134 Wales Street, Halswell, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wales Street is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wales Street is one of 69 early learning services governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The kindergarten provides for the education and care of young children from two-years-old to school age. All teachers/kaiako are qualified and certified early childhood education kaiako. The association education manager (EM) provides consistent professional advice and guidance to support the effective operation of the service.
Since the 2015 ERO report, the teaching team has addressed the identified need to strengthen appraisal and internal evaluation. The teaching team and parent group have worked together to redevelop aspects of the outside environment to strengthen the provision for physical play.
This kindergarten's vision is to: ‘have a culturally responsive, warm and caring environment for all tamariki to develop and learn; encourage each child to be an individual and develop to their full potential; and endeavour to work in partnerships with parents/whānau and the local community.’
This vision is currently being reviewed to ensure it reflects the community's priorities.
This review was one of a cluster of five kindergartens governed and managed by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association.
Children, parents and whānau are warmly welcomed at the kindergarten. Kaiako foster strong, responsive, reciprocal relationships. They model care and respect (manaakitanga) for each other and for children, parents and whānau. Teachers work collaboratively to promote a positive sense of belonging for families. They make every effort to understand and value the child in the context of their family and culture. Kaiako work closely with parents of children with additional needs to improve and enhance their learning.
Kaiako value Māori children's identity as a foundation for, and key to, their success as Māori. They have placed a deliberate focus on strengthening bicultural practices and understandings of te ao Māori. Children are seen as competent and are empowered as leaders and teachers of their own cultural knowledge (ako). Te reo and tikanga Māori is integrated into the curriculum in ways that are meaningful for all children and respectful of Māori culture.
Children are actively involved in a rich, responsive, child-focused curriculum. They have many opportunities to learn about sustainable practices and care of the natural world (kaitiakitanga). Kaiako are intentional in the ways in which they encourage children's curiosity, deeper levels of thinking and inquiry learning. Visual art experiences and physical activities are well integrated into programmes. Children are encouraged to take responsibility for themselves, others and the environment. Well-written learning records show how a child is developing as a successful learner.
The Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association has a well-developed and clearly understood vision. It is underpinned by targeted strategic and annual planning systems. There are close links between the kindergarten plans, internal evaluation, appraisal and professional development. Teachers are well supported by association managers and leaders to achieve the priorities of this kindergarten and to promote high quality learning outcomes for all children.
Since the 2015 ERO review the association has undergone a management restructure which is currently being reviewed and revised. The association's internal evaluation practices are being well used to inform decision making and support the strong focus on continuous improvement.
The association has a very strong commitment to providing high quality professional development to build on leadership capacity and teacher capability. Association leaders have high expectations for teaching, learning and equitable outcomes for all children. This includes promoting understandings of, and respect for, te ao Māori at all levels of the organisation. Key staff make a significant contribution to supporting other early learning services in Te Waipounamu / South Island.
The education manager, the teaching team and ERO agree that the key next steps are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wales Street 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
10 October 2019
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 |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
5462 |
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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 over the age of two years old |
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Service roll |
66 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 43, Boys 23 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
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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 |
August 2019 |
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Date of this report |
10 October 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2015 |
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Education Review |
March 2012 |
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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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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 |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
This kindergarten is one of 62 kindergartens governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens. All Kidsfirst Kindergartens share a common vision and values.
Children from two years old to school age can are welcome in this kindergarten for up to six hours a day during the four kindergarten terms.
Since the March 2012 ERO review, the teachers, with support from their Education Services Manager have strengthened programme planning and child assessment and self-review processes.
This review was part of a cluster of 18 kindergarten reviews.
The kindergarten’s vision and values are very evident in its programme and environment. Teachers take time to warmly welcome parents and whānau and to listen to their aspirations for their children’s learning and development. Children experience positive relationships with their peers and teachers.
Children are well supported in their play and learning. They have an extensive range of resources to support their learning and help them become confident and competent learners, particularly in mathematics. They make good use of different technologies to extend their learning or to investigate new information.
The environment is welcoming and supportive of children from different cultural backgrounds. Teachers meaningfully incorporate tikanga Māori in the environment and many aspects of the programme. Te reo Māori is becoming more widely used by teachers in their conversations with children, in children’s assessments and in teachers’ planning. Teachers provide good support for children with special learning needs and for those who do not have English as their first language.
Teachers work collaboratively and use their strengths to better support children in their play and learning. Child assessments and teacher observations provide good direction for learning and teaching. Teachers offer feedback that informs children of their learning and achievements. Children and parents are encouraged to share their ideas and suggestions, many of which are used to enhance the centre’s programme.
The ESM and head teacher provide effective and supportive leadership. Teachers have a better understanding of self review and are using this to identify what is working well and where improvements can be made to further support children’s learning. Reviews also include suggestions from children and parents.
All kindergartens in this cluster have spacious indoor and outdoor areas and are well resourced to meet the interests and learning needs of their children. In most of these kindergartens, environments and resources:
Kidsfirst Kindergartens provides significant support for priority learners and their families. Teachers in kindergartens with priority learners receive considerable extra training and funding to ensure the needs of these learners are well met.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens has a strong commitment to te ao Māori (the Māori world view) and ensuring that their Education Service Managers (ESMs) and teachers are competent and confident in te reo and tikanga Māori. In this cluster of kindergartens, a bicultural curriculum is in place and bicultural practices are highly evident. The contribution from parents of Māori children is highly valued and Māori children are well supported to achieve success as Māori.
The association has a well-understood vision, and highly effective strategic and annual planning systems, policies and procedures. It has strong leadership and collaboration across all levels of the organisation.
There is a thorough and well-understood process of self review at all levels of Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
The skills and knowledge of the CEO, board and senior leaders are regularly sought by other kindergarten associations and early childhood services nationally and internationally.
The highly experienced and skilled trustees bring a good range of expertise to support their decision making. They have a wide knowledge and understanding of Kidsfirst and are very focused on achieving their goals. Their priorities are strongly linked to providing high-quality learning and care for all children.
The strategic leadership team members have a good breadth and depth of knowledge across their various areas of expertise. They value each other’s contributions and use their wide range of knowledge and skills to ensure effective operation of the service.
The ESMs show a high level of commitment to Kidsfirst and the implementation of the Kidsfirst vision, policies and expectations. They successfully challenge and use each other's strengths to meet the goals of Kidsfirst for high-quality learning and teaching in each kindergarten.
Kidsfirst has a well-developed evaluation process that is effectively used to identify the strengths, progress and areas for further development in each of its kindergartens. This allows the ESMs to successfully monitor how well each kindergarten is providing high-quality outcomes for children.
High-quality professional development is closely aligned to leaders and teachers achieving the Kidsfirst vision and goals. In this cluster, this is most evident in the well-developed, understood and useful self-review processes, child assessment and planning practices and effective use of a range of technologies.
The Kidsfirst Kindergartens’ managers have identified, and ERO agrees that the key next steps are:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wales Street 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 Kidsfirst Kindergartens Wales Street will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer - Southern
Southern Region
31 March 2015
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Location |
Halswell, Christchurch |
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|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5462 |
||
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Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, aged two years and over |
||
|
Service roll |
57 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 33; Girls 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Pakistani Fijian Indian Dutch Filipino |
2 49 2 1 1 1 1 |
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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 |
November 2014 |
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Date of this report |
31 March 2015 |
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Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
March 2012 |
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|
Education Review |
November 2007 |
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|
Education Review |
May 2005 |
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.