Peninsula Kids

Peninsula Kids - 08 Jun 2023

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 Peninsula Kids are as follows:

2 Context of the Service

Peninsula Kids is owned by a qualified early childhood teacher. It is managed by a centre manager with the support of the owner. There are two areas for different age groups of children, each with its own outdoor area. A qualified teaching team reflects the cultural diversity of the children and families. Approximately 10 percent of children enrolled have Māori heritage.

3 Summary of findings

Children of all ages enjoy a calm, unhurried environment. They have formed trustful and respectful relationships with teachers. Children at this service are confident to explore and direct their own play. Younger children enjoy nurturing and responsive care. They demonstrate a sense of belonging in their environment. Teachers sing and talk to children supporting their developing language.

Children have easy access to a variety of equipment and make good use of the indoor and outdoor environments. They enjoy friendships that enhance their social skills. Childrens’ literacy and mathematical knowledge is fostered by teachers.

Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, guides the curriculum provided. Leaders and teachers have developed collaborative relationships with parents that help to support children’s learning and wellbeing. Parent aspirations are frequently sought and used to inform the curriculum. Records of children’s learning show their development and progress over time.

An ongoing commitment to bicultural and inclusive practices is evident. Teachers include te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga Māori in their daily practice. They could increase the visibility of how the curriculum responds to children’s cultures in documentation and the environment.

Internal evaluation processes are collaborative, and improvement focused. Through internal evaluation, teachers monitor the impact of changes made. Teachers’ professional goals align with the centre’s overarching strategic objectives.

The centre is professionally managed. Operations are guided by a framework of policies and procedures. A collaborative and reflective working culture is helping to build shared understandings of expectations within the teaching team. Continuing to strengthen teachers’ evaluative capability is likely to contribute to ongoing improvement.

4 Improvement actions

Peninsula Kids will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

• Strengthen the visibility of children’s cultures and languages within curriculum documentation and in the physical environment.

• Extend teachers’ understanding about robust evaluation to promote improved outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Peninsula Kids 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:

• 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; safety checking; teacher registration; 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.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

8 June 2023

6 About the Early Childhood Service

Past Reports