters children’s sense of belonging in the centre. Respectful practices enhance children’s self-management skills, literacy and numeracy learning, and developing language. The programme enables children to work independently or in small groups for sustained periods.
The centre’s commitment to embedding te ao Māori in the programme is highly evident. Tikanga Māori concepts and te reo Māori are reflected in the programme and environment. Feedback from parents is very positive. Manaaki and trusting relationships are evident between children, teachers and families.
Families are well informed of their children’s learning through frequent informal discussions, electronic communications and attractive wall displays. Children with additional needs are well provided for. The learning through play programme supports children’s transition to school.
The experienced teachers work collaboratively. They provide equitable opportunities for children to learn by providing a well-considered programme consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The recently appointed centre leader has a clear direction for the centre. She is supported by an established teaching team. Internal evaluation is well established and has a focus on strengthening teaching practice and improving children’s learning. Teacher appraisals are aligned to the centre’s strategic goals. Professional learning programmes have a positive impact on outcomes for children.
The centre has a sound policy and management framework. The leadership team is building a professional learning culture based on high expectations and continuous improvement.
Early Adventures will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Early Adventures 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
29 April 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Early Adventures |
| Profile Number | 46043 |
| Location | Orewa, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
34 children, including no children aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
38 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 8 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
29 April 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2017 Education Review, August 2014 |
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Early Adventures is privately owned and operates in a purposefully renovated house in Orewa. The centre provides all-day education and care for up to 30 children over two years of age. Most of the children enrolled are Pākehā and a small number of Māori children also attend the centre.
The centre has maintained a stable teaching team since it opened in 2013. The recently appointed centre leader has a clear direction for the centre. She ensures that the centre philosophy of learning through play is enacted in the centre practices. The owners participate daily in centre programmes.
Children are cared for and learn in a mixed-aged setting. Indoor and outdoor environments are well organised, attractive and include natural experiences and defined areas for children to explore.
ERO's 2014 report identified a variety of good quality practices and noted areas for improvement, including self review and teacher appraisal processes. Progress has been made in these areas.
Children are settled and have trusting, warm relationships with teachers. Teacher's interactions with children and families are nurturing and affirming. They promote the development of children's social skills and positive relationships with others. Children are confident speakers.
Teachers are responsive to children's interests and encourage them to make choices and decisions about their learning. They support children's oral language by reading with children and engaging them in conversations. Leaders could now review how well the curriculum and teaching practices challenge and extend children's learning.
Children have good access to a variety of quality resources. The outdoors area is spacious and attractively set out. It offers a range of activities and fosters a sense of adventure. The indoor environment is made up of a range of inviting spaces which inspire children to explore and initiate imaginative and creative experiences.
Teachers integrate te reo Māori in the programme, especially during mat times when children have opportunities to participate in karakia and waiata. Some teachers are building their capabilities in te reo and tikanga Maori by attending professional development. They are supporting other teachers to improve their bicultural practice. Teachers could now better involve whānau in this aspect of the programme and consider ways to build links with local iwi.
The new centre leader models good leadership. She is building a collaborative culture and is keen to deepen teachers' thinking about the impact of their teaching on children's learning. Teachers are using individual strengths to grow the teams' knowledge and skills and to give children new experiences.
Teachers know children and their families very well. They skilfully assess each child's holistic learning, and share this information with parents. Leaders identify the need to further strengthen the learning partnership by involving parents more in the planning process and linking home and centre experiences.
Teachers have built good relationships with the local school. Leaders are proactive in ensuring transition practices are positive for children. They regularly liaise with the school to ensure children's successful entry to school.
Internal evaluation systems are well established and are used effectively to improve operational and programme practices. The recent review of the centre's philosophy statement is timely and purposeful. An external provider is supporting a review of the centre's strategic direction. This involves ongoing consultation with parents and the community.
Key next steps for centre include:
embedding the new strategic plan and ensuring key priorities are well understood
strengthening teachers' assessment, planning and evaluation practices
further developing evaluation practices that focus on improving outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Early Adventures 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.
The next ERO review of Early Adventures will be in three years.
Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
15 June 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.
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Location |
Orewa, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46043 |
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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, over 2 years of age |
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|
Service roll |
39 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls 21 Boys 18 |
||
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Asian other |
5 25 3 6 |
|
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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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2017 |
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Date of this report |
15 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 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:
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.