192 Helenslee Road, Pokeno
View on mapHillpark Preschool (2021) Limited
Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited
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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing |
2 Context of the Service
Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited is co-owned and managed by two experienced early childhood teachers. The teaching team of seven operate within a purpose-built, over-two’s setting. Children attending the centre come from a wide range of ethnicities and include a small number identifying as Māori. This is the centre’s first Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
3 Summary of findings
Children experience a play-based curriculum where they are responded to as confident and competent learners. Their choices are respected, and they are included in decisions about their learning. Positive relationships between children and teachers support their communication and developing social competence. The language-rich environment provides them with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development both indoors and out. Children display curiosity within their learning environment.
Teachers actively engage with parents and whānau. They have regular opportunities to participate and contribute to their child’s learning and development. The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children have opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The home languages and cultures of all children are valued and acknowledged but yet to be consistently embedded into assessment practices. Information and guidance is sought, when necessary, from agencies/services to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents. Transitions into the service and beyond are sensitively managed.
High relational trust among leaders and teachers promotes team unity and reciprocal communication. Ongoing self-review fosters consistent positive outcomes for teaching and learning. Leaders agree they are yet to embed their collective capability to do and use internal evaluation. A commitment to continuous learning and development enables ongoing reflection to improve practice. Leaders and teachers are guided by suitable systems and processes that maintain management and governance of the service.
4 Improvement actions
Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
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Develop a localised curriculum in consultation with parents and whānau to reflect the valued priorities for children’s learning and strategic goals for the service.
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Reflect the languages and cultures of all children in assessment practices to reflect their home contexts and uphold and enhance their learner identities.
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Forefront evaluative questions within the internal evaluation framework to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of improvement actions designed to achieve equitable outcomes for all children.
5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited 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:
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curriculum
-
premises and facilities
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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:
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emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
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physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
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suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
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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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
16 August 2022
6 About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Hillpark Preschool (2021) Limited |
Profile Number |
47173 |
Location |
Pokeno |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
30 children over the age of 2 years |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
30 |
Review team on site |
May 2022 |
Date of this report |
16 August 2022 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, April 2019 |
Hillpark Preschool - 05/04/2019
ERO’s judgement
Regulatory standards |
|
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
Hillpark Preschool is a privately owned, all-day education and care service. It is purpose built and licensed for 30 children aged over two years of age. There are four teachers who are qualified and registered. The centre’s roll currently is 38, including six Māori children. This is the centre’s first ERO Review.
Summary of review findings
The centre curriculum is responsive to children’s emerging interests and learning. The systems and practices for assessment, planning and curriculum align with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The philosophy guides the service’s operation. Positive relationships support children’s communication and developing social competence. Appropriate documentation and records are developed and maintained and health and safety systems are monitored.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.
Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
5 April 2019
Information about the service
Early Childhood Service Name | Hillpark Preschool | |
Profile Number |
47173 |
|
Location |
Pokeno |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, aged over 2 years |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
|
Number of qualified coordinators/ hospital play specialists |
N/A |
|
Quality or Standard funded (Home-based services) |
N/A |
|
Reported ratios of staff / 5 adults to 30 children |
||
Over 2 |
Better than regulatory standards |
|
Service roll |
38 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 14 Girls 24 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 6 Pākehā 32 |
|
Review team on site |
March 2019 |
|
Date of this report |
5 April 2019 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
First ERO review of the service |
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:
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the Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services 2008
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the Licensing Criteria for Hospital-based 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 Assurance Review process in any service:
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having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
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previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
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that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
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that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
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where an 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 Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
-
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
As part of an Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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discussions with those involved in the service
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consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
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observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.