Kids Cove ELC, Albany

Education institution number:
46778
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
71
Telephone:
Address:

10 Corinthian Drive, Auckland

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Kids Cove ELC, Albany

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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Kids Cove ELC, Albany are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whakawhanake Sustaining

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakaū Embedding

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Kids Cove ELC, Albany is one of three services owned by the same licensee. The centre’s director and manager are responsible for the governance and management of the service, supported by a professional leader. There are four qualified teachers and seven unqualified staff. Children attending the centre are from diverse cultural heritages. A small number of children are Māori.

3 Summary of findings

Leaders and teachers provide a play-based curriculum that promotes children’s independence and decision making. Teachers’ professional knowledge enables children to take responsibility for their own learning and to develop their creativity, reasoning and critical thinking skills. Children confidently engage in a variety of learning experiences.

Children with additional learning needs are well supported by teachers who are responsive to their individual needs. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively with external agencies to help each child to fully participate in the programme.

Leaders and teachers foster learning-focused partnerships with parents and whānau that contribute to curriculum design and implementation. Parents who spoke with ERO reported a genuine sense of whānau and partnership, based on attitudes of respect and aroha.

A commitment to biculturalism is evident in the service’s philosophy. Teachers include aspects of te ao Māori in their practice. They are continuing to develop shared understandings of ways to provide a programme that is culturally responsive for all children.

Leaders have implemented a new system for ongoing internal evaluation. Governance processes to sustain regulatory and professional requirements are well established. An external mentor provides professional development to grow leaders’ and teachers’ capabilities. Providing leadership opportunities for teachers could further contribute to teachers’ growth and development.

4 Improvement actions

Kids Cove ELC, Albany will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • monitoring progress towards the service’s long-term goals through implementing an internal evaluation process
  • using relevant education resources to support teachers’ developing cultural competencies
  • evaluating how well professional development and leadership opportunities contribute to improving teachers’ practice.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Cove ELC, Albany 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.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

5 July 2021 

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name Kids Cove ELC, Albany
Profile Number 46778
Location Albany, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

125 children, aged over 2 years

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

84

Ethnic composition

Māori 7
NZ European/Pākehā 17
Chinese 19
Indian 9
South East Asian 8
African 5
Russian 5
other European 4
other ethnic groups 10

Review team on site

April 2021

Date of this report

5 July 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, April 2018

Kids Cove ELC, Albany - 16/04/2018

1 Evaluation of Kids Cove ELC, Albany

How well placed is Kids Cove ELC, Albany 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

Kids Cove ELC, Albany is one of three Kids Cove centres owned by the same family group. This Albany centre is the newest and has operated in a purpose built facility in the Albany business district since October 2015. It serves a culturally diverse community and is licenced for 125 children, including 25 up to two years of age. Most children and families are either Mandarin speaking Chinese or New Zealand Pākehā. There are also children of Latin American, African and other Asian descent in addition to very small numbers of Māori and Pacific children.

The centre is organised into four age-related learning spaces. Infants and toddlers up to two years have their own indoor and outdoor environments, as do the preschool group of children. Separate indoor spaces are available for children aged from two to three, and three to four. These two groups of children share a spacious outdoor area. Older children access the dining area for meals while infants and toddlers eat meals in their own space.

The centre's philosophy espouses a deep respect for children. Its aims are to nurture children in partnership with whānau and in a warm, homely environment where teachers follow children's interests and dispositions.

One of the owners, the service director, is actively involved in the centre and shares her time across all three Kids Cove services. The manager is responsible for the daily running of the centre and is supported by an administrator. An external early childhood consultant provides governance and management guidance, and pedagogical support. A pedagogical leader is employed full time to enhance teaching and learning practices throughout the centre. In addition, each room has a team leader.

This is ERO's first review of Kids Cove ELC, Albany. 

The Review Findings

Children and families experience a welcoming and inclusive environment, and parents are invited to be partners in their children's learning. Staff are calm and gentle, and support children well to play in areas of their choice. Older children are kind to each other and play collaboratively with their peers, or independently as they prefer. They care for and play very well with their younger friends. These good practices contribute to how settled, happy and engaged children are in their play and learning.   

Teachers work collaboratively to plan, design and enact very good learning programmes for children across the centre. As skilled practitioners, teachers are responsive to children's interests and preferences, and engage them in meaningful play and learning. They provide children with ready access to open-ended resources and use teaching approaches that evoke children's curiosity and imagination. Children are valued as competent, capable learners and are supported to take risks with their learning.

Teachers are respectful and positive with children and each other. They work alongside children, giving them time and space to think, talk and learn. Teachers are nurturing and affectionate with babies and toddlers. They are attentive and responsive to the care needs of these youngest children, and support them appropriately to meet developmental milestones. Teachers communicate with parents effectively and follow home routines.

The centre environment is spacious and open, allowing for easy visibility into learning spaces. The thoughtful design and resourcing of the centre provide children with very good opportunities for creative and imaginative play, and physical activity. Teachers support and enhance children's literacy and numeracy learning, and integrate science and other curriculum areas effectively into daily programmes. 

Teachers and leaders are becoming increasingly skilled in their use of te reo Māori, and aspects of tikanga Māori are practised throughout the centre. They clearly value the continuing development of culturally responsive practices.

Centre leaders are collaborative and improvement focused. They value their staff and are creating a culture of respect and trust. The centre's philosophy is evident in practice. It is well aligned to the centre's strategic planning and internal evaluation, and teachers' professional learning and appraisal processes. The centre's well understood internal evaluation shows that specialist staffing appointments are having a positive impact in improving outcomes for children.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders have identified appropriate next steps to help build staff capacity and support the sustainability of good practices throughout the centre. Next steps include:

  • further promoting the positive team culture
  • continuing to support teachers to grow as leaders
  • enhancing the centre's bicultural curriculum, alongside improving approaches for Pacific children. 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids Cove ELC, Albany 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 Kids Cove ELC, Albany will be in three years.

Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

16 April 2018 

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

Albany, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

46778

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

125 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

95

Gender composition

Boys      45
Girls       50

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
African
Latin American
other

  2
28
38
  8
  6
13

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

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

February 2018

Date of this report

16 April 2018

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.