Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth

Education institution number:
47784
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
146
Telephone:
Address:

1 Swans Road, Bell Block, New Plymouth

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Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth

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 Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)


Whakatō Emerging

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whāngai Establishing

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Future Kids New Plymouth is one of four privately owned services supported by a general manager. A centre manager oversees daily operations. Approximately a quarter children attending are Māori, and a small number of learners have Pacific heritages. There has been good progress in relation to the key next step from the first review regarding exploring the service’s learning priorities to inform the localised curriculum.

3 Summary of findings

Children have opportunities to lead their own learning in a play-based curriculum. Their learning and development are fostered through caring, nurturing relationships with their teachers. The youngest children experience a calm, unhurried environment. There is a focus on wellbeing and social and emotional competence throughout the service. Children who have additional learning needs are well supported within the curriculum.

Teachers are beginning to explore the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and to use these when planning for and assessing children’s learning. Currently, children’s assessment documentation focuses on children’s interests, what they are doing, and provides information to support transitions. However, assessment records do not yet show children’s learning and progress in relation to Te Whāriki learning outcomes.

There are some opportunities for parents and whānau to contribute to and participate in their child’s learning, including sharing iwi information and whānau aspirations. These aspirations are not yet used to inform children’s assessment document. Aspects of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are integrated into the curriculum.

An established framework for internal evaluation is in place and has been used to guide reviews of the service’s processes. Evaluation practices are yet to be framed by an evaluative question and measurable quality indicators to guide the process to know what is working, or not, for individuals and groups of children.

Leaders and teachers are beginning to work collaboratively to build their professional knowledge. There is a strong system to support teachers’ professional growth. Leaders provide helpful feedback and feedforward to teachers. Outcomes for children and their whānau are promoted by effective systems and processes. Governance and management have developed policies and procedures that provide environments that are physically and emotionally safe for adults and children.

4 Improvement actions

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Build teachers’ collective understanding and use of Te Whāriki learning outcomes to better inform planning and to show children’s learning and progress over time.

  • Consult with whānau Māori to decide what success looks like for their tamariki, and use this information to guide planning for, and assessment of, their learning.

  • Further develop effective internal evaluation processes and practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth 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)

20 July 2023

About the Early Childhood Service  

Early Childhood Service Name

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth
Profile Number 47784
Location New Plymouth

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

120 children, including up to 41 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable)

80-99%

Service roll

147

Review team on site

May 2023

Date of this report

20 July 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akanuku | Assurance Review, February 2022

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth 2022

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.

ERO’s Judgement

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.

Background

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth is a privately-owned, purpose-built centre. The management team, including a general manager and centre manager, are supported by team leaders in four aged-based rooms. The all-day education and care service was issued a full licence in May 2021. This is the service’s first ERO review.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s philosophy expresses the beliefs, values, and attitudes about the provision of early childhood curriculum. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance their learning. The curriculum reflects the unique place of Māori as Tangata whenua. Adults engage in positive interactions to nurture reciprocal relationships with tamariki. The service is governed and managed in accordance with good management practices.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • continue to explore the services learning priorities to further inform development of the localised curriculum.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

8 February 2022 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth

Profile Number

47784

Location

New Plymouth

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

120 children, including up to 41 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

132

Ethnic composition

Māori 38, NZ European/Pākehā 77, Other ethnic groups 17.

Review team on site

8th December 2021

Date of this report

8 February 2022

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 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.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
  • where an Akanuku | 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 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:

  • 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 Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service
  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.