32 Para Street, Miramar, Wellington
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.
Miramar Central Kindergarten is located in Miramar, Wellington. It provides education and care for up to 40 children aged from two to five years.
Since the January 2012 ERO review, kindergarten hours have changed to meet the needs of the diverse community. The service operates five days a week for six hours a day. Whānau grouping has been introduced so that siblings can attend together in a mixed aged setting. There have been ongoing property developments to enhance the learning environment. A group of parents actively help with fundraising to support these projects.
Miramar Central Kindergarten is one of 85 kindergartens and three home-based education and care networks governed and managed by He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua Free Kindergarten Association Incorporated (the association). This is a new kindergarten association created from joining the Rimutaka and Wellington Kindergarten Associations in 2014.
The board and managers provide governance for the organisation. Senior teachers have delegated kindergartens. Their role is to provide regular support and a range of professional learning and development opportunities for teachers.
In 2012, the association developed a framework to guide the implementation of its curriculum, Te Manawa. This document outlines criteria for curriculum delivery, including expectations for assessment and planning for children’s learning.
The previous ERO report for Miramar Central Kindergarten identified several areas where teachers needed to improve practice. The teaching team and association continues to address these areas, incorporating them into current and future planning. Areas where the association could strengthen its support for teachers were also identified, and positive progress has occurred. The alignment of individual kindergartens’ annual plans with the association’s strategic priorities has now been appropriately addressed.
All teachers are qualified and registered, and most have been at the kindergarten for several years.
This review was part of a cluster of 10 reviews in the He Whānau Manaaki o Tararua kindergartens.
Children benefit from the child led, play based curriculum that encourages them to make choices, follow their interests and take on leadership roles. Flexible routines support self-management and sustained involvement in activities. There are high levels of collaborative play and tuakana teina relationships. A sense of belonging is evident.
Teachers are highly responsive to children's wellbeing. They use a good range of teaching strategies in their interactions, including encouraging problem solving and social skills. A sense of fun is evident.
There are many examples of the values and beliefs of the kindergarten philosophy evident in children's experiences.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are promoted through kindergarten practices and routines. Teachers continue to work with key documents and access association support to build their cultural competence to respond to Māori and Pacific learners. ERO affirms this direction.
Children's profile books increasingly show their progression in learning and teachers' responsiveness to families' goals, and cultural identity. The senior teacher provides useful feedback and guidance to assist teachers in further developing these records.
Recent developments in planning processes include community learning projects. These make visible to families the group programme focus and ways they can contribute. Teachers' planned review of their curriculum framework, Te Manawa, should be useful in further extending and deepening these systems.
Processes and practices for supporting children with additional needs and fostering their learning progress have been strengthened. Teachers have a strong focus on building positive relationships with families that assists children to experience educational success.
Transition into the kindergarten is managed sensitively, respectfully and with care. These are flexible and responsive to meet individual's needs. Kindergarten teachers' relationships with staff at local schools support families when their children move to school.
Distributed leadership within the kindergarten is emerging. The head teacher should continue to encourage teachers to share their strengths and to lead aspects of the programme. Plans to support head teacher curriculum leadership are in place.
The process for documenting internal evaluation is now in place. Teachers understanding of the purpose and use of review is growing. Continuing to deepen and embed internal evaluation is an agreed key next step in guiding improvements to teaching and learning.
Regular, purposeful support from the senior teacher is assisting teachers to improve their practice. The senior teacher provides termly written feedback that outlines agreed development priorities and progress in relation to the quality of teaching and learning. She completes an annual internal evaluation that supports strengthening of these termly reports. There is a deliberate focus on outcomes for children and teacher/leader performance.
The previous report identified that the association needed to improve the appraisal processes. Managers undertook an internal review of the appraisal system. The revised model is being implemented across the kindergartens. The process includes focused goals that build teacher and leader capability and clearer links with the Practising Teacher Criteria. Staff at Miramar Central Kindergarten are in the early stages of implementing the revised appraisal process. Accelerating the process is a priority so that teachers continue to be well supported to grow their professional practice.
The senior teacher, staff and ERO agree on the following key next steps for Miramar Central Kindergarten, to continue:
to further develop and embed internal evaluation practices
the implementation of the revised appraisal process
to build curriculum leadership capability.
The association should continue to support the development of formal critique of teaching practice and strengthening responsiveness to Māori children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Miramar Central 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 Miramar Central Kindergarten will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
8 July 2016
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 |
Wellington |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5359 |
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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 |
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Service roll |
67 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 35, Girls 32 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Cook Island Māori Indian Asian Other ethnic groups |
1 30 2 4 7 13 10 |
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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 2016 |
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Date of this report |
8 July 2016 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
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Education Review |
January 2012 |
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Education Review |
June 2008 |
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Education Review |
September 2005 |
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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:
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.
Miramar Central Kindergarten is affiliated to the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association (the association). The association has a governing board and a general manager. The general manager is the licensee of the kindergarten. The association employs a team of senior teachers, one of whom is responsible for leading the professional support and advice and guidance to the teaching team. She also liaises with the kindergarten community.
A recent positive initiative is Te Manawa, the association’s criteria for curriculum implementation. This provides a clear framework for teachers to deliver a high-quality, inclusive early childhood education programme.
Since the 2008 ERO report significant changes in staff have occurred. Despite these changes teachers have striven to maintain an effective programme for children and to continue to build relationships with whānau.
A settled, cheerful and purposeful tone pervades the kindergarten. Teachers use children’s interests to form the basis of the programme. They work alongside children effectively sustaining their engagement and extending their learning.
Teachers are respectful, responsive and affirming. They effectively encourage children's contributions and support their developing social and language skills.
The indoor and outdoor learning environments are inviting and well organised. The multicultural diversity of children and their families is valued and celebrated. Building relationships with whānau and involving them in the life of the kindergarten is a strong focus.
Teachers have identified that an area for ongoing improvement is the integration of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and working with multicultural communities. ERO concurs with this direction. Teaching staff are in the early stages of implementing Te Manawa. When embedded this should assist in strengthening assessment and curriculum implementation. Evidence-based self review to examine and build teacher practice requires further development.
ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Before the review, the management of Miramar Central Kindergarten was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the centre to contribute to the scope of the review.
The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the centre (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children atMiramar Central Kindergarten.
All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of:
In addition, ERO decided to evaluate:
ERO’s findings in these areas are set out below.
The June 2008, ERO review identified that teachers continue to provide a free play programme that effectively supports children’s learning and engagement. Since this review several personnel changes in teaching positions have occurred.
The kindergarten offers session times within an all day licence. Changes made to the outdoor environment have improved safety and added additional physical challenge for children.
Programme
Child initiated play-based activities form the basis of the programme. Children are actively engaged in a range of interesting learning experiences reflective of their interests. Teachers sensitively enhance and extend children’s engagement and learning across the curriculum.
Routines are flexible and support children’s developing independence skills. Children’s developing social skills are supported through cooperative play. Teachers encourage parents to contribute to the programme. This enhances the links between home and kindergarten.
Spontaneous review has been used to improve outcomes for children.
Assessment, planning and evaluation
Planning is responsive to children’s interests and broadens learning experiences.
Children’s portfolios are well presented and informative. They highlight children’s developing relationships and engagement in the programme. The teacher’s role in supporting the child’s learning is made evident and links are drawn between entries to show continuity of learning.
Environment
The kindergarten is well resourced and is a positive learning environment where children are confident to explore. The wide range of learning resources available offer different levels of challenge resulting in children engaging in play for extended periods.
Easy access to indoor and outdoor spaces promotes children’s curiosity and exploration. A wide range of movable equipment outdoors adds additional challenge to children’s developing physical skills. The atmosphere is calm, settled and purposeful.
Interactions
Teachers are warm, welcoming and respectful in their interactions with children and adults. They are responsive and supportive of children and parents particularly during transition times. A strong sense of belonging and partnership is promoted.
Rich, descriptive language is used by teachers to promote children’s language development. Teachers effectively facilitate and extend children’s learning through the use of open-ended questions. This promotes thinking and additional learning opportunities. Children who have English as a second language are well supported by teachers who draw on a range of strategies to engage them in learning.
Assessment, planning and evaluation Teachers and ERO’s external evaluation identifies that assessment documentation should be further developed by providing entries that:
Programme evaluations should be documented to further support teachers to make judgements about the quality and effectiveness of the experiences provided and the impact on children’s learning.
Self review Teachers have identified that evidence-based self review requires further development. ERO agrees with this direction. A full cycle of review has yet to be completed and teachers are unsure about the difference between development and review. To improve teachers’ ability to review, consideration should be given to framing reviews around an evaluative question. The implementation of rigorous self review should promote ongoing development and foster sustained improvement overtime.
Bicultural programme Teachers have identified and ERO agrees that they should continue to strengthen their bicultural programme.
Multicultural programme The teaching team has shown a commitment to increasing its knowledge of working with children and families who have English as a second language. Supporting children’s learning and families’ engagement in the programme could be strengthened through considering parental aspirations and how assessment information is shared.
The 2008 ERO review of the association identified several strengths, including the provision of professional development, sound operation plans, support for property development and the use of a range of communication strategies to keep teachers and communities informed. Areas for improvement included the quality and depth of the written feedback given to teachers by the senior teacher and strengthening the appraisal process.
Since 2008, the association has led consultation with the community to modify session times and improve the ratio of teachers to children from 1:15 to 1:10 and maintained its policy of employing qualified, registered teachers in regulated permanent positions.
The association provides expectations and guidance to the kindergarten through its strategic plan, policies and procedures and more recently, the professional development strategy Te Manawa: Criteria for Curriculum Implementation.
The association continues to provide high levels of guidance and support to teachers for the continuous improvement of teaching and learning. These include:
The association, senior teachers and ERO have identified areas where the association can strengthen their support for teachers. These include:
ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long term and systemic educational improvement.
As part of this review ERO evaluated the extent to which:
Although no children with moderate to severe special learning needs are enrolled in the kindergarten, teachers are committed to providing a welcoming inclusive environment for all learners. The association has a policy and procedures to ensure children attending the kindergarten are respected as learners and have equitable access to support and resources for learning.
The physical environment is spacious and open-ended resources provide opportunities for children to play independently or as part of a group. Teachers indicate that the varying levels of the outdoor environment may inhibit some children’s ability to make full use of the playground.
Before the review, the staff of Miramar Central Kindergarten completed an ERO CentreAssurance Statement andSelf-Audit Checklist. In these documents they that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s documentation, including policies, procedures and records of recent use of procedures. ERO also checked elements of the following areas that have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children:
ERO and the kindergarten leaders agree that the priorities for development and review are those outlined in this report.
ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
Kathleen Atkins
National Manager Review Services
Central Region
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Type |
All Day kindergarten |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 |
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Number licensed for |
43 children, over 2 years |
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Roll number |
42 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22, Boys 20 |
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Ethnic composition |
New Zealand European/Pākehā 19, Asian 14, Māori 4, Samoan 3, Other ethnic groups 2 |
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Review team on site |
October 2011 |
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Date of this report |
13 January 2012 |
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Previous three ERO reports |
Education Review June 2008 Education Review September 2005 Accountability Review July 1998 |
13 January 2012
These are the findings of the Education Review Office’s latest report on Miramar Central Kindergarten.
Miramar Central Kindergarten is affiliated to the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association (the association). The association has a governing board and a general manager. The general manager is the licensee of the kindergarten. The association employs a team of senior teachers, one of whom is responsible for leading the professional support and advice and guidance to the teaching team. She also liaises with the kindergarten community.
A recent positive initiative is Te Manawa, the association’s criteria for curriculum implementation. This provides a clear framework for teachers to deliver a high-quality, inclusive early childhood education programme.
Since the 2008 ERO report significant changes in staff have occurred. Despite these changes teachers have striven to maintain an effective programme for children and to continue to build relationships with whānau.
A settled, cheerful and purposeful tone pervades the kindergarten. Teachers use children’s interests to form the basis of the programme. They work alongside children effectively sustaining their engagement and extending their learning.
Teachers are respectful, responsive and affirming. They effectively encourage children's contributions and support their developing social and language skills.
The indoor and outdoor learning environments are inviting and well organised. The multicultural diversity of children and their families is valued and celebrated. Building relationships with whānau and involving them in the life of the kindergarten is a strong focus.
Teachers have identified that an area for ongoing improvement is the integration of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori and working with multicultural communities. ERO concurs with this direction. Teaching staff are in the early stages of implementing Te Manawa. When embedded this should assist in strengthening assessment and curriculum implementation. Evidence-based self review to examine and build teacher practice requires further development.
ERO is likely to review the service again in three years.
When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or contact person if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions.
If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the centre or see the ERO website, http://www.ero.govt.nz.
Kathleen Atkins
National Manager Review Services
Central Region
ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.
ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to:
Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each centre’s self review.
ERO’s framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands.
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre performance and each ERO report may cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to this centre.
Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation to that issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this centre.