Shepherd Grove, Taita, Lower Hutt
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.
Taita Kindergarten is located in Hutt City. The centre is licensed for up to 45 children aged two to five years. It offers both full-time and part time sessions, Monday to Friday. At the time of this ERO review, 15 of the children enrolled identified as Māori and nine as of Pacific heritage.
All teachers are fully qualified. Day-to-day operation of the centre is the responsibility of the head teacher who was appointed in 2016, and supports three teachers. The teaching team is supported by three part-time staff members.
The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Since the June 2015 ERO report, a new senior leadership team has been appointed. This includes a general manager and two senior teachers guided by a team leader. The governing board has also undergone significant changes.
The June 2015 ERO report identified areas requiring further improvement. These included:
building leadership capacity and a collaborative team
reviewing the philosophy and developing clear indicators of high quality practice
consistently promoting children’s social competence and quality literacy practices
improving assessment, planning and evaluation
integrating the use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and promoting success for Māori and Pacific children
developing an understanding of self review and evaluation.
Good progress has been made to address these areas.
The association has developed a strategic plan that clearly guides operations and decision making. It includes strategies to promote cultural responsiveness for both Māori and Pacific families. Regular evaluation takes place. In addition, senior teachers closely monitor the implementation of the appraisal process.
The kindergarten recently developed its centre philosophy with clear indicators of quality practices. It provides a meaningful framework to guide, support and build a shared understanding of the kindergarten’s values and expectations for all teachers.
Children participate in a play-based programme. They experience warm and positive relationships. Teachers work together to provide meaningful learning experiences and resources in response to group interests. They work alongside children encouraging them in play. Respectful interactions and sustained group play are evident. Literacy, mathematics and social competencies are woven appropriately within the programme.
Building strong relationships with whānau, parents and families is an ongoing focus. They have many opportunities to actively participate in their child’s learning.
Te ao Māori is well promoted and evident in the centre. Aspects of te reo Māori are used in general conversations with children. Waiata Māori are popular activities. Leaders have identified the need for teachers to continue to build their confidence to use te reo Māori throughout all aspects of the programme.
Aspects of Māori and Pacific cultures are incorporated into the environment and programme. The association has identified a strategic priority across all kindergartens, to develop leaders' and teachers' understanding of what educational success looks like for whānau Maori, the Pacific community and their children. Establishing learning partnerships with whānau, families and parents is an additional priority.
Children’s learning stories capture their interests, friendships and participation in the programme. Child and parent voices are meaningfully captured in these. Teachers encourage parents, families and whānau to share their aspirations for their child. The use of an online assessment tool for recording and sharing children’s learning successfully fosters close links between home and the kindergarten.
Teachers collaborate on a robust systematic cycle of assessment, planning and evaluation for all children. This process supports teaching strategies. Parent aspirations are regularly sought and responded to. Leaders have identified that a key next step is to consistently reflect children’s culture, language and identity in their learning stories.
Leaders are focused on improving the quality of education and care through ongoing systematic internal evaluation. Leaders agree that a more concise approach when teachers are gathering specific data that aligns to the evaluation focus would add more meaning and value to this process.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers liaise with whānau and external agencies are accessed when required.
A collaborative leadership approach is highly promoted across all aspects of operations. Teachers have opportunities to grow and take on leadership roles in the kindergarten.
A comprehensive appraisal system is in place to grow and support teachers in the kindergarten. Teachers set useful goals to continually improve their practice. Formal observations are a key next step to enhance this process. Senior teachers provide regular feedback and support and guidance about the curriculum in action. They provide ongoing evaluative feedback and feedforward to improve, strengthen and challenge teacher practice.
ERO and kindergarten leaders and teachers agree on the following next steps:
continuing to build teachers' confidence to use te reo Māori in all aspects of the programme
establishing learning partnerships with whānau Māori and the pacific communities
enhancing aspects of their assessment, planning and evaluation practices
strengthening internal evaluation processes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Taita 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.
In order to meet its agreed accountabilities, Hutt City Kindergartens management needs to ensure that:
suitable human resource management practices are implemented, including police vetting of non-teaching positions. [section 77A State Sector Act, Vulnerable Children Act 2014]
The next ERO review of Taita Kindergarten will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
10 July 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.
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Location |
Hutt City |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5337 |
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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 |
45 children, over two years of age |
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Service roll |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 22, Girls 19 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
15 |
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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 |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
10 July 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review |
June 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
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Education Review |
March 2009 |
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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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
At this time Hutt City Kindergarten Association does not have the capacity to provide the level of targeted support necessary by this kindergarten.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Taita Kindergarten is located in Hutt City and provides education and care for children from two to five years of age. Morning sessions are offered each day and there is the option of an extended six-hour day. The kindergarten is licensed for up to 45 children and half of the roll identify as Māori.
The teaching team is fully qualified and the programme is further assisted by support staff. The September 2012 ERO report identified areas for ongoing development. These included: team work; assessment; planning and evaluation; the bicultural programme; the quality of interactions; and self review. Sufficient progress has not been made in many of these areas and they continue to be identified as key next steps in this report.
The kindergarten is governed by the Hutt City Kindergarten Association (the association). Two professional practice managers (PPMs) are employed by the association to provide professional support and guidance to teachers. Since the previous review there have been several changes to the General Manager.
This review was part of a cluster of ten kindergartens reviews in the Hutt City Kindergarten Association.
Children participate in a play-based programme. Their independence is promoted and they support one another in their play and learning. Music offers an extension to the programme and children actively participate. These shared experiences would be enhanced by the team working together to support both children and other staff. In addition, teachers should maximise the opportunities that arise to consistently support children’s developing social competence.
The association provides guidance and support to teachers for continuous improvement of teaching and learning. In this kindergarten it is not having the positive impact expected. Systems and processes are not leading to improvements to the quality of leadership, teaching and curriculum implementation. This kindergarten requires:
In consultation with whānau, teachers should review the kindergarten philosophy to establish the shared values and beliefs. Indicators of quality practice should then be developed and used to guide and evaluate how well the kindergarten programme promotes positive learning outcomes for children.
Teachers provide a range of literacy experiences for children. It is timely for teachers to further develop their knowledge of current research and best practices that underpin a quality literacy programme in an early childhood context.
Regular narratives highlight children’s participation in the kindergarten programme. Teachers have identified that assessment, planning and evaluation requires further development. ERO agrees and identifies key next steps as:
Group planning provides a shared direction in the programme. This should be improved through focused planning around a clearly stated learning goal. In addition, teachers should identify intentional teaching strategies and regularly evaluate the impact of the programme on children’s learning.
The bicultural programme is developing. Aspects of te reo me ngā tikānga Māori are evident particularly during routine times. Teachers should integrate the use of Māori culture and language throughout the curriculum. Success for Māori and Pacific families should be improved through consulting with them about the cultural aspirations they may have for their children.
Self review is not an established practice. Teachers need support to develop their understanding of the process of self review and their knowledge of evaluation.
At the time of this review the association was involved in a process of a formal review to determine the future direction of Hutt Kindergartens. ERO identified that, within the current operating model, the capacity of senior staff to provide targeted support that promotes ongoing improvement to teaching and learning is limited.
ERO identified priorities for improvement. These are:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Taita 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.
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance relating to the curriculum and self review. To meet requirements the kindergarten needs to improve its performance by:
To improve practice, the leader should:
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Taita Kindergarten will be within two years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
22 June 2015
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 |
Hutt City |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5337 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
45 children, aged over 2 years |
||
|
Service roll |
38 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 25, Boys 13 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Other ethnic groups |
19 5 6 8 |
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|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
April 2015 |
||
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Date of this report |
22 June 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2006 |
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.