Stewart Island EC Education Centre

Education institution number:
65152
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
7
Telephone:
Address:

6 Ayr Street, Half Moon Bay, Stewart Island

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Stewart Island EC Education Centre

ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.

ERO’s judgements for Stewart Island EC Education Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakaū Embedding

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 

Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakaū Embedding

Whakaū Embedding

2 Context of the Service

Stewart Island EC Education Centre (known as Rakiura Rugrats) is a community-based service governed by a board. The board and head teacher (sole qualified teacher) work closely with unqualified staff and parent helpers to support the curriculum and operation of the centre. The centre is located on the school site. A small number of tamariki Māori attend the centre.

3 Summary of findings

Tamariki have many opportunities to learn through a rich, culturally responsive localised curriculum. The identities, languages, and cultures of tamariki, parents and whānau are valued. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are naturally woven into the curriculum in ways that are meaningful to tamariki and respectful of te ao Māori.

Kaiako know tamariki well and are responsive to their individual interests, strengths, and capabilities. They inspire tamariki curiosity and sustained engagement in a wide range of creative learning experiences. Kaiako plan and implement a curriculum where tamariki are well supported to:

  • learn to care for others and the environment

  • develop social and oral language skills

  • lead their own learning and share their ideas.

Kaiako have respectful relationships and learning partnerships with tamariki, parents, whānau and the community, including the local school.

Good progress has been made in addressing the key next step in ERO’s 2018 report relating to increasing kaiako knowledge and understanding of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. There is now a stronger focus on integrating the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki in planning and evaluation of children’s learning and the curriculum. However, deepening kaiako understanding of what the learning outcomes mean for tamariki in this setting is now required. Assessment practices are mana enhancing.

There are strong links to the wider educational community. This helps to build professional practice and support the effective operation of the service. A systematic approach to strategic planning and internal evaluation focuses on what matters most and contributes to ongoing improvements. The newly formed governance and management board of the service are focusing on the ongoing sustainability of the service and the teaching team by reviewing and strengthening their processes and practices.

4 Improvement actions

Stewart Island EC Education Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • explore what the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki mean for tamariki in this setting and use these to inform planning and evaluation of the localised curriculum.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Stewart Island EC Education Centre completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

6 Actions for Compliance

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

  • ensuring that the risk assessment is documented when undertaking safety checks for all children’s workers in accordance with the Children Act 2014.

[Early Childhood Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, GMA7a]

Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Acting, Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

14 February 2023 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Stewart Island EC Education Centre

Profile Number

65152

Location

Stewart Island

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

15 children, over the age of two

Percentage of qualified teachers

50-79%

Service roll

11

Review team on site

September 2022

Date of this report

14 February 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2018, Education Review September 2015.

Stewart Island EC Education Centre - 28/08/2018

1 Evaluation of Stewart Island EC Education Centre

How well placed is Stewart Island EC Education Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

This centre, known as Rakiura Rugrats, is the only early learning service on Stewart Island. It provides an essential service for the community and is very well supported by the community. This support reflects the strong emotional connections (whanaungatanga) families and whānau have had with the centre over generations.

The service is owned by a community-based trust and run by a parent management committee. The committee and its one trained teacher receive mentoring support from the Southland Kindergarten Association. The teacher is also supported by a teacher aide and parent helpers.

The service offers education and care for up to 20 children from 9am to 1.15pm each day. It recently established provision for up to 10 under two year old children on one morning a fortnight, and will increase this to one day a week in October 2018. This is to help young children transition into the centre.

The committee and teacher have made good progress in addressing the recommendations from the 2015 ERO report. The committee has strengthened systems, including reviewing policies, documenting operational procedures and putting in place succession planning processes.

The Review Findings

Children play and learn in an environment that recognises and builds on the values and beliefs of families and whānau. These values and beliefs reflect the specific nature of the community and its strong involvement in, and commitment to the centre. Children are encouraged to learn about the community's rich cultural history. They are involved in caring for and sustaining the island's unique natural identity.

Children have a wide range of learning opportunities within the centre, in collaboration with the primary school and others on the island, and further afield. Visiting experts provide specific activities from time to time. Learning covers a broad range of integrated curriculum interests, themes and activities.

Teaching and learning practices promote positive learning outcomes for children. Assessment, planning and evaluation respond to the interests, strengths and capabilities of children, as individuals and in groups. The current focus appropriately supports 'tamariki to be kaitiaki, guardians of Papatuanuku'. Children are benefitting from a programme that:

  • prioritises identity, culture and sense of place

  • fosters social and learning competencies

  • is responsive to those with special and identified learning needs

  • identifies a wide range of learning outcomes through assessment.

Transitioning processes effectively support children as they come into and move on from the centre. Positive, regular communication and close relationships with the school enable children to move comfortably from the centre to the school. Specific activities for four year old children support this process. Appropriate introductions, care and learning experiences for under two year olds are strongly supported by families and whānau on the parent committee and as parent helpers.

The teacher and teacher aide work in close partnership (mahi tahi) with parents and whānau. Parents are actively involved in their children's learning and in the life of the centre. There are close links between the centre and the home.

The recently reviewed philosophy strongly reflects the values and aspirations of whānau and the community (manaakitanga). This philosophy is central to the strategic goals, appraisal and professional practice of the teacher and the centre programme. The centre views the environment as the 'third teacher' (kaiako), supporting all children to understand and embrace their culture and identity. Understanding and taking responsibility as guardians of the environment (kaitiakitanga) is a valued outcome for all children, and especially Māori children. This prioritises learning success for Māori children, as Māori, in the context of their identity, culture and place.

Key Next Steps

The centre and ERO agree that key next steps are to:

  • further strengthen internal evaluation to better focus on the impact of evaluation on outcomes for children

  • further increase knowledge, understanding and integration of Te Whāriki 2017.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Stewart Island EC Education 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 Stewart Island EC Education Centre will be in three years.

Alan Wynyard 

Director Review & Improvement Services

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

29 August 2018

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

Stewart Island

Ministry of Education profile number

65152

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

20 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

14

Gender composition

Girls: 8

Boys: 6

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

6

8

Percentage of qualified teachers

50%

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:2

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

2:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2018

Date of this report

28 August 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

Education Review

Education Review

September 2015

September 2013

June 2009

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.