Newtown Early Learning Centre

ERO’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.

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

Newtown Early Learning Centre is governed by a parent cooperative trust. It provides education and care for children from birth to school age. A newly appointed head teacher is responsible for the day-to-day curriculum and operation of the centre. Most teachers are qualified and certificated.  

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The practices of adults providing education and care demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning and development.

The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences; and include quiet space, areas for physically active play, and space for a range of individual and group learning experiences.

Governance and management practices, and systems for ensuring the service maintains compliance with regulatory standards require strengthening. This includes ongoing monitoring of aspects of health and safety.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• adults being familiar with relevant emergency drills and carry these out with the children on an at least three-monthly basis and show how the evaluation of these drills inform the annual review of the emergency plan

• consistently recording how parents have been notified of any accident

• consistently recording the date and time medicine was administered and by whom; and evidence of parental acknowledgement that medicine was administered.

Licensing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS8, HS27, HS28.

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• mattresses intended for children to sleep on must be covered with a non-porous material

• providing evidence of a current fire evacuation scheme

• consistently recording the outcomes of safety checks of all children’s workers by recording the results of the risk assessment.

Licensing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, PF30, HS4, GMA7a.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

13 July 2022 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

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.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• 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.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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 practice.

1 Evaluation of Newtown Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Newtown Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Newtown Early Learning Centre is licensed to provide all-day education and care for children from 12 months to school age, five days a week. At the time of this review two children identified as Māori. A parent cooperative trust governs and manages the centre.

The service philosophy focuses on whakamana, kotahitanga, nga hononga, whānau tangata, mana atua, mana whenua, mana tangata and kaitiakitanga.

The February 2016 ERO report identified areas requiring further development. These included: strengthening staff understanding, capability and practice in planning and assessment; aligning the strategic plan with the centre's systems and philosophy and enhancing internal evaluation capacity. Progress is ongoing.

Since the previous ERO review, the centre has experienced some changes to the teaching team. Most teachers are fully qualified. Day-to-day operation is the responsibility of the centre manager who supports the teaching team. The outdoor space has undergone some developments to provide additional learning opportunities for children.

The Review Findings

Children have opportunities to participate in a programme that encourages them to explore, be creative, experiment and play. Purposefully planned learning spaces support their interests. Respectful and reciprocal relationships are evident. Teachers know children well and work effectively alongside them.

Teachers sensitively respond to and support infants’ and toddlers’ needs for strong and secure attachment. Children experience a calm and unhurried learning environment. Many opportunities are provided to regularly learn and play with their older peers. Tuakana-teina practice is a strength of the centre.

The centre’s philosophy was developed with leaders and teachers to determine the valued learning outcomes for children. Investigating how best the centre can engage with parents and whānau Māori to deepen their understanding of what educational success looks like for children in this context and reflecting this through the philosophy is a next step. Once established leaders should develop indicators of good practice that guide and support the effective enactment of the philosophy.

Aspects of kaupapa Māori are evident in the programme. Teachers use some te reo Māori in general conversations with children. Purposeful wall displays celebrate te ao Māori concepts. Further consideration should be given to how leaders can support teachers to increase and integrate their use of te reo Māori into their daily interactions with children. Developing a curriculum that celebrates places of significance for Māori is needed.

Children’s portfolio books provide a useful record of their friendships, interests and participation. An online assessment tool enables parents and whānau to regularly contribute to their child’s learning. Assessment for learning requires strengthening, next steps should include undertaking a deeper analysis of the learning and drawing on purposeful next steps. Showing how children's learning has progressed over time and celebrating and promoting children’s culture, language and identity.

Leaders and teachers are improvement focussed. A well-considered internal evaluation framework is in place. They are beginning to measure the impact of the curriculum and teacher practice on children’s outcomes. Leaders should continue to build teachers evaluative capability.

A useful appraisal process is in place to grow and develop professional practice. This process requires further development and should include:

• specific and measurable goals

• robust feedback that informs next steps for development

• consistent implementation of the quality teacher practice framework aligned to the professional standards.

Trustees have developed a draft strategic plan that set the priorities and direction for the centre. Further consideration should be given to develop indicators and goals that are clear, specific and measurable that focus on outcomes for children and their whānau.

Key Next Steps

ERO and leaders agree that key next steps are to continue to:

• collaboratively develop the philosophy with parents and whānau and identify indicators of good practice

• enhance the bicultural curriculum

• strengthen aspects of assessment, planning and evaluation

• further develop the appraisal process and strengthen aspects of the strategic plan.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Newtown Early Learning Centre 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Newtown Early Learning Centre will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

14 January 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.