141 Deep Creek Road, Torbay, Auckland
View on mapTorbay Kindergarten
Torbay Kindergarten - 27/03/2020
Here is the latest report for the Governing Organisation that this service is part of.
1 Evaluation of Torbay Kindergarten
How well placed is Torbay Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Torbay Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Torbay Kindergarten is one of 15 early childhood services operating under the umbrella of Northern Auckland Kindergarten Association, (the association) now trading as Kaitiaki Kindergartens. The service is licensed for 40 children aged over two years and serves a diverse ethnic community. Many families have English as a second language. Of the 80 children enrolled, 7 are Māori. The service operates 3 daily sessions for children aged over 4 years, with the other days for younger children.
A governing board sets strategic direction for the association. Management of the association’s operations is the responsibility of the general manager (GM). Two professional practice leaders (PPL's) have oversight of teaching and learning, compliance, policy development and leadership. Day-to-day operation in this kindergarten is the responsibility of the head teacher who leads a team of four registered teachers.
Since the June 2015 ERO report, there has been turnover of personnel at management and senior leadership levels. There have been some changes to the teaching team.
The philosophy underpinning teaching and learning emphasises the value of whakawhanaungatanga with tamariki, whānau and community; children’s holistic development, and the importance of reflecting whakamana and manaakitanga in daily practices.
The previous ERO evaluation findings were to continue to further develop kaupapa Māori concepts to help support children's culture, language and identity. Progress is evident in this area.
This review was one of nine in the Northern Auckland Free Kindergarten Association.
The Review Findings
The high quality learning environment is carefully resourced to cater for children's current interests and emerging ideas. Literacy, mathematics, nature and science, and the arts are integrated into the programme in meaningful ways. The learning environments promote highly responsive interactions. Positive, reciprocal relationships are evident between staff, families and children.
The valued learning outcomes described in the philosophy are strongly evident in practice. Children are highly engaged and self-motivated. They are given the space and time to develop and test their working theories with the use of natural and open-ended resources. Environmental sustainability is effectively practised, and children are actively involved in promoting this.
Group planning is well considered, meaningful and effectively recorded through displayed stories. Learning outcomes are documented. Ongoing reflection identifies next steps for teachers and learners. An area of focus for the kindergarten is to continue to develop place-based learning.
Children benefit from teachers' effective assessment and planning practices. They document useful information about children’s individual interests, skills and development, as well as their engagement in the rich group curriculum. Portfolios show that teachers know children well. Stronger acknowledgement of parents' aspirations for learning, as well as children’s culture, language and identity, would strengthen assessment documentation.
Teachers liaise with parents and outside agencies, as appropriate, to support the learning and wellbeing of children with diverse learning needs.
Children are very well supported in their transition into and through the kindergarten. Strong relationships with local schools ensure children settle quickly. Teachers continue to seek effective ways of sharing children's learning with new entrant teachers.
Significant work has been undertaken by teachers to develop kaupapa Māori concepts. These are strongly evident in the environment. Children are familiar with and participate in karakia and waiata. Māori children experience success in their learning as Māori. Teachers use te reo Māori in learning conversations with children and at times in profile books. The kindergarten has developed useful connections in the community to support their approach.
Leaders and teachers regularly collaborate on reviews of their practice to promote improvement. They access current research and consult with families. An increased focus on the evaluation of practices would support stronger decision making. Developing clear indicators of success to measure the effectiveness of initiatives and programmes is a next step. This should better enable leaders and teachers to evaluate the impact of changes made and progress towards long-term goals.
The association has some good processes in place to support teachers. These include an improved inquiry-based appraisal, targeted learning and development opportunities and access to PPLs' guidance. Assisting teachers to implement and embed the new policy framework and reporting requirements and deciding on the form and function of the PPL role, and how this will be enacted in kindergartens, are priorities.
With the appointment of a new board, GM and leadership team, considerable work has been done to review the existing management structures, processes and guidelines for operation, and to improve accountability. The board and GM should continue to review and develop governance and operational roles and responsibilities, in consultation with teachers and the community, to support the sustainability of operation and ensure continuous improvement to outcomes for children.
Key Next Steps
Priorities for teachers are to continue to develop their:
- reflection of children's culture, language and identity in assessment documentation
- use of internal evaluation.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Torbay Kindergarten 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to health and safety. The service provider must ensure that:
- heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS6
Since the on-site phase the kindergarten has provided evidence to show the area of non-compliance has been addressed.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
27 March 2020
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 | Auckland | ||
Ministry of Education profile number | 5026 | ||
Licence type | Free Kindergarten | ||
Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
Number licensed for | 40 children aged over two | ||
Service roll | 80 | ||
Gender composition | Female 45, Male 35 | ||
Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese South American South African Other Ethnicities | 7 48 5 5 5 10 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
Reported ratios of staff to children | Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements |
Review team on site | October 2019 | ||
Date of this report | 27 March 2020 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | June 2015 | |
Education Review | February 2012 |
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 whanaungatanga – 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
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
- Very well placed
- Well placed
- Requires further development
- Not well placed
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.
Torbay Kindergarten - 19/06/2015
1 Evaluation of Torbay Kindergarten
How well placed is Torbay Kindergarten 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
Torbay Kindergarten is a long serving kindergarten in the Torbay community on Auckland’s North Shore. It was the first kindergarten established under the umbrella of the Northern Auckland Kindergarten Association (NAKA). The kindergarten is licensed for up to 40 children and provides allday and sessional education and care for children from two years to school age.
The kindergarten operates under the umbrella of the Northern Auckland Kindergarten Association (NAKA). The Association’s aspires to nurture children’s passion for lifelong learning. The Association provides the kindergarten with a framework of policies and procedures to guide practices. A Teaching Services Manager (TSM) regularly visits the kindergarten and offers useful professional support and guidance.
The kindergarten has a positive ERO reporting history. Since the 2012 ERO review, teachers have continued to strengthen the quality of education and care. They have focused on ensuring positive outcomes for children through improved teaching practice, assessment and planning.
Teachers have shared values and beliefs about learning that include a strong emphasis on positive relationships with whānau, and the local community. They aim to support children to become capable, competent and confident self-directed learners.
The Review Findings
Children and their families are welcomed into a safe, caring and fun environment. Respectful and trusting relationships underpin all aspects of kindergarten life. Children and their whānau demonstrate a strong sense of belonging to the kindergarten community.
Children enjoy an inclusive curriculum that provides them with an extensive range of high quality experiences in the kindergarten environment and the local community. They have many opportunities to engage in sustained and complex learning. Children’s social and communication skills are fostered through their interactions with peers, in groups and with adults. They are confident explorers and communicators and are developing life-long learning skills that will support them in other learning contexts.
Children have access to high quality learning resources and thoughtfully prepared environments that motivate and inspire them to actively investigate. Literacy, mathematics and science concepts are skilfully embedded in all curriculum areas.
Teachers demonstrate a commitment to valuing te reo Māori me ōna tikanga to reflect the heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. They acknowledge this as an ongoing journey of development. Through their self review teachers intend to develop greater confidence in the use of te reo Māori.
Teachers successfully implement the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. They use a variety of highly effective strategies that support children to solve problems, negotiate with others, and to think critically. Teachers notice, recognise, and respond to children’s interests and strengths to extend their learning.
The head teacher provides highly effective leadership with the support of an experienced Teaching Service Managers (TSM). Teachers work collaboratively and value each other’s strengths, sharing leadership roles and responsibilities.
Teachers regularly reflect on the quality of teaching and learning in the kindergarten. They have developed a range of highly effective self review processes that are focused on positive outcomes for children. Teachers have access to relevant professional development to keep up to date with current theory and practice in early childhood education.
Teachers stress the importance of working with whānau in partnerships that are based on genuine respect and open communication. They place children at the centre of all decision making. This approach has a positive impact on learning programmes and outcomes for children.
Key Next Steps
Kindergarten leaders and the teaching team agree that a useful next step is to further develop kaupapa Māori concepts to help them support children’s languages, cultures and positive sense of identity.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Torbay Kindergarten 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 Torbay Kindergarten will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
19 June 2015
2 Information about the Early Childhood Service
Location |
Torbay, Auckland |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
5026 |
||
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
40 children over 2 years |
||
Service roll |
80 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 47 Boys 33 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese English Japanese other |
4 61 4 4 3 4 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
||
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
Date of this report |
19 June 2015 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2012 |
|
Education Review |
September 2008 |
||
Education Review |
July 2005 |
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 whanaungatanga – 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.