Pickering Street, Kaiti, Gisborne
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pickering Street Kindergarten is adjacent to Waikirikiri School in Gisborne. It opens from 8:30am to 2:30pm Monday to Thursday and 8:30am to 12:45pm on Friday. The service is licensed for up to 40 children aged from two years to school age. Of the 28 children currently enrolled, 26 identify as Māori.
The centre philosophy emphasises the importance of manaakitanga, whakawhanaungatanga and rangatiratanga.
The recently appointed head teacher oversees day-to-day operation of the centre. All teachers are fully qualified and are supported by a teacher aide and kaiawhina. Staff have participated in professional development provided by the Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association) which has included learning about te ao Māori, working with younger children and assessment, planning and evaluation.
Pickering Street is one of 11 kindergartens governed and managed by the association. Two senior teachers provide professional support and guidance to individual kindergartens. A pouawhina has been appointed on a fixed-term contract to guide kindergartens' implementation of tikanga and kaupapa Māori practices.
The September 2014 ERO report identified a number of areas requiring review and development at the kindergarten level, including: consistency of teacher practice; educational success for Māori as Māori; learning-centred relationships; and self review. Good progress has been made in all these areas. It was identified that the association should undertake strategic self review. Progress is ongoing.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the Gisborne Kindergarten Association.
Children confidently engage in a play-based, bicultural curriculum. The environment is intentionally designed to invite exploration. Te ao Māori and kaupapa Māori concepts are highly valued and well established in practice. Te reo Māori is meaningfully spoken in extended conversations. Children make choices, take risks and are involved in sustained periods of play.
Teachers work effectively alongside children to progress their learning. Deliberate strategies are used to extend thinking, support children's goals and develop their social competence. Positive relationships are evident throughout the kindergarten.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported to achieve positive outcomes. Teachers liaise with parents, whānau, and external agencies to progress their goals.
Learning partnerships with whānau are strengthening. Teachers and whānau work together to design learning goals for individuals, and families have opportunities to be actively involved in their children's learning. This provides a platform for parents to define what educational success looks like for their children.
Understanding of strategies to promote educational success for Pacific children is emerging. ERO's evaluation confirms this ongoing focus.
Comprehensive assessment, planning and evaluation effectively progresses children's learning over time. Assessment is based on individual children's strengths and interests and strongly aligned to the centre philosophy. Children's portfolios record their progress towards learning goals and are beginning to reflect their prior knowledge and identity. Further extending these goals to give more consideration to the breadth and depth of children's learning journeys is required.
Staff show a strong commitment to the values of the service and the community. Collaborative ways of working are fostered amongst the new team. It is timely to develop a curriculum that reflects its local context in consultation with parents and whānau. This should encompass a review of the centre philosophy, strengthening placed-based learning, and further opportunities for children to connect to their individual culture, language and identity.
Teachers are well supported to develop their practice. There is a strong commitment to developing staff knowledge and skills through ongoing professional learning and the sharing of good practice. Senior teachers regularly identify actions and provoke thinking in relation to children's learning. The newly developed appraisal system, when fully implemented, should strengthen teachers' inquiries into their own practice.
Association leaders have a well-considered approach to progressing strategic objectives. Connections to the community are strong and maintaining these continues to be a focus. Leaders are committed to Treaty-based partnerships and acknowledging Māori as tangata whenua. The association has identified that developing shared understanding of internal evaluation is a priority. ERO evaluation confirms this.
ERO and kindergarten leaders agree that the priority is to:
review and develop a curriculum that reflects its local context.
The association should:
fully implement the new appraisal system
continue to develop shared understanding and use of internal evaluation across all levels of operation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pickering Street 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Pickering Street Kindergarten will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
7 May 2018
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.
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Location |
Gisborne |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5273 |
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 years |
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|
Service roll |
28 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 16, Girls 12 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
26 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2018 |
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Date of this report |
7 May 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
July 2011 |
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Education Review |
February 2008 |
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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:
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
With support from the senior teachers of the Gisborne Kindergarten Association (the association), Pickering Street Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pickering Street Kindergarten is located in an urban area within Gisborne city beside Waikirikiri School. It operates for six hours Monday to Thursday and four hours on Friday.
There have been staff changes since the July 2011 ERO report. Recently, the association has placed a head teacher from another kindergarten into Pickering Street to lead this service.
Over the past three years, the association has provided professional support for teachers focusing on assessment, planning and evaluation.
Two senior teachers are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers.
The kindergarten is governed by the association. This review was part of a cluster of four kindergartens in the association.
Children engage in sustained independent and collaborative group play in a purpose-built, wellresourced kindergarten. Teachers develop warm and responsive relationships with children. Routines provide a useful framework for the day.
The programme is play based and child centred. It is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers work alongside children supporting them in their self-directed play. They use a range of strategies to further engage children in play and learning. However, teachers should establish a consistent approach to support children to develop their social and emotional competence, and independence.
Family participation within the kindergarten is appreciated by teachers. Community involvement and support, especially in te ao Māori is respected. Teachers should strengthen partnerships with families through discussions of children’s progress and learning.
The kindergarten philosophy has been reviewed overtime. Further defining of the critical learning areas within the philosophy should help teachers to plan for and implement learning opportunities for individual children. When the new teaching team is established, it will be timely for teachers to further review and share their understanding of the kindergarten values of manaakitanga, whakawhanaungatanga and rangitiratanga to develop consistency in implementation.
Children’s narratives in their profiles highlight their engagement and developing friendships. The newly considered process for analysing children’s progress should assist to further embed a cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation responsive to children’s interests.
Teachers implement a well considered bicultural programme. Te reo Māori and aspects of tikanga are evident throughout the curriculum. Teachers use some strategies to support Māori children to enjoy success as Māori. Further development should enhance opportunities for Māori.
Children’s mathematical learning is enhanced through interesting opportunities to use mathematics in everyday life. Resources are available and used by children to extend their manipulation of mathematics concepts. Teachers' further investigation into the knowledge and language of mathematics should strengthen children’s learning in this area.
Teachers are aware of the needs of specific groups of children. Children with special learning needs are appropriately supported by teachers to meet goals with assistance from external agencies. Teachers should continue to develop ways to enhance children’s languages and cultures from the Pacific, within the programme.
Teachers use regular self review to reflect on practice and inform resourcing. They should continue to strengthen their understanding and knowledge of evaluation.
The acting head teacher, while ERO was on site, provided some direction and consistency for the kindergarten community and the teaching team. The transitions- to-school practices are being fostered, especially with the neighbouring school.
The association provides high levels of guidance and support for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. This includes:
Senior teachers should undertake strategic review and evaluation across the association and use this information to inform decision making. They should also support teachers to build their evaluative capacity to regularly enquire into the effectiveness of their practice to further improve positive outcomes for children.
Since the first cluster of these kindergartens, the association has reviewed the implementation of the appraisal process. A revised approach is beginning to be put in place and formal documentation is developing.
ERO and leaders agree that the key next steps are to strengthen:
The association’s key next step is to:
ERO recommends that the association, through the senior teachers, support the kindergarten teaching staff to address the key next steps outlined in this report.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pickering Street 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.
The next ERO review of Pickering Street Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
11 September 2014
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 |
Gisborne |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5273 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
37 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 22, Boys 15 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
36 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
July 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 September 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2011 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2004 |
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:
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.