494 Glenfield Road, Glenfield, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Active Explorers Glenfield is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Active Explorers Glenfield was previously known as Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre. The service is licensed to provide full-day care and education for 60 children, including 12 children up to the age of two years.
Children are grouped according to age in rooms for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. More than half of the children are of Asian ethnicities, mostly Chinese. The remainder of the roll includes children from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds.
The current staff team includes some of the teachers employed by Camrose Kids as well as new teachers. The centre manager was appointed in 2016 and the two head teachers were recently employed. Six of the 10 teachers at the centre are qualified. A centre cook prepares meals for the children.
The Active Explorers brand has a focus on "confident children, learning to challenge, not accept" as a "perfect start for the innovators of tomorrow". Programmes are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, with the intention of incorporating aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach. Valued outcomes for children include knowledge of Māori language and culture.
The 2016 ERO report for Camrose Kids identified significant concerns, and recommended that the staff work with the Ministry of Education to bring about improvements. These included learning programmes, assessment and planning systems, and policies and procedures. Significant progress has been made in these areas. Further work related to the curriculum is required to promote positive outcomes for children.
The centre is part of the Evolve Education Group’s Upper North Island region. Evolve provides an overarching governance and management framework. The intent of a recent re-branding of Evolve services has been to build a greater sense of unity across the organisation. It has allowed each centre to identify a preferred philosophical approach.
Recent Evolve initiatives are intended to improve staff retention, promote effective internal evaluation and lift the quality of teaching practices. A new general manager and area managers provide professional support for centre leaders and teachers. Further recruitment is underway for managers to lead a focus on continuing quality improvement across the organisation. There continues to be a period of transition for staff as they adapt to changes in Evolve operational practices.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews of centres in the Evolve Education Group.
Children benefit from improvements underway in:
the learning environment, with more natural materials and a good range of resources and activities available to children to make choices about their play
a greater focus on responding to individual children's interests and dispositions, in assessment and programme planning
the inclusion of aspects of te ao Māori in the programme
teachers' support for children's developing oral language, and their use of children's home languages
early literacy practices that are incorporated into children's play.
Teachers work collaboratively to implement appropriate care routines for children under two years of age. They show respect for children by talking with them as they feed and change them, and prepare them for sleep. They have easy access to a good range of appropriate play equipment, and are supported to explore the environment.
Older children would benefit from teachers being more responsive to their needs and level of engagement with the programme. Teachers should review the process they use to settle children. The teachers should also consider ways to better support children's developing social competence, especially around peaceful conflict resolution.
Teachers are working on ways to document what they observe about children's learning and share ideas about how to extend learning. Teachers would benefit from more in-depth professional learning to increase their understanding of the revised Te Whāriki.
Relevant performance management processes are being implemented, along with relevant professional learning and development (PLD) to support teachers' practice. When fully implemented, the new appraisal system will encourage teachers to inquire into the effectiveness of their own teaching practice.
Managers should continue working with staff to build their leadership capability and to:
develop teaching strategies and learning opportunities that increase children's engagement in the programme
refine assessment and planning processes, and include parents' contributions, to support positive outcomes for children
use internal evaluation to review the quality of all aspects of centre operations, making greater use of evaluative questions to improve this process
strengthen strategic planning by making goals more specific, and developing clear action plans to achieve strategic goals.
During ERO’s August 2018 cluster, Evolve Education Group Managers agreed that next steps included:
increased integration of the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the alignment of strategic goals and annual plans with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum
monitoring the roles and responsibilities of leaders at organisation and centre levels
the effective implementation of appraisal practices.
This current cluster review also identified the need for:
a coherent change management strategy, and monitoring the effectiveness of the new structure
support for centres through changes of key leaders, including area and centre managers
the evaluation of teaching and learning across the organisation, to inform the next steps in PLD and the development of the teaching and learning teams
high quality PLD for area managers to help them to evaluate and promote quality provision for children, and to identify priorities for supporting centre managers.
ERO recommends that Evolve managers work with the centre manager to develop a plan for supporting teachers to provide a more engaging curriculum for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Active Explorers Glenfield 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 Active Explorers Glenfield will be in three years.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
18 February 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 |
Glenfield, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46482 |
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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 |
60 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
68 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 34 Boys 34 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2018 |
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Date of this report |
18 February 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review (as Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre)) |
September 2016 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre 2 has been open for two years and is in a period of development. External support is needed to improve its curriculum, programme planning processes, and bicultural practices
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre 2 is licensed to provide short, medium and full day care for up to 60 children, including 12 under two years of age. This is the centre’s first ERO review after opening in July 2014. It is a purpose-built facility with three separate play spaces. Children are grouped according to age into rooms for infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. Children from a range of diverse ethnic backgrounds attend.
The centre is privately owned. The owner has recently restructured the management team and appointed an Education and Practice Manager and a Centre Administrator. Since the centre opened there have been a number of changes in staffing.
The centre philosophy has recently been reviewed. This review is ongoing as new centre staff are employed and inducted into the service, and as all teachers develop shared understandings of what the philosophy might look like in practice.
The service is welcoming to all children and their families. Children are well cared for. They settle quickly, and easily access available resources to engage in play of their own choosing. Teachers provide and maintain attractive learning environments. Some provide good role models for children’s developing language and become partners in children’s play.
Children under two enjoy a calm settled pace and warm respectful interactions with teachers. Secure attachments are supported through responsive caregiving. Teachers know children well and work within their individual routines. Teachers should now review the programme for toddlers to ensure it is responsive to the special characteristics and learning needs of these children.
Friendships are evident amongst older children. They concentrate well, and some chat in home languages with their peers and teachers. Preschool children have access to their portfolios of learning, which document their participation in the programme and include numerous photographs.
The quality of planning for children’s individual and group learning should be improved. All teaching teams should implement and evaluate a curriculum that is based on regular observations of children’s interests, needs, strengths and abilities. In some cases observations of children’s learning has not been documented for many months.
The curriculum is largely topic based and adult driven. Teachers' could involve children more in the design of the curriculum by recognising and responding to their interests and developmental learning. Children could also be encouraged to take leadership roles and responsibilities within the centre programme.
Teachers capture assessments of learning in some of the children’s home languages. They could now consider how the languages, cultures and identities of all children could be celebrated in curriculum documentation. The quality of assessment practice is variable.
Centre leaders have identified the development of bicultural practices as an area for further self review. This has the potential to encourage children to be confident in their own culture and develop understandings and respect for other cultures.
An effective process has been established for self review and includes in depth research of chosen topics. Teachers have reviewed routines, including the purpose and content of mat times. ERO encourages teachers to make stronger use of their learning through research, to continue to enhance teaching practices and programmes. ERO supports the ongoing review of child-led play to ensure that the programme is meaningfully engaging children.
A staff appraisal process has recently been established. Centre leaders are aware of the need to continue to strengthen the process to align with the requirements of the Education Council. The centre continues to endeavour to recruit and retain qualified teaching staff. Some centre policies and procedures have recently undergone review and development.
The owner and centre leaders agree that their next key steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre 2 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
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to the centre’s curriculum.
To meet requirements teachers must:
1. Plan, implement and evaluate programmes based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008; Education (ECS) Regulations 2008, Regulation 43(1a) Curriculum standard: general.
2. Develop and implement policies which outline suitable human resource management practices which include:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, Governance, management and administration; professional practices: GMA7.
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Camrose Kids Early Learning Centre 2 will be within two years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
14 September 2016
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 |
Glenfield, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
46482 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
64 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 39 Boys 25 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Asian other |
2 40 17 5 |
|
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
July 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
14 September 2016 |
||
|
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:
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.