79 Maplesden Drive, Clendon, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Clendon Christian Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Clendon Christian Preschool is part of the Manukau Christian Charitable Trust and operates under the trust's vision and policies. The preschool is licensed for 80 children, including 10 up to two years of age. Māori children make up 25 percent of the roll and almost 75 percent have Pacific heritage, with Samoan being the largest group.
The preschool's vision is 'love God, love people, love learning' and its promise is to prepare children to read and write. Children are separated by age into four rooms and all of them have access to a three-tiered outdoor environment, with a small two-tiered sandpit.
Since the 2015 ERO review, there have been significant staff and leadership changes, including the appointment of three new team leaders. The 'Amazing Ants' programme for children from four-and-a-half to six years of age has also been developed.
The 2015 ERO report identified positive aspects such as warm trusting relationships, and teachers valuing children's cultural identity. These aspects continue to be evident. Areas for improvement included strategic planning, appraisals, programme planning and evaluation. There has been some progress in addressing strategic planning and appraisals. There is a need to continue building shared understandings about assessment, programme planning and evaluation.
Children experience respectful relationships with teachers and their peers. They are familiar with the predictable routines in their room and with their teachers' expectations for their learning. Children have opportunities to hear and use te reo Māori and other home languages, including Samoan. Children with additional learning needs are well supported and experience positive outcomes.
Parents are encouraged to be involved in and contribute to the centre's programme. They share their aspirations for their children's learning. Parents who spoke with ERO, expressed their appreciation of the preschool's support for their children's settling in and transition to school. They acknowledged the commitment and care shown by teachers towards their children. Teachers have established intergenerational relationships with some families.
Teachers' inclusive and responsive practices support success for all children. Having a teacher dedicated to work with children under two years of age, fosters the formation of strong relationships and trust. Teachers engage with children in small groups and respond to their involvement in the programme. They place an emphasis on developing children's oral language and skills.
Teachers prepare the environments to foster children's literacy, numeracy and social skills. The centre layout presents some challenges for supervision. Staff decide where to place themselves, and how and when children access different spaces. Teachers should review the variety of resources provided and consider adding more natural resources.
Centre leaders and teachers should review the extent to which the structured programme for older children aligns with relevant early childhood education theories and practices in relation to literacy learning. They should establish strategies for promoting child-initiated complex play and fostering creative exploration throughout the programme. Increasing opportunities for children to make independent choices about their learning activities would support them to become self-managing learners.
Teachers have worked to increase the visibility of children's learning and links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in their assessment and planning. They plan activities based on observations of children's interests, record children's participation in the programme and set individual goals for them. Teachers have identified that there is a need to continue improving assessment of learning and programme planning.
The preschool has a clear vision, philosophy, and strategic direction. Policies and procedures guide the service's operations. Teachers enact the Christian-based philosophy underpinned by aroha, whanaungatanga, and manaakitanga. The strategic plan is monitored regularly, and its impact is recorded. Internal evaluation is collaborative and documented, and evidence is presented to support the decisions made. Leaders have considered both Te Whāriki and the Ministry of Education's Tapasā resource, in their curriculum review and decision making.
The preschool is implementing a new appraisal system that encourages teachers to reflect on their practice and try new approaches to support progress towards their goals. Adding regular documented observations to the appraisal process would ensure that it meets requirements and supports teachers' professional growth.
Key next steps include further developing:
assessment, programme planning and evaluation that focuses on children's learning and the effectiveness of teaching strategies in relation to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki
internal evaluation, by establishing a shared understanding of the use of quality indicators related to best practice in early childhood, and evaluating the impact of teaching strategies on outcomes for children.
ERO recommends that leaders access external professional advisory support for teachers to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Clendon Christian Preschool 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.
To improve current practice, teachers and leaders are taking steps to record:
parental approval for adult:child ratios for excursions on parent permission slips
relevant emergency drills on a three-monthly basis.
Since the on-site phase of the ERO review, centre managers have amended several policies to ensure that they align with current requirements, including those of the Children's Act 2014.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
25 September 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 |
Clendon, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46327 |
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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 |
80 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
86 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 45 Boys 41 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
22 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2019 |
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Date of this report |
25 September 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2015 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
This is the first ERO report for Clendon Christian Preschool. The centre, located in Clendon, was established in 2013 in a new and purpose built complex. It provides full and part-time early childhood education and care for up to 80 children, including up to 10 children under two years of age. Staff are multicultural and reflect the culturally diverse community they serve. Staff are able to communicate with children and families in most home languages when needed.
The centre is part of the Manukau Christian Charitable Trust group of early childhood centres that are located across Auckland. The group provides governance and management support, with the option for centres to make some adjustments to suit their specific contexts.
The manager for all the centres, including Clendon Christian Preschool, has a clear vision for the centre that is underpinned by Christian beliefs and values. In conjunction with the head teacher for the centre, he has responsibility for management and administration systems, and has developed its policies and procedures. He works collaboratively with staff to review and refine the centre’s systems and processes. The head teacher takes key responsibility for areas relating to children’s learning, teacher and leadership capability, and building partnerships with parents, whānau and the community
The centre’s philosophy and vision are strongly focused on Christian values and beliefs, and on providing a holistic, high quality service for children and their families. A significant feature of the centre is the high level of commitment that staff have to building meaningful, respectful and caring relationships with children and families. Seven teachers are qualified, with three having full registration.
Children are happy and settled in the centre. They have warm and trusting relationships with adults and a strong sense of belonging in the centre. Children enjoy programmes that provide good opportunities for them to access a wide range of play areas. They settle themselves to play and make deliberate choices about resources they need. Children interact well with their peers and show good negotiation skills. They have opportunities to learn te reo and tikanga Māori, Samoan and other Pacific languages. Children are developing good social skills and are encouraged to persevere, problem solve and take on new challenges in their learning.
Teachers know children and their families well. They interact with children in caring and nurturing ways and skilfully engage children in play that prompts them to collaborate and investigate ideas. Teachers respect and value children's languages, culture and identity. They are committed to recognising the special interests of Māori and Pacific children and ensure the environment reflects the languages and values of these and other cultures. Teachers are reflective and are building their capability through centre wide self review, professional learning, and observations and feedback about their practice.
Teachers review and improve how they plan learning programmes so that they are more responsive to children’s emerging interests and strengths. They also have an increased awareness of capturing and extending children’s individual interests. This approach enables teachers to plan activities and provide opportunities that are relevant for children. Teachers have started to evaluate learning programmes and are supporting children’s transitions to school. Teachers make children’s learning visible in the environment. They have started to focus more on how children’s learning stories connect to planning and on improving the way that children’s learning development is documented over time.
A notable strength in the centre is the relationships and partnerships that teachers have with parents, whānau and the community. Teachers provide many opportunities for families to participate in the programme, contribute to reviews and to be aware of their children’s progress. ‘Fun, food and fellowship’ is the mantra that drives this strong community focused commitment. Parents also have input into learning stories, the learning environment and their children’s portfolios. They appreciate the welcoming and inclusive culture in the centre and the quality of education and care provided for their children.
The learning environment is attractive, inviting and well-resourced and has a wide range of play areas. Teachers and children have started to make plans to transform the outdoor grass area into a stimulating new play area.
Centre leaders have a collaborative leadership style and work as a cohesive team. All staff are encouraged to contribute to decision making about the centre. Centre leaders access relevant professional learning and development to build teacher capability. They have a strengths-based approach to teacher development and are keen to support teachers to develop their leadership capability.
The centre vision focuses on the holistic wellbeing and development of the child, the whānau and the community. Comprehensive and thoughtful consultation processes have been undertaken to develop a philosophy that is focused on valuing diversity, caring for people and building meaningful partnerships. Sound governance and management practices are evident. Strategic and annual plans are well developed, well aligned, and identify key priorities for future development.
The centre manager and leaders agree that next steps for centre development include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Clendon Christian Preschool 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 Clendon Christian Preschool will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
5 November 2015
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 |
Clendon, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
46327 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
80 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
56 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 32 |
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|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
23 |
|
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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 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 November 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
||
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.