11 School Lane, Duvauchelle
View on mapBanks Peninsula Early Learning Incorporated
Banks Peninsula Early Learning Incorporated
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
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.
Background
Banks Peninsula Early Learning Incorporated is a community-based service previously operating as Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool. A volunteer, governing committee supports a newly appointed centre manager. Most teachers are qualified. Two age-based areas provide education and care for children from infants to school age. A small number of enrolled children are Māori.
Summary of Review Findings
The curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children are seen as competent and confident learners. Teachers are responsive, and engage in meaningful interactions with children and their families. Some te reo Māori is used, and aspects of te ao Māori are visible within the programme.
The design and layout of the premises provide a range of age-appropriate experiences for infants, toddlers, and older children in a play-based environment.
Operation of the service is guided by a philosophy and annual plan. Compliance documentation needs to be closely monitored to ensure the service continues to meet regulatory requirements.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include:
-
Exploring the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki to better understand how these can be used to show children’s learning progress overtime.
Action for compliance
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
-
Ensuring accurate excursion records are maintained that record the times excursions have taken place and adult:child ratios (HS17).
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
6 September 2023
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Banks Peninsula Early Learning Incorporated |
Profile Number |
65121 |
Location |
Duvauchelle, Christchurch |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
32 |
Review team on site |
July 2023 |
Date of this report |
6 September 2023 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2019; Education Review, March 2017 |
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 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 practice.
Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool
1 Evaluation of Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool
How well placed is Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool is owned and administered by the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society (RNZPS). It is located in Duvauchelle and services the semi-rural community of Banks Peninsula. The centre is open weekdays from 8.15am to 4.15pm and is part of the Whānau Akoranga Kāhui Ako | Community of Learning.
The centre is licensed to provide education and care for up to 40 children, including up to 10 children under two years of age. Two separate areas are available for the learning and teaching of infants and older children. Children transition between these two rooms as they progress in age and education. The attending families are from a diverse range of cultures.
The centre manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre. There has been a number of changes in national managers within RNZPS since the last ERO review.
The vision of the Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool is 'Learning and journeying together to empower children with a sense of place and purpose in our beautiful, rural community'. The values of the centre are to work in partnership with parents, whānau and the community, recognise each child as a unique learner, provide a richly resourced learning environment, model respectful relationships and acknowledge the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Beliefs about how children learn include: building on children's interests and current knowledge: ensuring there is a child-initiated play environment that encourages children to interact; supporting children to discover and explore the world; valuing children's culture, language and identity; supporting children to become lifelong learners, and ensuring teachers provide sensitive guidance and support.
Community consultation is currently underway regarding the centre's operational structure. The centre has made progress in addressing the key next steps from the 2017 ERO review.
The Review Findings
Positive relationships are fostered between the centre and parents, and whānau and children. Leaders and teachers works constructively with parents to identify and meet the needs of diverse learners. The well-considered use of digital technologies supports teaching, learning and real-time communication with parents and whānau.
There is a strong alignment between Te Whāriki, the NZ Early Childhood Curriculum 2017, and the centre's valued outcomes for children. Examples of good learning stories show intentional teaching strategies to support children's learning and progress. The learning of literacy and numeracy skills is woven throughout the curriculum. Routines are flexible and allow children to sustain play.
Children experience aspects of te ao Māori, including te reo and tikanga Māori. Staff have participated in professional development on bicultural practices, and as a result, there has been continued growth in understanding in this area. The cultures of all children are valued and celebrated in the centre.
Children under two years of age are well supported to settle into the centre. They benefit from nurturing relationships and a calm unhurried learning environment where their home cultures and routines are respected.
The centre uses internal evaluation in a meaningful and purposeful way to help develop shared understandings and guidelines for effective practice. There is a collaborative approach to internal evaluation, and parents and whānau are consulted during this process. Internal evaluation is leading to ongoing improvement in learning and teaching.
Teachers work closely with schools and the wider educational community to improve learning for children and support transitions between preschool and school. Professional learning supports the building of teacher capability and capacity. Centre leaders know teachers' strengths and needs well, and encourage them to work collaboratively and be reflective in their practice.
Key Next Steps
The key next steps for the preschool are to improve outcomes for children by:
-
further embedding assessment, planning and evaluation by ensuring that children's goals are individualised and support their learning priorities
-
investigating new ways to further include parent/whānau voice and aspirations in planning and assessment
-
continuing to embed the new teacher appraisal system.
To ensure full compliance with the requirements of the NZ Teaching Council, leaders must ensure that observations are completed for all teachers as part of annual appraisal processes.
The key next steps for the RNZPS are to strengthen and maintain strategic links between governance and management by:
- clearly identifying and formalising reporting priorities and requirements, including internal evaluation outcomes, from the centre to the RNZPS
- ensuring there is a planned approach to providing quality assurance and support to the centre
- strengthening accountability systems to provide the centre and RNZPS with greater assurance about outcomes for all children's learning and wellbeing over time.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool 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.
During the onsite stage of the review, ERO identified an area of non-compliance:
The service provider must ensure that parts of the building or buildings used by children have acoustic absorption materials, if necessary, to reduce noise levels that may negatively affect children's learning or wellbeing.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF12.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
21 May 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
Location |
Duvauchelle |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
65121 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
35 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 19, Boys 16 |
||
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā |
27 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
March 2019 |
||
Date of this report |
21 May 2019 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2017 |
|
Education Review |
February 2013 |
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
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.
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.
RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool - 29/03/2017
1 Evaluation of RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool
How well placed is RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool requires further development to promote outcomes for children.
Many systems and practices are at an early stage of implementation. The centre moved to a new purpose-built facility in February 2015 and did not receive a full licence until November 2016. A new centre manager was appointed in November 2015. She worked with staff, the community, Ministry of Education and advisory support services to develop the systems and practices to support children's learning and wellbeing to meet licence requirements. The service needs ongoing support to embed these new systems and practices to provide high quality education for all children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool operates under the umbrella of the New Zealand Plunket Society. The service caters for babies, toddlers and preschool children in two separate areas. Each area has their own indoor and outdoor spaces.
The centre employs qualified early childhood teachers, teachers-in-training to become early childhood teachers and unqualified staff. Managers find it difficult to attract qualified teachers to this geographically isolated area.
The centre moved to a new, purpose-built facility in February 2015 and received a full licence in November 2016. A new centre manager was appointed in November 2015. The centre leaders have taken positive steps to meet the recommendations in the 2013 ERO review report. They are making more use of digital technology to share information about children's learning with parents and whānau.
The Review Findings
Children enjoy a well-presented environment where they have easy access to a good range of resources and equipment. They confidently select and spend the majority of their time in self-selected learning. Teachers engage in children's play. They listen carefully to children, ask questions and make suggestions to help children extend their thinking.
Infants and toddlers develop close and supportive relationships with their main teacher/caregiver. They benefit from an environment that is calm, routines are flexible and wellbeing is nurtured.
Leaders and teachers are making good progress in developing their bicultural knowledge and understanding, and including it in the programme. They regularly celebrate bicultural events and place a strong emphasis on children learning about local Māori history and Māori myths and legends.
Under the leadership of the centre manager, teachers have made good use of the Ministry of Education and advisory support services to:
- clarify expectations for learning and teaching
- establish an appropriate framework for child assessment, programme planning and evaluation
- develop a shared understanding of internal evaluation, and implement these processes
- identify clear strategic priority areas to improve outcomes for children
- develop a better understanding of the licensing requirements for early childhood services.
The teachers have made good use of the child assessment, programme planning and evaluation framework to develop a common understanding of expectations. This is helping to ensure that all children are regularly assessed and plans are developed for their learning. Assessment and planning should continue to improve as teachers become more consistent in the quality of their work. To achieve this objective they should place greater emphasis on the clarity of each child's goals, the role of the teacher in helping children achieve the goals, and evaluating the outcomes for learning and teaching. Ways to involve parents more in assessment and planning should also be investigated.
The manager and teachers have some understanding of internal evaluation as a result of completing one planned review with support from an advisory service. The next steps include embedding this process, and improving the quality of information gathered, the depth of analysis of the information and the clarity of the review plan, by monitoring and evaluation of the plan outcomes.
The centre leaders have developed useful networks with other local centres and schools where support can be shared and they can be part of local educational initiatives.
Key Next Steps
Many systems and practices are at early stages of implementation. The key next steps include further developing and embedding:
- child assessment, programme planning and evaluation
- internal evaluation processes
- staff appraisal requirements
- strategic planning, particularly regular monitoring and reporting of key priorities
- te reo and tikanga Māori to support Māori children to experience success as Māori.
The leaders and teachers should review the programme for four-year-old children to ensure it meets the values and beliefs within the philosophy statement and the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The Plunket Society and centre leaders have identified, and ERO agree, that systems and practices should be established to:
- strengthen communication with parents and their involvement in decision making for their children and the centre
- ensure staff receive regular professional development to help them meet the strategic goals, maintain up-to-date practices and provide a safe and healthy environment for children.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool 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
Actions for compliance
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to governance and management. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
- appraisal for all teachers must meet the requirements for teachers to maintain or become registered teachers
- maintain effective governance and management practices, particularly internal evaluation, and continuing professional development that links to the achievement of the service's strategic goals, and develop closer links between governance and management.
[47(1) Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008]
Development Plan Recommendation
ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of RNZPS Canterbury Area Inc Banks Peninsula Plunket Community Preschool will be within two years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu
29 March 2017
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
Location |
Duvauchelle, Banks Peninsula |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
65121 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 10 aged under two |
||
Service roll |
49 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 27; Girls 22 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
9 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
February 2017 |
||
Date of this report |
29 March 2017 |
||
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
February 2013 |
|
Education Review |
September 2009 |
||
Education Review |
November 2006 |
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.