55a Rimu Street, Merrilands, New Plymouth
View on mapJumpstart Preschool Rimu
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Jumpstart Preschool Rimu are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
2 Context of the Service
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu is one of four privately owned Jumpstart early childhood services in New Plymouth. Children attend this service from infancy to approximately three and half years of age. Recent changes in leadership and team are leading to a review of the current philosophies.
3 Summary of findings
Children’s learning in a play-based environment is effectively scaffolded by caring, responsive and respectful relationships. Kaiako interactions with children are language rich, promoting working theories and sustained engagement with their peers and the environment. Children have opportunities to revisit their learning and take on leadership roles with their peers. Transition and induction processes are flexible to children and whānau needs. Kaiako respond to children’s verbal and non verbal cues. Each child’s identity as a learner is consistently affirmed.
Learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, provide the basis for assessment for learning. Children’s learning progresses over time, successes and challenges are developed and responded to though planning, assessment and evaluation. Kaiako foster equitable approaches to the inclusion of children with additional needs and their whānau. Children’s progress across the learning outcomes and centre priorities drives intentional teaching and curriculum delivery.
Relational trust and distributed leadership supports mentoring, coaching and ongoing inquiry into the effectiveness of teaching practices. Centre leaders drive the enactment of values and priorities for learning. They place priority on relationships as being pivotal to support children’s sense of wellbeing and belonging.
Children’s learning is enhanced through kaiako seeking ways to maintain and value cultural connectedness. A deepening understanding and inclusion of the importance of culture, language and identity is prioritised. Assessment clearly provides connection between children’s home and the centre through reciprocity. Kaiako and whānau learn from each other. Whānau beliefs and values meaningfully contribute to learning goals for children’s learning and development. Incorporation of te reo and te ao Māori has been an area of growth, leading to increased learning opportunities for children.
Organisation-wide internal evaluation has led to some positive changes in practice. Leaders and kaiako are increasingly responsive to individual centre identified priorities. Ongoing monitoring of the implementation of improvement actions and evaluating the impact for all children and their whānau is yet to be carried out.
Improvement actions
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
- monitor the implementation of improvement actions and evaluate their impact for all children and their whānau
- work more closely with whānau to review the philosophy, to reflect what matters most for children’s learning in this community.
4 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Jumpstart Preschool Rimu 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.
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; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
- evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
5 Actions for Compliance
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
- toilet and associated hand washing/drying facilities intended for use by children allow children capable of independent toileting to access them safely without adult help [PF20].
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
3 November 2021
6 About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu |
Profile Number |
50129 |
Location |
New Plymouth |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
74 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 19, NZ European/Pākehā 39, Other ethnic groups 16. |
Review team on site |
September 21 |
Date of this report |
3 November 2021 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, October 2017; Education Review, August 2014. |
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu - 17/10/2017
1 Evaluation of Jumpstart Preschool Rimu
How well placed is Jumpstart Preschool Rimu to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Jumpstart Preschool Rimu is one of three locally owned and operated private early childhood education and care services in New Plymouth, operating under the Jumpstart umbrella. The centre is licensed for 65 children, including 15 up to two years of age. Of the children currently enrolled, 15 identify as Māori and four are of Pacific heritage.
The Nursery (children aged up to two) and Preschool (children aged two to four) are distinct, separately staffed areas within the centre.
The Jumpstart managing director supports the centre leaders (principals) and administrator in the day-to-day operation and ensures the strategic priorities are progressed. She works closely with and provides ongoing professional support to the principals and teachers.
The philosophy emphasises building strong, respectful relationships with children and parents. Promoting learning through play and development as socially competent capable learners are also emphasised. The philosophy is clearly shared with all who are involved in the centre.
The August 2014 ERO evaluation identified strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation practices as next steps. The centre, in association with the umbrella organisation, has successfully responded to these areas.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews in Jumpstart preschools.
The Review Findings
Well-considered and effective support for learning, respectful care of children and a focus on improvement enable Jumpstart Preschool Rimu to be very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Reciprocal relationships with parents and whānau are a focus and strength. Children and families demonstrate a strong sense of belonging.
A wide range of high quality resources invites children's investigation and participation. The indoor and outdoor areas encourage involvement in a range of experiences, exploration, challenge and engagement with aspects of the natural environment.
Children demonstrate high levels of interest in the learning opportunities offered. Independence, social and self-management skills are well supported. Perseverance, ideas generated in play and oral language are reinforced and extended through conversations with others.
Adults in the Nursery develop close child-teacher-family relationships which allows them to understand and effectively respond to individual children’s cues and gestures. Care moments occur in a calm and respectful manner. The service's youngest children are given physical space and time to make their own choices.
Commitment to upholding Te Tiriti o Waitangi is evident. Te ao Māori values and beliefs are strongly reflected through interactions, the environment and within the learning programme. Children are confident contributors to experiences in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Leaders are focused on continuing to strengthen practices that contribute to success for Māori children.
Children's interests and parent aspirations inform and guide the well-planned curriculum. Literacy, mathematics, science and creativity are well integrated.
A more individualised assessment and planning approach and focus on development of children's specific learning dispositions has been developed. An online programme that illustrates and celebrates the learning of individual children has been successfully introduced. It includes recognition of children's progress over time and enables two-way communication between families and teachers. 'My Learning Journey’ reports and associated parent conferences provide a further opportunity for parents and teachers to share children's learning.
A well-considered transition process effectively supports children and their families as they move into, through and out of the centre. Many children at Jumpstart Preschool Rimu move to the adjacent Jumpstart School when they are approximately four years of age.
Teachers and leaders work effectively as teams and across the organisation to promote positive outcomes for children. Sharing ideas about effective teaching, learning and care practices in regular meetings develops consistency and improves teacher capability.
Centre-wide professional learning has positively contributed to the development of a curriculum to better promote children’s learning. A comprehensive appraisal process supports improvement for teachers and leaders. There are clear links to the Practising Teacher Criteria and a focus on teachers' regular inquiry into their practice to improve outcomes. Greater use of formal observations of practice and ensuring cultural competency dimensions are more integrated, is a next step.
Self review, ongoing inquiry, planning evaluations and appraisal, provide insight into the effectiveness of teaching practices. Leaders foster collaborative review that leads to positive change and improvement. Professional learning is building evaluative capacity. Deeper analysis and sense-making of evidence collected as part of this process should strengthen teachers' ability to evaluate the effectiveness of their practice on outcomes for children.
Well-considered strategic plan goals are developed by the managing director in consultation with the centre leaders. These are influenced by parent, whānau, community and teacher input. Parent and staff surveys affirm practices and identify possible areas for further strengthening.
Effective management and leadership supports centre operation and build capability to promote positive outcomes for children. Quality assurance and well-developed communication processes foster successful leadership, teaching, awareness of service and legislative expectations and high quality practices. Regular review supports compliance with expectations.
Key Next Step
To build effective internal evaluation capacity and capability across the organisation in order to evaluate how effectively the services curriculum improves outcomes for children.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Jumpstart Preschool Rimu 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.
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; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
-
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Jumpstart Preschool Rimu will be in four years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
17 October 2017
The Purpose of ERO Reports
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.
2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
New Plymouth |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
50129 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
84 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 49, Girls 35 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
July 2017 |
||
Date of this report |
17 October 2017 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2014 |
|
Education Review |
September 2011 |
3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews
ERO’s Evaluation Framework
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 whānaungatanga – 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 ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
- Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
- Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
- Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
- Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
Review Coverage
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.