22 Wellington Road, Paekakariki
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.
Paekākāriki Playcentre is one of 19 parent-led early childhood centres governed and administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). The Playcentre is licensed to provide mixed age sessional education and care for 27 children four mornings a week. This includes provision for 18 children up to the age of two, at any one time. The Friday session is bilingual in te reo Māori and English. A Kaiarahi Mātauranga Māori is employed to enrich the quality of te ao Māori and te reo Māori in the curriculum and act as a role model for adults and children.
A council, of elected volunteer representatives from each of the association's member centres, oversees the association at the governance level. This work is assisted by an operations manager and general manager. An executive committee administers the adult education programme. A centre support worker is employed to visit the centre and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for the day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders.
Curriculum planning and implementation is a shared responsibility. Each session is supported by a duty team of parent educators who hold Playcentre training certificates. A good proportion of centre members are involved in the association's training programme, many holding Course Two or above. Since ERO’s previous visit a number of experienced members have moved on as their children start their schooling experience.
The association philosophy, Whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together, is articulated as empowering parents and children to learn, grow and play together. This underpins practice and was reaffirmed by the association and Paekākāriki Playcentre at their 2016 annual general meetings.
The service and the association responded positively to the areas identified for improvement in the 2014 ERO reviews. Internal evaluation and strategic planning were undertaken by association personnel to bring about changes to both the structural and organisational culture of the organisation. Clear boundaries between governance and management were expressed and changes made to improve support to individual centres.
The June 2014 ERO evaluation found centre leaders would benefit from improved association support to assist members to identify priorities for development and improve internal evaluation practices. ERO also identified strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation practices to provide a more culturally responsive curriculum as next steps.
The New Zealand Playcentre Federation, which the Wellington Association is part of, is planning a significant restructure for 2017 that includes amalgamating associations. Playcentres will become part of a regional hub, supported by a regional manager and support persons.
This review was part of a cluster of nine in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
Children's holistic development is successfully supported through their engagement in child-initiated play-based learning. They play amicably together, exploring and engaging in a range of appropriate learning activities. Centre employees and parent educators know the children well. They support children's play choices, provoke their curiosity and encourage their sustained involvement in learning. Children's social skills and developing relationships are nurtured. A positive tone and inclusive practice is highly evident throughout the centre.
The playcentre philosophy and the principles, strands and goals of Te Whāriki guide centre practice well. Session duty teams have shared understanding of what they want children and families to experience during their time at playcentre and planning achieves this. Children's interests, strengths and parents' aspirations are continually discussed and this contributes positively to continuity of learning between sessions.
Assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation practices effectively support adults to provide learning experiences highly responsive to children’s interests. Individual learning portfolios celebrate children's progress and capture their developing skills, knowledge and attributes well.
Children's development and learning is enhanced as a result of collective responsibility for their early educational experiences. Induction of, and support for, newer parents is well managed. This contributes positively to the centre sustaining good numbers of members taking advantage of playcentre training.
Māori, and all children, have many opportunities to experience te ao Māori through rich and meaningful contexts and experiences. A comprehensive internal evaluation was undertaken, during 2014, to discover how well the association and centres included te reo and tikanga Māori as part of a culturally responsive curriculum. Paekākāriki Playcentre participated in this process and carried out a further evaluation of its performance in this area in late 2016. Te ao Māori and the inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori is highly evident in assessment and planning for the Friday bilingual session.
Bicultural practices are evident in the other sessions offered. Strategies in place support centre members to build their knowledge, understanding and cultural competencies. Children's daily experience of te ao Māori has improved as a result of ongoing internal evaluation.
Reflecting the cultures, languages and identities of all children and families is a current focus of development. Assessment practice and planning to support the inclusion of Samoan language in the curriculum is in the early stages. ERO's evaluation affirms and encourages this developing practice.
Meaningful and appropriate literacy, mathematics and natural science activities are a core component of children’s daily experiences. The youngest children are embraced and nurtured within a culture of care.
Members at Paekākāriki Playcentre are a diverse group of enthusiastic parents and whānau, who bring valuable skills and knowledge to their roles. The high levels of involvement of the centre's community and a sense of collective responsibility to children, provides a positive platform for learning. Welldeveloped systems support the smooth day-to-day running of the playcentre.
The association is an improvement focused organisation. The 2014 ERO reviews found the support provided at the centre level by association support workers was appreciated and supportive. ERO also recognised that formalising this arrangement to provide a more effective approach to responding to the needs of individual centres was a next step for development. The association, as part of reviewing their structural organisation, reviewed the position of centre support workers and made improvements to human resource management. Timely and relevant support is provided for its member centres.
Well-developed self review contributes to positive outcomes for children. Centre members use review to appropriately inform ongoing decision-making. Planning priorities are aligned to the service and association vision and focus on improving teaching and learning.
The centre support person and duty teams provide effective leadership that contributes positively to children’s early learning experience. Helpful strategies are in place to support newer members to the centre to document children's learning and progress.
Association and centre leaders should continue to improve outcomes for children and families by using effective internal evaluation to ensure the very good practice occurring is sustained and prioritised developments are achieved.
Before the review, the staff and management of Paekākāriki Playcentre 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 Paekākāriki Playcentre will be in four years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
29 May 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.
|
Location |
Paekākāriki |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60047 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
27 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
23 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 12, Girls 11 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
4 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2017 |
||
|
Date of this report |
29 May 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
December 2007 |
||
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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Paekakariki Playcentre is one of 20 parent-led early childhood centres administered by the Wellington Playcentre Association (the association). A council oversees operation at governance level and an executive committee provides the adult education programme, guidance and support for members. Two centre supporters are employed by the executive to visit playcentres and provide professional advice and feedback to strengthen practice and promote improvement. Responsibility for day-to-day operation is undertaken by centre-elected office holders. Parents share the duties associated with implementing the programme.
Playcentre philosophy recognises parents as the best first teachers of their children and emphasises the importance of child-initiated play in mixed-age sessions. Acknowledging Te Tiriti o Waitangi is an integral part of this philosophy.
Paekakariki playcentre is one of only two early childhood centres in the area. It serves a diverse community. Members place high value on the centre’s links with its community, using the local, natural environment, cooperative decision making and management, and positive relationships to support operation and children’s learning. Four mixed-age sessions are held each week.
Since the October 2010 ERO report, this service has been relicensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The licensing process was a focus for development for some time. The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO.
This review was part of a cluster of 20 reviews of centres in the Wellington Playcentre Association.
Key philosophical values are reflected in practice. A real sense of family and community is evident. There is an ongoing focus on building positive and enduring relationships in the centre and beyond. Members are friendly and welcoming. Children are settled, cooperative and happy learners. Continuing to deepen understanding of the diverse cultures in the community should support an enriched programme and progress in meeting the playcentre's strategic goal to reflect the essence of the Paekakariki community.
Members maintain good levels of purposeful engagement with children. They are responsive, allowing children to take the lead and supporting them to explore, extend their ideas and persevere in their play. Literacy and numeracy are well integrated into the programme in meaningful, playbased ways. Children’s language development is fostered through ongoing discussion and conversation. High ratios of adults to children promote opportunities for one to one interaction. Much sustained and cooperative play is evident. A calm tone prevails.
Children have free access to a suitable variety of learning materials. A focus on sustainable living, through gardening, and use of natural materials, continues to develop. The environment is extended through trips into the community and local beach. Further consideration should be given to the presentation of some areas of play to better promote children's interest and participation.
Centre leaders, in consultation with the association, are committed to strengthening members’ understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi partnership and establishing a more bicultural perspective in the centre. A pilot bilingual programme has been developed in partnership with another playcentre to be implemented shortly. There is commitment to fostering links with the association’s Maori whānau support group to strengthen this approach.
Strong, long-established links with the adjacent primary school are valued and actively maintained. These provide good support for families making the transition from playcentre to school. Formal visits are undertaken with children. Informal contact is ongoing. Members express their commitment to continuing to enrich these links with the recently appointed new-entrant teacher.
There is good provision for infants and toddlers. They are well supported and encouraged to explore the play spaces and full range of learning materials. A suitably resourced area is specifically designated for those children who are not yet mobile. These youngest playcentre members show confidence in making choices and leading their learning.
The programme is strongly child led, with adults playing supporting roles. Since the previous ERO review, professional development has been undertaken to enhance members’ approach to planning for learning. There is a stronger emphasis on identifying children's significant learning linked to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Session planning meetings enable parents to share their aspirations for, and the developing interests and strengths of, their children. A visual approach to planning daily sessions supports continuity over time.
Evaluation of sessions should be improved to better plan for the learning of individuals and different age groups. Termly session planning information should be made more visible to better support ongoing planning. Making children’s progress in learning more of a focus in assessment records would be a suitable development step.
The friendly culture and support for each other fosters parents’ confidence and willingness to become involved in management roles and training. Members are reflective. They are at the early stages of using formal self review and keen to develop their understanding to better support decisions about improvement. Their dedication, commitment and sense of community point to a positive future for this service.
The association provides good support and a range of training for members. The centre supporter gives regular, valued feedback and aid as needed. A more evaluative approach based on identified priorities and growing members’ practice should better promote and sustain improvement over time. Comprehensive, up-to-date written policies and procedures guide office holders in their management roles, and members in planning and implementing an appropriate programme. The association is both improvement and future focused. The systematic review of and plan to restructure governance and management are being carefully worked through to support a new and more sustainable future for the organisation and individual centres.
Members should continue to:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Paekakariki Playcentre 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 Paekakariki Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services Central Region
5 June 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 |
Paekakariki, Kapiti Coast |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60047 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
27 children, including 18 aged up to 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
31 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 17, Boys 14 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
4 25 2 |
|
|
Reported ratios of adults to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
5 June 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
October 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 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.