40 Orlando Street, Stratford
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 Stratford Community Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
This non-profit community-based service offers all day care and education. A parent committee provides governance and management oversight. Service leadership includes a centre manager and two curriculum leaders. Some progress has been made in response to previous ERO improvement actions. A fifth of enrolled children identify as Māori and a range of diverse cultures are represented.
The service philosophy and newly defined priorities are purposefully implemented to promote positive learning outcomes for children. Their learning and development are well supported through intentional teaching and warm, reciprocal relationships with kaiako. The service provides a range of opportunities for parents and whānau to contribute to their child’s learning journey. Children show a strong sense of belonging.
Children experience meaningful learning experiences in play-based contexts. Kaiako know the children well and gather a range of information that reflects their increasing capabilities. Consistent use of the intended learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, through assessment and planning of the curriculum is yet to be seen. Children with diverse learning needs experience a differentiated approach to progressing their learning.
A commitment to learning and development enables teachers’ ongoing reflection to improve culturally responsive practice. Leaders have self-identified cultural confidence and capability to reflect aspects of te ao Māori through the curriculum as an area for improvement. Teachers are beginning to use te reo Māori and tikanga Māori rituals. Assessment and planning is yet to clearly show connection to iwi of tamariki Māori and reflection of other children’s cultures, languages and identity.
Relational trust and communication promote team collaboration. The centre manager, leaders and kaiako work well together to build their professional knowledge and shared understandings of practice.
Leaders and kaiako are guided by evolving systems and processes that maintain management of the centre. There is useful alignment between strategic direction and annual planning. Kaiako implement a range of improvement processes which include review, inquiry and evaluation. Evaluation practices across all areas require an ongoing focus to ensure kaiako and leaders are considering what is working well, and for which children, in relation to intended outcomes of teaching and changes to practice.
Stratford Community Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Stratford Community Childcare 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:
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)
2 September 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Stratford Community Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 50500 |
| Location | Stratford |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 48 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable) | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 52 |
| Review team on site | June 2024 |
| sDate of this report | 2 September 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, May 2021; Education Review, March 2017 |
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. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric 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 Stratford Community Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators | ERO’s judgement |
| What the service knows about outcomes for learners | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning | Whāngai Establishing |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement | Whāngai Establishing |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement | Whāngai Establishing |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management | Whāngai Establishing |
Stratford Community Childcare Centre is a community-based service operating in central Stratford. The recently revisited philosophy emphasises manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and community. An elected parent committee have responsibility for the governance of the centre. The acting manager and teaching team take shared ownership for day-to-day operation and curriculum provision.
The curriculum provides children with a suitable range of activities and experiences. They are confident and lively participants in learning. Children make choices about play and set challenges for themselves. They initiate interactions and conversations with their peers and adults. Responsive teachers support children’s social and emotional progress. Children develop tuakana teina relationships through regular engagement with others and are enthusiastic learners.
Teachers work collaboratively to develop an understanding of each child as a unique participant in the centre’s learning community. Their current focus is on capturing each child’s development more regularly through useful assessment. Parents are beginning to share in, and respond to, their child’s on-line assessment information. Teachers now need to monitor and evaluate how effective changed practices are in achieving the goals and desired outcomes identified for children.
Te ao Māori is meaningfully woven through learning experiences and daily rituals. It is an integral part of Māori and all children's early education. Teachers continue to build their knowledge of culturally responsive practices to adapt their teaching accordingly.
A focus on inclusive practice is evident. The service draws on the expertise of external agencies when appropriate and who at times, provide extra staffing. Children requiring additional support are well supported and their needs carefully considered.
Practices to support continuing improvement and evaluate progress are being established. Processes for building teachers' knowledge and effective teaching practice are under review by the leaders. Recent, focused professional training is helping the manager and committee members to develop an improved understanding of effective practice and centre operation. The strategic plan requires further consideration to clarify how evaluation of the desired objectives in this plan contribute to improving outcomes for children.
Stratford Community Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Stratford Community Childcare Centre 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:
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.
ERO found an area of non-compliance in the service relating to:
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure the non-compliance identified in this report is addressed.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
11 May 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Stratford Community Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 50500 |
| Location | Stratford |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 48 children, including up to 12 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 37 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 23, Other ethnic groups 7. |
| Review team on site | March 2021 |
| Date of this report | 11 May 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2017; Supplementary Review, February 2014. |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Stratford Community Childcare Centre offers whole day care and education for 48 children, including 12 up to two year olds. The community-based, non-profit childcare organisation is governed by a committee of elected parents who support the management of the centre.
Since the February 2014 ERO report, there have been changes to the teaching team and their roles and responsibilities. Key caregivers have been allocated to the youngest children, to assist transition and strengthen relationships with children and their families.
The previous report identified a number of areas requiring improvement. Centre leaders responded positively to the findings of the previous report. Steady progress has been made in all areas that were identified. During 2014, the Ministry of Education (the Ministry) provided professional advice and training to the Parent Committee to help them in their governance role.
Children are supported to develop confidence and gain independence as they make choices about their play. They interact positively with all ages and there is a collective sense of identity and belonging. The youngest children’s holistic development is supported through responsive care and nurturing.
Teachers notice children’s interests and build on these to promote and extend learning. They are alert to opportunities that nurture and develop social skills, resilience and persistence. Teachers play, learn and have fun alongside the children.
The curriculum is flexible and responsive to children’s interests, needs and reflects parents’ aspirations. The principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the service’s philosophy underpin teaching and learning practice. Te ao Māori is a valued part of the children's learning experience. Teachers should continue building their cultural competencies to better support Māori learners' identity, language and culture.
Children’s growing capabilities, social development and learning progress is shared with family and whānau through learning stories. Through positive and thoughtful responses, parents are enabled to support their child’s learning, strengthening the partnership between home and the centre.
Transitions into the centre and to school are well planned and supported. This ensures that children settle quickly, feel secure and gain confidence.
Leaders have established an organisational culture where teachers collaboratively share, research and plan curriculum to enhance learning and promote positive outcomes for children.
Internal evaluation is planned and focused on accountability and improved outcomes for children. Critically reflecting on the impact of learning should strengthen this process and guide future planning.
Leaders and teachers are improvement-focused and regularly reflect on their own practice. Ongoing professional learning and appraisal increases capability and strengthens knowledge of effective practice.
The parent committee effectively supports the centre’s leadership. Roles and responsibilities are defined and understood. Further development of strategic and annual plans is required to sustain and improve operations.
Priorities for this centre are to strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Stratford Community Childcare Centre 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Stratford Community Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
14 March 2017
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.
| Location | Stratford | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 50500 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 48 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 44 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 25, Boys 19 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Chinese | 8 33 3 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:6 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 14 March 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2014 | |
| Education Review | January 2013 | ||
| Education Review | December 2009 | ||
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.
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:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.