346 Tukapa Street, Hurdon, New Plymouth
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 The Redwoods Country Kindergarten are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakawhanake Sustaining Whakawhanake Sustaining |
The Redwoods Country Kindergarten is privately owned and operated and is situated on seven acres of farmland. Three co-owners share responsibility for the leadership of the service. The philosophy emphasises respecting each other, our whenua and our culture. A quarter of children enrolled are of Māori heritage.
Children experience a rich and responsive curriculum designed to build strong connections to people, places and things. Teachers intentionally focus on scaffolding children’s relationships with their peers, developing their skills to learn with and from each other. Daily interaction in the nature-based environment provides ample opportunities for children to be kaitiaki (guardians), nurturing and protecting the land and its living creatures. Children are creative and imaginative learners.
Children’s learning and development is considerably enhanced through learning-focused partnerships. Parents and whānau regularly contribute to their child’s learning journey. Teachers recognise and respond to any identified learning needs, including welcoming support from external expertise. Children are intentionally planned for as individuals, clearly aligned to what matters most at this service. Assessment of children’s learning shows their development over time in relation to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers know children in the context of their whānau well.
Māori are recognised as tangata whenua. Relationships with wider community, including iwi, and Māori expertise contribute to experiences for children grounded in te ao Māori practice. Children hear te reo Māori in meaningful contexts within the daily curriculum. Teachers, through quality improvement actions, show a clear focus on a commitment to the continual building of Te Tiriti o Waitangi based practices.
Well established systems and processes collectively promote ongoing improvement. Leaders and teachers individually and collaboratively reflect critically on their practice. High levels of relational trust are evident. The cohesive shared leadership team models the collective responsibility for learning and well-being of children. Deliberate structural conditions contribute to the provision of quality teaching and learning. The visibility of how improvement actions are impacting specifically on individuals and groups of children can now be strengthened to further show equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners.
The Redwoods Country Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of The Redwoods Country Kindergarten 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
3 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Redwoods Country Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 47724 |
| Location | Hurdon, New Plymouth |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 31 children over 2 years |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 100% |
| Service roll | 24 |
| Review team on site | May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 3 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, May 2021 |
ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| 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.
This is the first ERO review of The Redwoods Country Kindergarten. The service is privately owned and operated and is situated on seven acres of farmland. The philosophy emphasises that children will be inspired in a country environment.
Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum is informed by assessment and planning practices that demonstrate an understanding of children’s interests, culture, whānau and life contexts. The service provides a language rich environment that supports children’s learning.
Children are capable and confident learners who make decisions about their own learning. They have opportunities to hear te reo Māori and to develop an understanding of the cultural heritage of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Effective governance and management systems are in place. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of a range of learning experiences.
The key next step is:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
10 May 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Redwoods Country Kindergarten |
| Profile Number | 47724 |
| Location | New Plymouth |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 31 children aged over 2 years. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 32 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 20, Other ethnic groups 5. |
| Review team on site | April 2021 |
| Date of this report | 10 May 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | First ERO review of the service |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for 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.
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:
As part of an Akanuku | 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through: