Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre

Education institution number:
47019
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Definition:
Montessori
Total roll:
55
Telephone:
Address:

99 Centreway Road, Orewa

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Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre

1 ERO’s judgement of Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre is as follows:

Domains: Ngā Akatoro

Below the threshold for quality

Above the threshold for quality

The learner and their learning

He Whāriki Motuhake

Improvement required

Working towards

Embedded

Excelling

Collaborative professional learning and development builds knowledge and capability

Whakangungu Ngaio

Improvement required

Working towards

Embedded

Excelling

Leadership fosters collaboration and improvement

Kaihautū

Improvement required

Working towards

Embedded

Excelling

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Te Whakaruruhau

Improvement required

Working towards

Embedded

Excelling

For an explanation of the judgement terms used and of the evaluation process please refer to the last page of this report. These judgements are based on the evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

Children’s health and safety

Improvement required

Taking reasonable steps

2 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluations evaluate the extent to which early childhood services have 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 and Early Childhood Education (ECE) Improvement Framework (teacher led services) are the basis for making judgements about the quality of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Evaluations for improvement | Ngā Aronga Whai Hua is integrated across all of the above domains.

3 About the Service

Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre provides all-day education and care for children from birth to school age. The learning environment is separated into three age-based learning spaces, with a fourth resourced and ready to open. In June 2022 the service, previously known as Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa, changed ownership and underwent rebranding. A qualified centre owner undertakes the role of centre director and is supported by a centre manager to oversee day-to-day operations and lead the curriculum. The service’s philosophy is strongly linked to the theories of Montessori teaching and learning. It promotes independence and exploration within clear limits and boundaries.

4 Progress since the previous ERO report

The May 2018 ERO report identified three key next steps for improvement related to the planning and assessment process, bicultural curriculum and the visibility of children’s languages, cultures and identities. After the service’s sale the new owner identified different improvement priorities. The team have been focused on building relationships, developing a shared understanding of the new philosophy and increasing their understanding of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Good progress has been made against these self-identified goals. As a result of their focus in these areas, the team has also achieved good progress in developing their assessment and planning processes. All children now have individual development plans and regular assessment shows children’s learning progression over time.

5 Learning Conditions

The learner and their learning | He Whāriki Motuhake

A well-developed, shared understanding of the service’s philosophy and priorities for children’s learning enable the team to enact a curriculum aligned to their vision and values.

  • The Montessori curriculum is thoughtfully considered and woven with Te Whāriki to scaffold children’s learning. Children’s learning progression using the Montessori resourcing is well understood.
  • The enacted curriculum is consistent across the service. This enables smooth transitions between the age-based learning spaces and provides children with opportunities to lead their own learning.
  • Formal and informal opportunities are provided for parents to share goals for their children and contribute to the service’s curriculum. A formal process for using parent contribution to inform planning for individual children has not yet been fully implemented.

Collaborative professional learning and development builds knowledge and capability | Whakangungu Ngaio

Service leaders are establishing the conditions to support the teaching team to build their professional knowledge and expertise.

  • Leaders prioritise teachers completion of the Montessori training required to implement a rich, responsive curriculum reflective of their philosophy.
  • Levels of internal evaluation across the service support the team to critically reflect upon their teaching practice and subject it to ongoing inquiry. This does not yet contain a systematic approach for analysing relevant evidence to fully understand the impact of their teaching on children’s learning.
  • Leaders and teachers are in the early stages of developing their cultural competencies to work with Māori and Pacific learners. Cultural celebrations and the use of children’s home languages are used to acknowledge children’s languages, cultures and identities.

6 Organisational conditions

Leadership fosters collaboration and improvement | Kaihautū

Relational trust supports the team to ensure increasing accountability and collective responsibility for collaboration and improvement.

  • Shared leadership practices at this service promote a high level of professional accountability. Individualised support is provided to teachers to enable them to meet expectations and increase their capabilities.
  • Since the change of owner, the team have focused on developing team relationships and their ability to work together. This enables relational trust which supports critical feedback and reflection.
  • Internal expertise is beginning to be utilised to reduce current teacher variability in curriculum planning and assessment practices.

Stewardship through effective governance and management | Te Whakaruruhau

Consideration of children, their learning and wellbeing successfully supports quality improvement at the service

  • Knowledgeable leaders recognise areas for growth and development to support change and improvement. Refinement of their strategic approach is needed to enable them to target change where it matters most.
  • A positive working environment has been developed, enabling a low staff turnover and high percentage of Montessori trained staff. As a result, children experience consistency in their learning.
  • Children with additional needs are well supported by a team who work in collaboration with relevant agencies and families to create appropriate individual development plans.

7 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre completed and ERO 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 system for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children’s health and safety:

  • emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
  • physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; excursion policies and procedures)
  • suitable staffing (safety checking of staff, ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

8 Where to next for improvement?

Dreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its quality improvement planning:

  • Continue to build the collective capacity of the team to consistently document children’s learning.
  • Increase the team’s responsiveness to parent aspirations and contributions to the curriculum to strengthen learning-focused partnerships. 
  • Systematically gather and analyse data within the internal evaluation process to deepen the understanding of change and improvement.

Activities undertaken by the evaluation team

  • Pre-visit contact with the service provider/manager.
  • Reading documentation and records of children’s learning and development.
  • Scanning the learning environment and resources.
  • Observations of interactions and teaching practice while onsite.
  • Meetings and / or conversations with leaders and teachers.
  • Sampling of information related to compliance.

Further information about how ERO evaluates early childhood services is available here.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

24 September 2024

9 Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NameDreamers Nest Montessori Early Learning Centre 
Profile Number47019
LocationOrewa, Auckland
Service TypeEducation and care service
Number licenced for90 children, including up to 20 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers100%

Ethnic composition

Using rounded percentages

Māori 2%; NZ European/Pakeha 61, Chinese 24%, Filipino 9%, Pacific 3%, Indian 3%, Australian 3%, Irish 3%, Turkish 3%, Spanish 3%, British 3%, French 3%, South African 3%, Brazilian 3%, other ethnic groups 12%.%
Service roll59
Review team on siteJuly 2024
Date of this report24 September 2024
Most recent ERO report (s)Education Review, May 2018

Description around ERO’s judgement terms

ERO’s judgements are based on Te Ara Poutama and the Early Childhood Education Improvement Framework (teacher led services).

 

Above the threshold for quality

Excelling

The service is excelling in the learning and organisation to support high quality education and care for children

Embedded

The service has embedded its learning and organisational conditions to support ongoing improvement to the quality of education and care for children.

 

 

Below the threshold for quality

Working towards

The service is working towards establishing the learning and organisational conditions to support improvements in the quality of education and care for children.

Improvement required

The service has not yet developed the learning and organisational conditions to support quality education and care for children.

 

Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa - 04/05/2018

1 Evaluation of Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa

How well placed is Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa 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

Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa is a privately owned purpose built early childhood centre that is licensed for up to 90 children including 20 children under the age of two. It is one of three centres owned by Bright Sparks Childcare Limited. The centre's philosophy is based around three pillars: Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, Reggio Emilia approaches and Christian values.

Children are grouped in three age related areas. A large outdoor area provides opportunity for children of mixed ages to interact with each other. The centre manager and assistant manager are responsible for the daily operation of the centre and work closely with the centre owner on the centre's strategic priorities. The majority of staff are registered teachers.

This is the first ERO review of Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa.

The Review Findings

Children are articulate and independent and learners. They move confidently between areas of play, making choices about where they want to play and who they want to play with. The high quality physical environment offers challenge and promotes exploration. Children engage in a wide variety of activities. Children under two experience positive interactions in a calm and caring environment.

A project-based approach to programme planning supports positive outcomes for children. It establishes a good framework for children's individual and group learning. Teachers use children's strengths, interests and abilities to inform planning for future learning. Observational information is well used to build a picture of what the children know, understand, are interested in, and can do. It is used effectively to plan children's learning pathways.

The learning environment promotes exploration, creativity, and imaginative play for children. It is supported by a good range of high quality natural resources that enhance the children's play. Children are highly engaged in conversation with teachers and each other. Children's talk is encouraged, accepted and respected. Māori concepts, values and tikanga are evident throughout the programme.

Teaching is effective in developing children's confidence and competence as learners. Staff have a strong commitment to teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for children. Opportunities for ongoing and appropriate professional development are available for all staff.

The centre is well led. Leaders and staff demonstrate a strong commitment to the philosophy and vision of the centre to provide high quality childcare. They implement effective evaluation and promote a culture of ongoing improvement. Policies and procedures are well established. They are aligned to current best practice and effectively guide the centres daily operations and ongoing development.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include continuing to:

  • strengthen curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation processes

  • develop the centre's bicultural practice, including partnerships with whānau Māori

  • make identity, language and culture visible in the teaching and learning programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa 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 Bright Sparks Childcare Orewa will be in three years.

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

4 May 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

Orewa

Ministry of Education profile number

47019

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

90 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Service roll

51

Gender composition

Girls 27 Boys 24

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Chinese
Latin American
other European
other Asian
other

1
37
3
2
3
4
1

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

1:6

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

March 2018

Date of this report

4 May 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.