Riverlee Early Learning Centre

Education institution number:
46297
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
50
Telephone:
Address:

1746 The 309 Road, Whitianga

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Riverlee Early Learning Centre

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Riverlee Early Learning Centre is privately owned. The centre philosophy places value on relationships underpinned by the virtues of trust, love, care and respect, and nature-based rural learning. Children access daily farm excursions. A small number of children attending are identified as Māori or Pacific. Progress is evident since the 2020 ERO report.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum is inclusive, recognising children as confident and competent learners. Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning. Children have access to a range of experiences both indoors and outdoors, to enhance and extend their learning and development.

Adults providing education and care engage in nurturing, meaningful interactions with children. They demonstrate an understanding of children’s development, and knowledge of relevant theories and practice. Assessment, planning and evaluation demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life context. The philosophy and annual plan guide service operations.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • increasing the opportunities children have to hear and use te reo Māori in meaningful contexts.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

30 October 2023

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Riverlee Early Learning Centre

Profile Number

46297
Location Whitianga

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

53

Review team on site

October 2023

Date of this report

30 October 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, February 2020; Education Review, February 2016

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Riverlee Early Learning Centre - 21/02/2020

1 Evaluation of Riverlee Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Riverlee Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Riverlee Early Learning Centre requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

There are significant issues with governance, management and administration that require further development to improve learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Riverlee Early Learning Centre is located in the rural outskirts of Whitianga. It is a purpose-built centre to reflect a rural home-like environment. The centre is licensed for 40 children, including 12 aged up to two years. At the time of this ERO review 69 children were enrolled, including 17 of Māori descent.

The centre provides all-day education and care for children from three months to school age. They operate two areas, known as Nature’s Nest for infants and toddlers, and Nature’s Kindy for young children. All children access the Bush Kindy. Tamariki move freely within these areas, exploring and following their interests.

Leadership has responded well to the key areas for development identified in the 2016 ERO evaluation.

The Riverlee Early Learning Centre’s philosophy is strongly based on play and nature play, providing a home away from home, promoting responsive relationships with tamariki and whānau, and upholding Māori as tangata whenua.

The Review Findings

The need to prioritise the development and implementation of effective governance practice for improvement and sustainability is a key area for improvement. Of urgency, is improving aspects of practice in relation to health and safety record keeping and processes.

Leadership has clearly established and models the key virtues and values to guide everyday practice. Parents and whānau are welcomed to participate in all aspects of the programme. A reflective culture has been developed amongst staff to support change and improvement. Continuing to build centre-wide understanding of effective internal evaluation is a key next step.

Children are seen as competent and capable learners. They are provided with time and space, to follow their interests and projects. Teachers know and meaningfully respond to children’s developing working theories, learning characteristics and urges. Transition processes into, through and beyond the centre are flexible and responsive to the needs of the child and whānau. Children know and participate well in the rhythms and rituals of the centre. They confidently take and manage risks and challenge themselves.

Responsive caregiving contributes to quality provision of education. Teachers are mindful of individual children’s preferences and cues. A diverse environment promotes exploration, curiosity and challenge. Calm and unhurried interactions and pace support children’s decision making. Positive and nurturing relationships with children and whānau support children's sense of belonging and security.

An inclusive culture celebrates and acknowledges diverse needs. Leaders and teachers work alongside parents and agencies to plan and implement meaningful communication, experiences and strategies. The education needs of the child and whānau are known and responded to well. A strong focus on building children’s confidence, independence and knowledge of self is evident. Children with additional needs are well supported to fully participate and actively engage in all aspects of the programme.

The key values of whanaungatanga, kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga, and rangatiratanga provide the foundation for the enacted programme. Teachers are building their confidence and competence in weaving te ao Māori throughout everyday conversations and interactions. The extensive natural environment provides authentic contexts for learning. Creativity and problem solving are actively fostered through the use of open-ended resources and effective teaching practices.

Learning journals reflect and celebrate children’s involvement in a broad and rich curriculum. Children are empowered to lead their learning. They experience wide ranging opportunities that grow their resilience, perseverance, understanding of whānau and genuine care for others. The curriculum fosters children’s understanding of the natural environment, the world around them and their role in caring for it. Recent developments focused on building effective individual assessment, planning and evaluation are evident. The centre identifies consolidating and embedding this approach is a priority. This should include:

  • increasing the visibility of children’s cultures, languages and identities across journals
  • recognition and response to whānau contributions for teaching and learning
  • how teachers scaffold children’s play to provide challenge and progress towards intended learning outcomes.

Key Next Steps

The key next steps for centre management are to:

  • prioritise and improve governance, management and administration systems and processes
  • build understanding of effective internal evaluation
  • consolidate and embed the recent changes to assessment, planning and evaluation.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Riverlee Early Learning Centre 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance, management, administration and emergency practices. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

  • carrying out and evaluating emergency drills with children on at least a three-monthly basis
  • implementing all aspects of the fire evacuation scheme
  • effective governance, management and administration practice.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8, HS4, Regulation 47, 1(a), 1(ci), 1(d)]

To improve current practice, the early childhood service management should:

  • establish coherent and formalised policies and procedures that effectively support the robust implementation of all aspects of the licensing criteria
  • develop a schedule of policies and procedures to inform appropriate review including consultation with teachers, parents and whānau
  • strengthen the analysis of accidents to more robustly inform hazard management and teaching practice.

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

21 February 2020

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

Location

Whitianga

Ministry of Education profile number

46297

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2

Service roll

69

Gender composition

Male 42 Female 27

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

17
44
8

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

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2019

Date of this report

21 February 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

February 2016

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.

Riverlee Early Learning Centre - 09/02/2016

1 Evaluation of Riverlee Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Riverlee Early Learning Centre 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

Riverlee Early Learning Centre is a privately owned education and care centre located near Whitianga. It is licensed for 35 children including up to 10 under the age of two. Designated age-group areas include Nature’s Nest for children up to the age of three, Nature’s Kindy for children from three to six years old and Bush Kindy, which takes place on the land surrounding the centre. There are currently 54 children on the roll, of whom 15 are Māori. More than 80% of teachers have early childhood education qualifications. This is the centre’s first ERO report.

The centre opened in September 2013. It is a purpose built facility situated on a life-style block of land, which affords opportunities for children to enjoy supervised interactions with animals, and pursue exploration of trees and stream life. Designated teachers continually accompany small groups of children on farm visits. The centre building is designed to create a spacious home-like atmosphere, which is enhanced by extensive and interesting outdoor play areas for both age groups.

The centre philosophy has been developed collaboratively with staff and is supported by parents. It focuses on nature-based learning, creating a secure home away from home environment, positive relationships within the centre and local community, and values such as kindness, respect, trust and guardianship (kaitiakitanga). These beliefs and values are continually reflected throughout the programme.

The Review Findings

Children benefit from warm, respectful and reciprocal relationships with teachers who encourage them to be confident and capable learners. Interactions between teachers and children reflect the centre’s identified virtues of trust, love, care and respect. Children are active decision makers in their play and learning.

The high quality programme is based on children’s interests, patterns of play and their creative ideas. Teachers listen carefully and respond appropriately to children’s emerging interests.

They support and guide children to make positive choices and decisions about their learning and behaviour and model oral language very well to extend children’s thinking and vocabulary. Te reo Māori is evident at the level of each teacher’s knowledge and expertise. Teachers are beginning to explore local historical events of significance to both Māori and non-Māori in order to integrate this knowledge into the programme. Teachers ensure inclusion and support for children with diverse needs.

Nature-based learning is a key feature of the centre’s programme. High quality learning environments include extensive outdoor areas for both age groups, which are carefully landscaped to set the scene for discovery, exploration, physical challenge and social play within very spacious and creatively presented play areas. There is a wide range of multi-purpose, real-life, natural, recycled and open-ended resources that provoke children’s curiosity and imagination. Children have space to play and learn independently and in groups.

The centre’s home away from home philosophy is reflected in both indoor and outdoor environments and in the programme. Processes for baking, paper recycling and butter making are based on the seasons and provide children with real-life learning experiences. Literacy, numeracy and creative expression are integrated into these processes and within centre-wide learning through play. Flexible routines provide children with choices that enable them to express their preferences and sustain their play. Transitions to and within the centre, and to school, are sensitively managed to support the needs of children and their families.

Children demonstrate a strong interest in participating in the centre ‘Bush Kindy’ learning experiences. They may choose to spend up to a whole day in the surrounding bush or on the adjacent farm. They also engage in social play in these environments, which require resourcefulness and resilience in all weather.

Babies and toddlers play and learn in a high quality learning environment, which is spacious, home-like and comfortable for children, teachers and families. They benefit from a calm and unhurried atmosphere. Teachers are caring and nurturing. They respond readily to children's verbal and non-verbal cues and to their individual rhythms and needs. A sense of security and belonging is created within a family-like atmosphere, where home-like play materials are readily accessed. Continual communication with parents is valued and reciprocal. Parents are welcome to remain with their children in order to settle and develop trusting relationships with teachers.

Learning journals include attractive records of children’s individual learning and social participation in centre activities. There are clear expectations for assessment to identify children’s interests, inquiries, and patterns of play and to incorporate aspects of the centre’s philosophy.

Learning is also made visible in continual slide-shows, daily diaries and well-considered photographic displays. These enable children, teachers and parents to revisit and discuss learning experiences at the centre.

The centre manager is an effective professional leader. She has high expectations for developing a community of learners who share her vision for the centre’s ongoing development and works alongside her team to model best practice in early childhood education and care. Teachers work collaboratively to plan and teach in the best interests of the children. They are capable and reflective practitioners who embrace the centre’s particular focuses and feel empowered to participate in the leadership and management of the centre.

Strategic direction is set and regularly reviewed in collaboration with the teaching team. Professional development is provided in response to centre-wide needs, emerging trends in early childhood education, and regulatory requirements. Beginning teachers are well mentored and guided through the registration process. Self review of policies and centre-wide development ensures compliance and supports continuous improvement.

Key Next Steps

ERO and the centre manager agree that key next steps are to continue to:

  • develop assessment practices to include recognition of children’s learning and development over time
  • further incorporate bicultural perspectives along with literacy and mathematics learning
  • strengthen teachers’ confidence, knowledge and skill in integrating te reo Māori within the programme
  • develop strategic and annual planning and self review processes
  • implement the recently developed appraisal process.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Riverlee Early Learning Centre 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 Riverlee Early Learning Centre will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

9 February 2016

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

Location

Whitianga

Ministry of Education profile number

46297

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

54

Gender composition

Boys 31 Girls 23

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

15

39

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

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

November 2015

Date of this report

9 February 2016

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.