New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central

Education institution number:
46103
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
121
Telephone:
Address:

109 - 117 Tristram Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton

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New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central

1 ERO’s Judgements

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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence. 

ERO’s judgements for New Shoots Children’s Centre - Hamilton Central are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

This service is part of the New Shoots Childrens Centre Group. Children play and learn in one of five rooms, sharing an outdoor playground. A governance team guides centre operations. A centre director leads the large teaching team. Servicing a multicultural community, fifteen percent of children identify as Māori and a small number as Pacific. 

3 Summary of findings

Children’s ways of learning, interests and capabilities are intentionally fostered. Younger children experience freedom of movement, with unhurried time to explore a range of well-considered sensory experiences. Older learners benefit from a curriculum that positively supports social competency, oral language, reasoning, emergent numeracy, and their understandings about the world. Learning environments are predominately well resourced, however more independent access to a wider range of resourcing would enrich and further extend older children’s complexity of learning. Transitions into, within and from the service are flexibly supported. Children demonstrate independence, curiosity, confidence and sustained periods of play. 

Children’s growing capabilities are consistently documented in assessment records in relation to the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Multiple methods of communication promote parent participation in decision making. Leaders and teachers adapt their teaching to responsively support the inclusion and participation for infants, toddlers, children with additional learning needs, and those where English is a second language.  

Day-to-day opportunities supporting success for tamariki Māori within the bicultural curriculum are variably implemented. These include te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, waiata, whakatauki, tuakana-teina (older-younger child) relationships, and regular bush kindy sessions in the local community. Cultural aspirations of whānau are gathered and responded to. Valued celebrations provide opportunities for children develop understanding of inclusion. The service has identified that further reflecting children’s cultural identities through assessment documentation and the enacted curriculum is required.  

Evaluation for improvement is used to implement governance-initiated best practice strategies. Evidenced based changes in kaiako practises result in ongoing development of the curriculum. However, building leaders and teachers understanding of internal evaluation is required, so documentation more clearly reflects the impact of actions on outcomes for children. 

Those in governance and management are strongly improvement-focused and implement a well-considered strategic plan and relevant systems that intentionally guide the organisation. They purposefully allocate resources that clearly align with achieving centre priorities for children’s learning. Systematic support for ongoing professional learning builds leadership and teachers’ capabilities.

4 Improvement actions

New Shoots Children’s Centre - Hamilton Central will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Continue to develop the bicultural curriculum in partnership with whānau Māori
  • Further develop meaningful ways to integrate the cultural identities of individual children and their whānau throughout the curriculum and learning documentation. 
  • Ensure older children have independent access to a greater range of resourcing to increase their complexity of learning.

The New Shoots governance group has indicated it will include the following in its Quality Improvement Planning, to ensure that all services are working at a consistent level.

  • Provide support for centre leaders to continue to build collective capability and shared understanding in using all aspects of effective evaluation.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Shoots Children’s Centre - Hamilton Central completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Actions for Compliance 

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • Ensuring evidence of parental approval of adult: child ratios for special excursions is gained prior children leaving the premise on an excursion.
  • Gaining the written permission of a parent before a child travels in a motor vehicle while in the care of the service.

Licensing Criteria for Education & Care Services, 2008; HS17, HS18.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

7 March 2024 

 

7 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameNew Shoots Children’s Centre - Hamilton Central
Profile Number46103
LocationHamilton
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 97 children, including up to 36 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll118
Review team on siteDecember 2023 
Date of this report7 March 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, June 2019; 
Education Review, February 2015

 

New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central - 18/06/2019

1 Evaluation of New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central

How well placed is New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central provides full-day education and care for children from infants to school age. It is located in central Hamilton. The centre operates five aged-based rooms with shared outdoor spaces. It is licensed for 97 children including 36 under the age of two years. The current roll of 92 children includes 18 who identify as Māori and 28 from a wide range of other nationalities. The diversity of teachers' cultural backgrounds reflects that of children and families in the centre.

Through their vision and philosophy New Shoots teachers aim to develop relationships based on integrity, respect, nurture and trust. They state that relationships underpin all learning between children, their whānau and teachers.

The centre is governed by the New Shoots Children's Centre group. The three group owners provide an overarching governance and management framework. The Hamilton centre director is supported by an assistant manager, team leaders and room leaders in each room. The teaching team consists of qualified, in-training and unqualified teachers.

The Review Findings

Children are empowered to make independent decisions about their learning. They are viewed as competent and confident learners. Teachers are highly responsive to the needs of children. Positive, reciprocal interactions support a strong sense of belonging amongst learners. Social competencies are well supported through the consistent use of positive guidance practices. Children with additional learning needs are fully involved in the learning environment through inclusive teaching practices.

Children benefit from attractive and well-presented environments. Children up to the age of two years benefit from individualised routines and form secure attachments with familiar caring adults. Transitions into the centre and between the age-based rooms are well supported. Bicultural teaching practices continue to grow and develop. Teachers actively seek knowledge from families about their language, culture, identities and aspirations for their children. This supports children to develop a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging at the centre.

A rich and broad curriculum is promoting positive learning outcomes for children. The provision of a wide range of activities and effective use of the natural environment encourages children to add complexity to their learning. Risk taking and challenge are well promoted with regular excursions investigating the natural world for older learners. Māori children benefit from the integration of te ao Māori into the programme including the use of waiata, karakia and whakatau to welcome guests and visitors. Literacy, mathematics, music and science are naturally woven throughout the programme. Community involvement enriches the programme with ongoing participation of a local aged care group and excursions to the city library. Children are engaged and settled in their learning.

Children's learning is captured in well-presented learning journals which are also available digitally. Teachers plan for groups of children who have similar identified curriculum learning goals. Further emphasis should now be placed on documenting the response to each child's aspirations and goals. Professional learning is planned to address these aspects of professional practise. Teachers use a wide range of effective strategies to engage children in meaningful play and to extend their learning.

Leaders base relationships on respect, trust and reciprocity. Emergent leadership amongst teachers is encouraged. There are opportunities for regular professional learning and development with ongoing mentoring and support for teachers. Leaders have developed clear guidelines and expectations for teaching practice and curriculum delivery.

A clear vision sets the direction for the service. It reflects a commitment to high-quality early childhood education for all children. The philosophy is well-embedded into practice. Current policy and systems are regularly reviewed. Management has identified the need to strengthen the appraisal system. They are currently working with external support to further develop this area. Internal evaluation is valued, effectively undertaken and leads to improved outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

The appraisal process requires further development to:

  • show clear alignment with the Teaching Council Standards
  • include clear expectations about the gathering of evidence to support the issuing and renewal of teachers' practicing certificates.

Planned developments of practices to support the assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning should also further build teacher capability in promoting positive outcomes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central 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.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region

18 June 2019

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

LocationHamilton
Ministry of Education profile number46103
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for97 children, including up to 36 aged under 2
Service roll123
Gender compositionMale 60% Female 40%
Ethnic compositionMāori 
NZ European/Pākehā
Other
15% 
62%
23%
Percentage of qualified teachers80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteMay 2019
Date of this report18 June 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewFebruary 2015

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

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.

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.

New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central - 10/02/2015

1 Evaluation of New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central

How well placed is New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placedRequires further developmentWell placedVery well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

New Shoots Children’s Centre is a privately owned, purpose-built centre that opened in January 2013 in inner-city Hamilton. The centre provides early childhood education and care for children from two months to school age in five age-designated rooms. At the time of this ERO review, there were 117 children enrolled, 22 of whom identified as Māori.

The vision of New Shoots Children’s Centre is for a place where ‘children and families grow together’. Leaders and teachers place tamariki and whānau at the heart of learning. The service aims to provide a place that feels right for everyone involved, is a fun and exciting place to be, is innovative and research based, and has a local and community focus. Individual room philosophies reflect the centre’s vision, and are responsive to the needs of children and the aspirations of their parents.

The owners have developed a strategic plan that prioritises goals for centre direction and continuing development. They have high expectations for teaching and learning. Centre owners provide useful professional support and guidance for staff, and specifically designed resources for learning. They are committed to providing a high-quality environment and have made several significant design changes to better meet the needs of children and teachers.

Since opening, leaders and teachers have focused on developing teamwork, and settling children and whānau into the centre. The emphasis on wellbeing and belonging has been paramount in establishing an effective early childhood learning community.

Children come from a diverse range of cultural backgrounds and include a number of families with English as a second language. Leaders and teachers use a range of strategies to communicate with parents and whānau about children. Parents appreciate that teachers provide a learning environment that is welcoming, enjoyable and inclusive.

The Review Findings

Respectful and reciprocal relationships among children, parents, whānau, and staff underpin all centre operations. Children are highly engaged in an attractive environment that provides a wide range of activities that stimulate and challenge them. They have easy access to both inside and outside resources, and shared play areas. Children are recognised as independent learners who have the capability to understand their own needs. They lead their own learning, initiate play, and are encouraged to solve problems and self regulate with teacher support. They develop friendships and have the confidence to decide when they are ready to transition into the next age-related area of the centre.

Teachers notice what children are interested in and follow up with a diverse range of activities that contribute to their learning. They skilfully integrate children’s emerging interests, developmental stages and whānau contributions to plan programmes that build and extend their emotional, physical and intellectual growth. Literacy and numeracy are authentically integrated into the curriculum. Children benefit from opportunities to explore the local environment, including trips to the library, local businesses and nearby park. Group excursions to a local bush area have allowed children to interact positively with the natural world.

Teachers work alongside children and encourage them to extend their vocabulary and explore different ways of learning. It would be beneficial for leaders and teachers to review how toddlers’ language development is being encouraged and extended.

Teachers demonstrate cultural sensitivity and recognise all parents and whānau as contributing members of the centre community. Cultural celebrations of children and their families, such as Diwali, Chinese New Year and Matariki, are integrated into the programme and build pride in identity cultural heritage. Māori children and whānau appreciate their language and culture being valued and shared through waiata, te reo and respect for tikanga Māori. Teachers participate in ongoing professional learning and development to build their capacity in bicultural practices.

Clear guidelines and expectations assist teachers to evaluate children’s learning effectively. Teachers, parents and extended whānau regularly communicate and share children’s progress and achievement through a variety of media. Parents are also provided with education and information about developmental stages and learning through play.

Babies settle quickly in a warm, calm and secure environment that promotes aroha, compassion and respect. They enjoy many opportunities to interact with teachers and build strong attachments, particularly with those who are their primary carers. Babies have easy access to an environment that is well resourced and encourages exploration.

Teachers have a very good understanding of babies’ developmental needs and use a variety of strategies to respond to children’s natural rhythms, and changing needs and preferences. Frequent conversations with parents and whānau provide teachers with vital information to support babies’ engagement and learning. These are supported by comprehensive personal journals that teachers and families use to share children’s daily wellbeing, learning and growth.

The highly respected director is responsible for the day-to-day management of the centre. She is an enthusiastic and capable leader with a strong focus on positive outcomes for children. She is ably supported by team leaders committed to positive learning outcomes. A knowledgeable education manager provides regular professional support to the leadership team and teachers about current research and best practice.

The leadership team has a solution-focused approach to challenges. Useful self-review procedures and practices are a feature of the centre. Reviews are comprehensive, inform decision making and improve the quality of care and education for young children. The appraisal process invites teachers to reflect on their practice and set goals. Management are currently reviewing the appraisal systems to ensure there is:

  • a focus on high-quality teaching practice and positive outcomes for children
  • regular discussion and monitoring of goals
  • consistent implementation of the process.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central 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 New Shoots Children's Centre - Hamilton Central will be in four years.

Dale Bailey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

10 February 2015

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

LocationHamilton  
Ministry of Education profile number46103  
Licence typeEducation & Care Service  
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008  
Number licensed for97 children, including up to 36 aged under 2  
Service roll117  
Gender composition

Boys 55%

Girls 45%

  
Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Pacific

Asian

Other

19%

68%

2%

8%

3%

 

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%

Based on funding rates

80%  
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:3Better than minimum requirements
 Over 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteDecember 2014  
Date of this report10 February 2015  
Most recent ERO report(s)No previous ERO reports  

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.