Blue Duck Early Learning Centre

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 Blue Duck Early Learning Centre are as follows:

2 Context of the Service

Blue Duck Early Learning Centre, Winton, is one of three early childhood services under the same ownership. The owners and a centre director work alongside the centre manager who oversees the
day-to-day operations of the service. Leaders and teachers are new to the center and their roles. Children attend from a variety of ethnic backgrounds, including approximately a quarter of the roll identifying as Māori.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s learning experiences are closely aligned to the centre philosophy. Teacher’s work alongside children supporting their decision making, independence and problem-solving skills. The literacy rich environment supports children’s developing oral language.

Teachers’ interactions are respectful and responsive to children. Infants and toddlers are viewed as capable learners and explorers. They experience an environment which provides space and time for learning. Children are well supported in their transitions into and within the centre.

The curriculum provided is reflective of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children have some opportunities to hear te reo Māori, including the use of their own and a centre pepeha. A newly developed approach to assessment and planning inclusive of a focus on a te ao Māori approach is being introduced.

Parents are involved in the decisions about their child’s learning. Assessment information provides parents with information about their child’s interests and engagement in the programme. Learning plans identify how teachers intend to support children’s interests. However, evaluation of children’s learning and progress is not consistently evident. Greater visibility of learning outcomes of Te Whāriki in assessment documentation is required.

A useful internal evaluation framework guides the evaluative process, and a shared approach is taken. The team is developing relational trust and collaborative ways of working. Implementation and monitoring of health and safety is required to meet regulatory standards.

4 Improvement actions

Blue Duck Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

• increase opportunities for children to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts 

• build teacher capability to use the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, to analyse and interpret significant learning from which to build a rich and relevant curriculum for every child

• When undertaking internal evaluation draw on the information gathered to evaluate the impact of teaching on outcomes for children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Blue Duck Early Learning Centre 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• accurate records of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time (HS9)

• daily hazard checks that include windows and other areas of glass, vandalism, foreign materials, and dangerous objects are undertaken in the indoor and outdoor areas on a daily basis (HS12)

• a record of written authority from parents for the administration of medicine (prescription and non-prescription. (HS28)

Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Acting, Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

22 February 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service