Lakeview Kindergarten

Education institution number:
5301
Service type:
Free Kindergarten
Total roll:
55
Telephone:
Address:

Lakeview Road, Waipukurau

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Lakeview Kindergarten

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 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 Lakeview Kindergarten are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Lakeview Kindergarten is one of 16 kindergartens governed and managed by Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association. Almost half of the children enrolled are Māori. The philosophy shares that tamariki are seen as taonga, whose learning is affirmed and celebrated.

3 Summary of findings

Children’s mana is fostered within a responsive curriculum that supports children to take responsibility for their own and others’ wellbeing. Developing understanding of Māori ways of being and doing is beginning to foster increased use of te reo Māori within daily practices. A range of strategies is used well to promote early language development. Children with diverse learning needs are purposefully supported to participate in an inclusive learning environment.

Positive outcomes for children are well promoted through a learning culture where people and places are strongly connected. Children sustain play in self-directed learning that reflects their lived experiences. Parents work in partnership with their child’s key teacher to enact an individualised assessment process. Children’s progress and achievements are celebrated. Understanding the effectiveness and impact of teaching strategies on individuals and groups of children is a growing area of practice.

Significant change in association leadership has impacted capacity to progress key next steps identified in previous ERO reports. Leaders are enacting an organisation-wide shift to further enable collaboration, relational trust, and sustained improvement. A range of new initiatives has been developed. Professional learning opportunities are responsive to teacher learning goals. Some information is generated in relation to the quality of teaching and learning. Leaders are developing their evaluation capabilities. However, evaluation is not yet used to:

  • systematically seek evidence about the effectiveness of professional learning processes to improve teaching practice and children’s outcomes

  • understand the impact of improvement actions in relation to how these contribute to strategic priorities and achieve equitable and excellent outcomes for learners.

4 Improvement actions

Lakeview Kindergarten will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Further enhance the development of the bicultural curriculum through working in partnership with whānau Māori.

  • Continue to deepen assessment for learning practices to effectively evaluate the impact of teaching strategies, and to recognise and respond to inequities related to children’s outcomes.   

Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Develop a systematic process that enables leaders to better understand and respond to the teaching and learning needs of each kindergarten.

  • Prioritise building internal evaluation capability and leadership at all levels to better monitor and evaluate the impact of improvement actions, including professional learning, on outcomes for individuals and groups of children.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Lakeview Kindergarten 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • Reviewing the emergency management plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

3 November 2023

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Lakeview Kindergarten

Profile Number

5301

Location

Waipukurau

Service type

Free Kindergarten

Number licensed for

40 children aged over 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

59

Review team on site

August 2023

Date of this report

3 November 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, December 2017; Education Review, May 2014

Lakeview Kindergarten - 15/12/2017

1 Evaluation of Lakeview Kindergarten

How well placed is Lakeview 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

Lakeview Kindergarten is in Waipukurau. It opens Monday to Friday from 8:30am until 2:30pm for children aged from two to five years. The philosophy statement places children and whānau at the heart of the kindergarten. The resulting vision is for each child to learn through open-ended, uninterrupted play within an environment that is calm, peaceful, mindful and sustainable.

The May 2014 ERO report identified areas for review and development, including: assessment, planning and evaluation for children's learning; intentional teaching; bicultural and culturally responsive practices; and best practice in relation to philosophy. Progress has been made in relation to these key next steps.

Three permanent staff were appointed at beginning of 2017. All teachers are fully qualified.

Lakeview is one of 16 kindergartens governed and managed by the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association (the association). An ongoing programme of restructuring began in 2016 and the association has experienced significant changes at all levels. A new general manager was appointed in January 2016. 

The previous ERO review identified that the association should establish, review and monitor the implementation of guiding documents in individual kindergartens and undertake self review at association level.

This review was part of a cluster of six in the Heretaunga Free Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

The philosophy is evident in practice. Relationships with families and the wider community are valued and well established with many of the children. An emphasis on the provision of the bicultural curriculum to support the service's vision is emerging within the environment. Children's sense of belonging is promoted.

A well-considered outdoor environment facilitates children's uninterrupted play, as they engage with a wide range of open-ended resources. Daily routines effectively promote children's independence, as they move easily between activities. Teachers should continue to strengthen their practices to further extend children's language and thinking. 

A range of effective teaching strategies and local artefacts facilitate the services growing knowledge of te ao Māori. Children have opportunities to learn about local knowledge. Daily karakia and waiata are integrated into planned group times. Some teachers confidently weave te reo Māori into conversations. Consistent use of te reo Māori across the teaching staff requires further development.

Group assessment is well established and informed by children's interests. Parents have opportunities to contribute to their learning. Leaders and teachers have identified that individual planning for children requires developing.

Consideration should be given to how teachers:

  • intentionally plan to extend and deepen individual children's learning over time
  • respond to the culture, language and identity and parent aspirations.

The service engages in meaningful relationships with many of the families. Leaders and teachers recognise that strong relationships are critical for the development of successful learning partnerships with Māori and Pacific families.

Teachers actively engage with external agencies and families to support children with additional learning needs. Positive communication between home and the kindergarten enables consistent practices to support improved outcomes.

Well-considered transitions into the kindergarten respond to children's needs and promote a sense of belonging. Children respond well to sensitive transitions that promote a sense of security. There are good links to local schools. Current involvement in the local Community of Learning|Kāhui Ako, continues to strengthen the transition to school process.

An improvement-focused team is effectively supported by the head teacher. There is an emphasis developing effective teaching practices to promote successful learning outcomes for children. Leaders identify that a next step is strengthening evaluation to measure the impact of changes to practice on children's learning outcomes.

The governance and leadership team is well placed to continue to manage change and to set the strategic direction for the association to promote future sustainability. Progress has been made in addressing the key next steps identified in the previous ERO report. Continuing to strengthen systems to monitor progress in individual kindergartens remains a key next step. 

Key Next Steps

Senior leaders and ERO agree on the following key next steps for Lakeview Kindergarten, to further develop:

  • teaching practices to extend children's language and thinking skills
  • use of te reo Māori
  • individual assessment, planning and evaluation for children
  • effective use of internal evaluation.

The senior management team of Heretaunga Kindergarten Association should continue to strengthen processes for monitoring the implementation of guiding documentation for programme delivery and kindergarten operation. Particular attention should be given to increasing consistency in reviewing, evaluating and improving teaching practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Lakeview 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 Lakeview Kindergarten will be in three years.

Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

15 December 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

Waipukurau

Ministry of Education profile number

5301

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children

Service roll

58

Gender composition

30 Boys, 28 Girls

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

12
43
  3

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

November 2017

Date of this report

15 December 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

May 2014

Education Review

November 2010

Education Review

December 2003

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. 

Lakeview Kindergarten - 14/05/2014

1 Evaluation of Lakeview Kindergarten

How well placed is Lakeview Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

The association is well placed to support the kindergarten’s key developmental needs.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Lakeview Kindergarten is located in Waipukurau. It andhas a teaching staff of four teachersthree are employed on a long term relieving basis. The kindergarten is licensed for 40 children and at the time of this review, 64 children were enrolled.

Major changess to the playground and storage areas have occurred. The kindergarten is involved in the Envirochools sustainability initiative and this has assisted in the resource planning for the outdoor area.

The kindergarten is governed by the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association (the association). Two Education Managers are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. This review was part of a cluster of eight kindergartens in the Heretaunga Kindergarten Association.

The Review Findings

The vision is evident in practice and aspects of the philosophy are apparent. The head teacher strongly advocates for all children.

Children enjoy being together and are confident to express themselves in the child-led, play-based programme. They engage in play for sustained periods. At times, some teachers follow children’s interests and ask open-ended questions.

Teachers should be intentional in the strategies they use to challenge and engage children in higher order thinking. Children’s independence is not effectively fostered and at times they are not viewed as capable and confident learners. Teachers should promote problem solving to assist in building children’s exploration and social competence.

Entries in children’s profiles reflect their interests, involvement in the programme and relationships. Recent developments in assessment help to build children’s identity as a successful learner. These narratives provide an insight into children’s emerging interests. To strengthen assessment practices teachers should show how they extend and deepen children’s learning, based on their interests, and reflect children’s progress over time.

Teachers have identified what success for Maori looks like and that this area is a key next step to work towards. By including children’s cultures in profiles, entries will better reflect children and their families and whnau.

The teaching team also acknowledge the need to strengthen the bicultural programme. They are participating in the Haere Whakamua professional development project introduced to increase teachers’ capabilities in te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. This project is about progressing the organisation’s journey in biculturalism. ERO’s evaluation affirms this direction.

Planning to inform the programme is an ongoing area for development and there is a need for teachers to strengthen and deepen their understanding of the self-review process and build their evaluative capability.

Relationships with parents are valued. Teachers should regularly collect, respond to and revisit parent and whānau aspirations, using the information to strengthen practice and the responsiveness of the programme.

Teachers work in partnership with parents and whanau of children with additional learning needs to improve and enhance their learning. Support is monitored by teachers and reflected in assessment entries. Effective partnerships between families, the kindergarten and schools support successful transistions.

The association provides guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. The recently developed strategic plan provides a clear long term direction for the association. Teachers are supported through regular visits from the education managers who provide professional support and guidance and access to a wide range of professional learning opportunities.

The association identifies and ERO affirms that key areas for development include:

  • updating the appraisal process and policy
  • providing clear expectations through guiding documents for programme delivery and kindergarten operations and monitoring implementation

In addition, education managers should undertake strategic review and evaluation across the association to establish a deeper understanding of the ongoing professional learning needs of teachers and use this information to inform future decision making.

Key Next Steps

Appropriate next steps for teachers are:

  • to strengthen bicultural practice and strategies to support success for Maori as Maori.
  • to show how they deepen and increase complexity of children’s learning and progress over time
  • to be more intentional in the use of strategies to challenge and engage children in high order thinking
  • to strengthen and deepen their understanding of the self review and build evaluative capability
  • to regularly collect, respond to and revisit parent and whanau aspirations to inform practice and the programme

The association should:

  • support the head teacher to assist all teachers further develop the quality of teaching.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Lakeview 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 Lakeview Kindergarten will be in three years.Image removed.

Joyce Gebbie

National Manager Review Services Central Region (Acting)

14 May 2014

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

Waipukurau, Central Hawkes Bay

Ministry of Education profile number

5301

Licence type

Free Kindergarten

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children

Service roll

65

Gender composition

Girls 38, Boys 27

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

19

46

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

March 2014

Date of this report

14 May 2014

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

November 2010

 

Education Review

December 2006

 

Education Review

August 2003

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.