9 William Street, Richmond, Nelson
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Village Kids Limited are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
At Village Kids Limited the qualified owner, two visiting teachers and internal evaluation lead provide guidance and support to educators, children and their families. Almost all educators have completed a relevant qualification. As part of this evaluation, ERO visited a sample of educators’ homes in Nelson and Richmond. A small number of Māori children and others from diverse ethnicities are enrolled.
Children experience calm learning environments where they are well supported to follow their interests through individual and small group play. Learning is fostered by educators who know children and their whānau well. Regular excursions into the local community and opportunities to learn in larger groups enrich the curriculum.
Visiting teachers support educators to develop their understanding of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Regular home visits and ongoing communication are responsive to educators needs. Visiting teachers provide parents with reports on a monthly basis that show how their child’s learning is supported. Building educators’ capability to intentionally use strategies that support and extend children’s learning is an ongoing key focus. Better documentation is required to show how visiting teachers are identifying the shifts in educator practice to inform the next steps for educators’ learning.
Individual children’s learning documentation identifies their interests and participation in the programme. Educators are encouraged to use learning outcomes in Te Whāriki and are provided with a useful template to guide practice. While parent goals for their children and cultural information is sought, little is recorded or used to inform planning of the curriculum and assessment for learning.
Aspects of a bicultural curriculum are evident through resourcing and there are some opportunities to learn about places of significance for mana whenua. The implementation of a rich bicultural curriculum that also recognises the place of children’s languages, cultures and learner identities is required. This includes leaders intentionally building their capability to use te reo Māori and role model this for educators.
Governance and management are improvement focused. Internal evaluation has informed decision making focused on a curriculum that fosters the learning and wellbeing of children. External expertise has supported the development of a well-considered strategic plan, which guides the service. Better monitoring of aspects of compliance is required.
Village Kids Limited will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Village Kids Limited completed an 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:
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.
During and since the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
[Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services 2008 HS4, HS6, HS11, HS14, GMA7A].
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
13 August 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Village Kids Limited |
| Profile Number | 47185 |
| Location | Richmond, Nelson |
| Service type | Home-based service |
| Number licensed for | 80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2 |
| Service roll | 60 |
| Review team on site | June 2024 |
| Date of this report | 13 August 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, November 2019 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Village Kids Limited is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Village Kids Limited is a privately-owned home-based education and care service located in Nelson. It is a standard network, licenced, for 80 children from birth to school age. There are currently 36 children on the roll.
One visiting teacher and the manager, who are qualified early childhood teachers, regularly visit all children in educators' homes. They support educators to implement the policies and procedures of Village Kids Limited. The owner also manages the service and monitors processes for meeting legislative requirements.
The service's philosophy expresses a commitment to bicultural practice and positive relationships with all. It has a focus on supporting children’s independence, problem solving skills and positive dispositions to learning.
This is the service's first review.
Documentation shows that children are provided with a variety of learning experiences that reflect the home-based context. These show secure relationships between the child, family and visiting teacher that promote the development of children’s positive sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Infants and toddlers are sensitively responded to by educators through routines and care moments. The individual strengths, interests and capabilities of all children are well supported within the home-based setting. Those with additional learning needs are identified, well supported and inclusive practice is promoted.
The service provides supplementary resources to complement the in-home curriculum, including resources that have a focus on science. There are many opportunities for children to be involved in meaningful experiences within and beyond the home. This includes participating in regular educator- led play groups.
Educators and visiting teachers regularly observe children’s play. The visiting teacher then reflects on this useful information to provide comprehensive records of children’s learning and progress. This information is shared with parents. Partnerships focused on children’s learning are developing.
Children’s profiles provide thoughtful insights into the home-based curriculum. They show children’s developing confidence, friendships and sense of belonging. This documentation also highlights how children’s learning opportunities are enhanced through excursions in the local community. Leaders have identified a need and are committed to strengthening educator's understanding of assessment for learning. Visiting teachers should further support educators to:
The manager and visiting teacher are experienced and knowledgeable early childhood teachers. They regularly visit each child in their homes where the care takes place. They provide educators with useful written feedback and guidance about how they can support children's care, development and learning. They effectively support them to access resources and provide guidance and advice on ways to promote children's learning. They also provide ongoing support and mentoring for educators and families through regular email and telephone contact.
Visiting teachers have identified that bicultural practice is developing in the network. They have purposefully created and promoted the use of resources to assist educators in their understanding of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Future developments should also include visiting teachers reports better reflecting this approach and the use of te reo Māori.
Leaders have acknowledged that providing a more localised curriculum, including celebrating places of local significance for Māori, should better support educational success for Māori.
A useful framework for self review has been established. Leaders have undertaken reviews that led to a targeted approach to drive improvements in the network. Continuing to build their knowledge of evaluation and how it improves outcomes for children’s learning is a next step.
A highly effective appraisal process is in place and includes a robust critique of practice which usefully informs visiting teachers' continued development. A useful annual appraisal for educators includes self reflection and parent feedback. Providing specific feedback for educators, related to their goals, requires ongoing development.
Leaders are committed to improvement and providing high-quality care and education for all children. Collaborative ways of working are fostered for those involved in the service.
The service provider and ERO agree that key next steps are to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Village Kids Limited completed an ERO Home-based Education and Care 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.
To improve current practice the owner should ensure:
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
5 November 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.
| Location | Nelson | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 47185 | ||
| Institution type | Homebased Network | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 80 children, including up to 80 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 36 | ||
| Standard or Quality Funded | Standard | ||
| Gender composition | Males 20, Females 16 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 3 30 3 | |
| Number of qualified coordinators in the network | 2 | ||
| Required ratios of staff educators to children | Under 2 | 1:2 | |
| Over 2 | 1:4 | ||
| Review team on site | September 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 5 November 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report
| This is the service's first report | ||
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 the draft methodology for ERO reviews in Home-based Education and Care Services: July 2014
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes 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.