63 Woolley Street, Avondale, Christchurch
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley Street is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley 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 to school age. All teachers/kaiako are qualified and certified early childhood education teachers/kaiako. The association education manager (EM) provides consistent professional advice and guidance to support the effective operation of the service.
The kindergarten vision is to 'create an environment that supports children in their journey to become competent and confident lifelong learners.' The vision is supported by the values of Whanaungatanga, Manaakitanga, Aroha and Kaitiakitanga.
The curriculum priorities are: Manaakitanga, Social Competence, Justice and Inclusion and Kaitiakitanga.
Since ERO's February 2014 report, a new head teacher and teacher have been appointed. The team is continuing to address the next steps of the previous report. This includes strengthening aspects of planning and assessment, and internal evaluation.
This review was part of a cluster of eight kindergartens governed and managed by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association.
Children and whānau at Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley Street benefit from caring, supportive relationships with their teachers. Teachers create a welcoming environment where the kindergarten's vision of whanaungatanga is evident and children show a sense of belonging.
The head teacher and team demonstrate a strong commitment to improving their practice and together lead change to improve outcomes for children and their whānau. This is evident in the ways they:
provide support for parents in their role of parenting
have adapted and improved the programme, environment and routines to better suit the requirements of the range of children attending, including those with diverse needs
have strengthened Treaty-based practice with greater inclusion of te ao Māori world views
are more intentionally planning and providing programmes that support the kindergarten's curriculum, annual plan and internal evaluation priorities.
Children are well supported by their teachers to develop their social competence and skills of being a friend. Teachers foster children's agency by increasingly seeking and responding to their ideas about aspects of the programme. All children are developing knowledge and understanding of New Zealand's bicultural heritage. For Māori children this helps build their sense of identity as Māori.
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. The teachers are well supported by association managers and leaders to achieve the priorities of the kindergarten and to promote high quality learning outcomes for all children.
Since the last ERO review, a restructure has enabled a key focus on education excellence within the kindergartens, and innovation and collaboration within the association and in the wider early childhood community. Key staff make a significant contribution to supporting other early learning services in Te Waipounamu/ South Island.
The association has a very strong commitment to providing high quality professional development to build on leadership capacity and teacher capability. It has high expectations for teaching and learning and equitable outcomes for all children. This includes promoting understandings of and respect for te ao Māori at all levels of the organisation. The association's internal evaluation practices are being well used to inform decision making and support the strong focus on continuous improvement.
A next step for the team, with the support of the EM, is to continue to embed the new system for planning for individual children. This includes, ensuring that goals are developed in collaboration with parents, and that assessments show progress over time and make children's cultural backgrounds visible.
Other next steps include:
strengthening evaluative thinking and internal-evaluation practices by ensuring the focus is on outcomes for children and that data is gathered from a wide range of sources
deepening learning-centred partnerships with parents by seeking their input and views more systematically in matters that concern them, such as determining curriculum priorities and valued outcomes for learning, and internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley 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
5 August 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.
|
Location |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5464 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, two years and over |
||
|
Service roll |
34 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 15, Girls 19 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
8 |
|
|
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 |
May 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 August 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
October 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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley Street is located in eastern Christchurch. The area was significantly affected by the Canterbury earthquakes in 2010 and 2011. This review was a part of a cluster of 11 kindergartens governed and managed by the Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.
For a short time after the 2011 earthquake, the kindergarten combined with another kindergarten in the area on the Woolley Street site.
Leaders and teachers have focused on providing a calm, secure and welcoming place for children and their families, as they cope with the many ongoing issues affecting them as a result of the earthquakes. Some positive steps taken by the teachers have led to significant improvements in children’s behaviours and relationships with others.
Since the May 2010 ERO review, a new acting head teacher with leadership experience began in Term 2, 2013.
The kindergarten has responded positively to the findings in the previous ERO report. Children now have more opportunities to use technologies, such as computers and iPads in their learning. Assessment and planning practices have been, and continue to be, improved to more clearly identify and respond to children’s learning.
The association responded sensitively to the circumstances of Canterbury and Westland communities by removing all fees. The association reports that as a result of this initiative, children’s attendance at kindergarten has increased, particularly in areas where there are high numbers of priority learners.
This kindergarten’s vision of valuing and respecting children and helping them to become competent and confident learners is strongly evident in practice.
Positive and inclusive relationships between teachers and children support children’s wellbeing and give them confidence as learners. Children are well supported to take responsibility for their own learning and to care for others. These learning characteristics help children to make a successful transition to school.
Teachers know and understand children in the context of their families and community. They make good use of this knowledge to plan programmes to build on children’s strengths, interests and capabilities. For example, they:
regularly work with children to make shared decisions about the content and direction of their learning
make good links to relevant happenings in the community such as the ongoing construction of roadways
encourage children to solve problems
give children many opportunities to test their ideas and make discoveries.
The child-centred programme is well planned to engage children and promote their learning. Teachers make good use of the attractive, spacious and well-designed environment to:
provide many and varied experiences that motivate children to be creative and expressive
help children develop an awareness and understanding of the natural world and sustainable practices
integrate literacy and numeracy in meaningful ways
offer interesting and challenging activities to foster children’s physical development.
Children have benefited from recent changes to the organisation of meal times and group routines. They now have longer periods of uninterrupted learning time and, with careful supervision, can make their own decisions about when to eat.
Teachers keep parents well informed about children’s interests, learning and kindergarten focus areas through attractive wall displays and individual and group records.
Leaders are focused on making ongoing improvements to the quality of teaching and learning through systematic self review. Teachers are encouraged to critically reflect on their practice. Leaders are successfully bringing about change by sharing and modelling desired practices and promoting a collaborative approach to decision making.
The association provides effective governance and management for all of its kindergartens. The long-term vision and goals for all kindergartens are determined by the governing board. Each individual kindergarten establishes its own plan incorporating the board's goals. The association responded appropriately to the circumstances of Canterbury and Westland communities by removing all fees.
Each kindergarten is supported by education support managers (ESMs) who make regular visits and provides well-targeted professional development. In particular, teachers are well supported in developing their understanding of te ao Māori and making this more evident in documentation and practices. This remains an area for further development in this kindergarten.
The association has high expectations for teaching and learning. The use of recently developed indicators of good practice is helping to identify and spread effective practice. Appraisal is used effectively to recognise areas of strength and where further developments may be necessary.
The leaders and teachers have identified, and ERO agrees, that aspects of planning, assessment and self review could be further strengthened. The ongoing guidance and support of the ESM is likely to continue to have a positive effect on this development.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley 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:
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 Kidsfirst Kindergartens Woolley Street will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services
Southern Region
18 February 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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
5464 |
||
|
Licence type |
Free Kindergarten |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children over the age of two years |
||
|
Service roll |
46 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 24; Boys 22 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Samoan |
4 41 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 |
October 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 February 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
May 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2006 |
||
|
Accountability Review |
February 2001 |
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.