Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo

1 Evaluation of Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo

How well placed is Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo was opened in 2013. It is one of three Pacific centres located in local council grounds. The centre is licensed to provide care and education for 50 children including 10 children up to two years of age. This is the first ERO review of the Punanga Reo.

Te Tuareka Goodstory Trust governs the service. Members are from the Kuki Airani community. The trust is responsible for overseeing staff appointments and the development of the centre's strategic directions and policies and procedures. The senior lead teacher (SLT) manages the day to day running of the programme. She mentors teachers and parent helpers in implementing the curriculum. Most of the teachers are registered.

The centre’s philosophy aims to provide early childhood education that values children's culture, language and identity. The Punanga Reo promotes a holistic programme integrated with a Christian based curriculum and underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The Kuki Airani language, culture, family and community are an integral part of the daily programme. The service is committed to promoting Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The Review Findings

Teachers view children as confident and competent learners. They provide a variety of experiences for children to explore. Children are quick to settle in the programme, participate willingly and make choices in the defined areas of play. They are becoming confident to initiate conversations with each other and with adults. Children have fun and enjoy conversations with their friends and family members. They have a strong sense of belonging in the centre.

A separate area for infants and toddlers allows them to explore, learn about their environment and find the resources that support their play. Some of the staff who work with infants and toddlers are sensitive and affectionate. They know these younger children well and are attuned to their needs. To further strengthen the learning programme for infants and toddlers, regular professional learning and development would support the practice of effective teaching strategies by all teachers.

A focus on children and adults learning together is valued. Positive team work is evident. Teachers are respectful and responsive to children, and their whānau. They provide resources that help to make children’s learning experiences more meaningful. It is timely for teachers to extend the range of resources available for older children. They could consider how to provide more opportunities for children to lead their own play.

Bicultural practices are modelled well by staff. They promote tuakana/teina relationships among children and the use of waiata and te reo Māori as a natural part of children’s play, particularly during group times. Teachers help children to lead the cultural singing and some children bring cultural instruments from home to accompany the music sessions.  

Children of Pacific heritages and other ethnicities experience a programme that celebrates their identity, culture and languages. Some teachers speak children’s home languages. This supports children's learning, as well as strengthening relationships with families. Teachers’ partnerships with parents are based on acceptance, respect and willingness to listen and make changes in response to whānau aspirations.

A new SLT has made positive changes to the learning programme and teaching practices. She supports teachers to build their capacity through internal evaluation that promotes a more team approach to teaching and learning. To further improve practice trustees, leaders, and teachers should participate in regular professional development.

Key Next Steps

To improve practice, leaders agree they should review and develop operational processes to contribute to positive outcomes for children. These include:

• developing an annual action plan that aligns with strategic goals, in consultation with staff and parents
• reviewing centre policies, procedures and documentation to meet current legislation
• developing an evidence based appraisal process that meets current legal requirements and ensure all staff, including the SLT, are appraised annually by a fully registered teacher
• supporting teachers to refine planning, assessment and evaluation processes to better respond to and support children’s individual interests
• strengthening assessment processes to include children's and parents' input and to clearly reflect children's progress and continuity of learning over time
• improving resources in the outdoor and indoor areas to challenge older children's thinking and learning.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo 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.

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to:

• ensure that the daily hazard register is completed and signed off, and identified hazards followed up and recorded
• ensure that the policy and procedure for transporting children to and from the centre is implemented
• ensure that adults who come into contact with children during hours of operation are safety checked in accordance with Vulnerable Children Act 2014
• develop and implement appropriate human resource management policies and practices to effectively guide staff practice.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS12,18;
Education Act 1989, s319D - 319 FA/FE.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Te Tuareka O Manurewa Punanga Reo will be in three years. 

Steffan Brough
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

22 May 2017 

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 

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.