10782 Route 52, Pongaroa
View on mapERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Pongaroa Early Years is a mixed age service. It is governed by a trust board and serves its rural community, operating four days a week. Almost a quarter of children attending identify as Māori. A new board chair was appointed in 2022, and a new head teacher has been appointed.
The service curriculum is inclusive and consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The curriculum is informed by children’s interests, whānau and life contexts. A range of outdoor experiences provide children with opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development.
Children experience a language-rich environment where their preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning. They are responded to as confident, competent learners.
An annual plan guides the services operations. External support is guiding an ongoing cycle of policy review.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured [HS6]
having a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults at the service [HS7]
checks to equipment, premises and facilities on every day of operation for hazards to children include all areas required by the licensing criterion. [HS12]
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Care and Education Centres 2008, HS6, HS7, HS12]
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
19 May 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name: |
Pongaroa Early Years |
| Profile Number: | 60100 |
| Location: | Pongaroa |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
|
Service roll |
25 |
|
Review team on site |
March 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
19 May 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2019; Education Review, April 2016 |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
discussions with those involved in the service
consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Pongaroa Early Years is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Trustees and leaders are well positioned to address areas for further development identified in this report.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Pongaroa Early Years is located in Tararua. It is licensed for 30 children including five children up to two years of age. Opening hours are from 8:30am until 3:15pm. The service is closed on Wednesdays and during school holidays.
The service is governed by a trust board. Maintaining fee-free early childhood opportunities in this small rural community is a focus for trustees.
A new staff team has recently been appointed. At the time of this ERO review, the majority had been in post for less than one term. A new head teacher was appointed in October 2018.
Prior to the appointment of the new staff team, limited progress had been made in response to the April 2016 ERO report. Recent initiatives show some development, however further work is required for improvement in several areas.
Children lead their own learning in an environment well organised to support their exploration. They participate enthusiastically in a range of learning experiences. Children are engaged, curious, confident and independent.
Leaders recognise that the service philosophy requires review. ERO's evaluation confirms this is a priority. Consideration should be given to articulating the valued outcomes for children and a curriculum to promote these.
Infants and toddlers are responsively and consistently cared for. One-on-one interactions support their sense of security. They are given space and time to lead their own learning.
The bicultural curriculum is continuing to strengthen. Te ao Māori is an integral part of children's early learning experience. Adults are continuing to strengthen their use of meaningful te reo Māori.
Teachers are in the early stages of exploring approaches to support educational success for Māori children.
The quality of assessment is variable. Consistently identifying children's individual learning and showing progress over time is an area that continues to require strengthening. Deliberate individualised planning is emerging. Further development of assessment practice should show:
In addition, a system to monitor the quality of children's assessment should be developed.
Teachers are beginning to inquire into their practice to identify areas for improvement. Developing the teaching team's evaluative capacity to measure how effectively centre practices promote positive outcomes for children remains a priority.
The appraisal system should be strengthened to ensure that teachers' development is well supported. Improvements should ensure that:
Teachers work collaboratively and contribute to improvements within the service. Leaders should now consider how to facilitate sharing of knowledge and expectations of practice within the context of the service.
Trustees have worked collaboratively and have undertaken external professional learning to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of governance roles and responsibilities. They are future-focused and have been instrumental in promoting improvements in the curriculum and teacher practice. A sound framework of policies and procedures support ongoing operation.
ERO has identified that key next steps are for leaders and teachers to continue to develop shared expectations and practice in relation to:
curriculum expectations to support valued outcomes for children
strategies that promote educational success for Māori children
assessment, planning and evaluation of children's learning
internal evaluation
meaningful appraisal.
Trustees and leaders of Pongaroa Early Years will develop an action plan that details how they plan to address these priorities. Progress against this plan will be monitored by ERO.
Before the review, the staff and management of Pongaroa Early Years 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 service needs to improve its performance in relation to hazard identification. Since the on-site stage of the ERO review, the manager has taken action to address this.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
13 March 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 |
Pongaroa |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60100 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
36 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 20, Girls 16 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
50-79% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 March 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2013 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
||
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 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.
Pongaroa Early Years is licensed for 30 children including five children up to two years of age. The centre has a significant role in providing early childhood opportunities in this rural area and is a hub for the community. The current roll includes Māori, Niuean and Pākehā learners.
The centre is governed by a trust board. Some of the trustees are new to their governance role. Core priorities for trustees are to grow their knowledge of governance roles and responsibilities. They are seeking external support to assist with this.
The centre philosophy has a focus on making a positive contribution to the community, and celebrates and reflects its rural setting. It emphasises children, families and staff growing and learning together in respectful and meaningful ways.
There have been property developments since the July 2013 ERO report, including a building extension to increase child roll numbers. Community grants and local fundraising were key to this undertaking.
Some progress has been made in response to the previous ERO report. Improvement continues to be needed in many of these areas. These feature as key next steps in this report.
Children approach adults with confidence and show a positive sense of belonging. They have good opportunities to be leaders and learn collaboratively with their peers. Purposeful resourcing allows children to make choices and play independently. ERO saw older children interacting with and supporting younger children.
Children experience a curriculum that reflects its location and is appropriately based around key rural events. There are frequent opportunities for children to learn about healthy eating, active movement and sustainable practices. The outdoor learning space provides a range of suitable challenges.
Staff regularly discuss children's interests with parents. This information is used to inform resource decisions and planning. Children's portfolios are useful records of their participation in the programme. ERO's external evaluation identifies that assessment and planning practices need strengthening. Making better use of staff meetings to discuss and extend children's learning through teaching is a next step.
Positive practices foster seamless transitions with local schools. There are well established, reciprocal relationships with schools that effectively support children and families. This continues to be a priority for the centre and its community.
Teachers value and seek the contributions of families. They share information with them in a variety of ways. Children have some opportunities to learn about te ao Māori. Staff recognise the need to strengthen bicultural practices and promote the culture, language and identity of Māori learners.
Internal evaluation practices continue to be an area for improvement. Staff need to strengthen and develop shared understanding of how this process can inform decision-making that improves teaching and learning.
Staff appraisal is in place. Progress continues to be needed to support teachers to grow their teaching practice. Including opportunities for regular observation, discussions, and reflections that align to the Practising Teacher Criteria is an important next step.
There are many ways the board actively supports and encourages children and families participation in the centre. This remains an important focus for trustees. They express a commitment to grow understanding of their role and develop governance processes. Planned external professional learning and development should be useful in assisting this to occur. This includes strengthening strategic and annual planning to better inform the centres priorities for teaching and learning and improving reporting, monitoring and internal evaluation practices. EROs external evaluation identifies that this work is a priority.
ERO, trustees and the head teacher agree that the following areas should be further strengthened:
Before the review, the staff and management of Pongaroa Early Years 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance relating to governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area:
The next ERO review of Pongaroa Early Years will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
13 April 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.
|
Location |
Pongaroa |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60100 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
31 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 17, Boys 14 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
12 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 April 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
July 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2010 |
||
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.