17 Aynsley Street, Watlington, Timaru
View on mapAkarangi | 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 Aynsley Street Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
Aynsley Street Preschool is one of three privately owned and operated early childhood centres. A centre manager is supported by a new curriculum leader. Most teachers are qualified. Almost a quarter who attend are tamariki Māori and there is a large group of children of diverse cultural heritages. There has been some progress made with the key next steps identified in ERO’s 2021 review report.
Children learn and develop in an inclusive and responsive curriculum that reflects the newly developed learning priorities. They choose and direct their own learning pathways in a play-based environment. Children under the age of three are well supported as emerging learners. There is a deliberate focus on developing their sense of belonging through routines and transitions where they have time and space to lead their learning. Those with additional learning requirements are well supported with individually tailored learning and support plans.
Children’s learning is assessed, planned for, and reviewed, however there is variability in the ways teachers plan for and assess children’s learning. Assessment records are yet to show children’s learning progress consistently and clearly over time in relation to the learning outcomes within Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Parents regularly contribute aspects of their language and identity to inform the culturally responsive curriculum.
Teachers provide children with opportunities to learn the dual heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand within a Māori world view and are exploring ways to have the local bicultural curriculum fully informed by mana whenua. Information about Māori children’s whakapapa and iwi or hapū are gathered. Leaders and teachers are in the early stages of exploring what this would look like for Māori children’s learning and development.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. There is an established process in place for internal evaluation. Building teacher capability, capacity, and shared understanding across the group of services is required. Leaders agree a greater focus on monitoring and knowing how well improvements have made a difference for children is needed.
A well-established quality assurance system supports the monitoring of daily operations and the service’s strategic vision. Leaders and teachers have established relational trust, they are collaborative with an ongoing focus on improvement. Children's learning and wellbeing are a primary consideration for governance and management in resourcing and decision making.
Aynsley Street Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Aynsley Street Preschool 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:
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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
23 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Aynsley Street Preschool |
| Profile Number | 70059 |
| Location | Timaru |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 33 |
| Review team on site | April 2024 |
| Date of this report | 23 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, July 2021; Education Review, June 2017 |
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management, and administration | Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
This is the first ERO review of Aynsley Street Preschool since it was re-licensed in 2019 under new ownership. Governance is overseen by the owner who supports the centre manager and staff. There are two aged-based areas catering for tamariki from infants to school age.
The play-based curriculum is inclusive and designed to support tamariki to develop social competence skills. Kaiako promote positive, respectful interactions with tamariki. The service is beginning to apply the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to analyse and interpret significant learning from which to build a relevant curriculum.
The indoor and outdoor environments offer tamariki opportunities to experience a wide range of activities. Leadership has established sound procedures and processes for managing the health, safety, and wellbeing of tamariki.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
28 July 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Aynsley Street Preschool |
| Profile Number | 70059 |
| Location | Timaru |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 33 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 13, NZ European/Pākehā 15, Other ethnicities 5. |
| Review team on site | May 2021 |
| Date of this report | 28 July 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review June 2017; Education Review May 2014. |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Aynsley Street Preschool is a privately owned early learning centre. The service's programme is based on the Montessori philosophy. It has two separate areas that provide full-day education and care for infants, toddlers and young children. The service is licensed for up to 33 children, including 8 under the age of two. Two fully registered teachers lead the service, and other staff are working towards full registration or in training.
Since the 2014 ERO review, there has been a new owner and new staff have been appointed. Leadership of the centre includes the owner, who is the director, the centre's manager who also has responsibility for the infants and toddlers, and the supervisor who is responsible for the older children.
The new owner has responded to the areas for further improvement identified in the previous ERO report relating to expectations for teaching and learning, and internal review. She has strengthened leadership and built a positive staff culture of teamwork and continuous improvement.
The new director and the leadership team at Anysley Street Preschool have a strong commitment to high quality teaching and learning. They have a shared understanding and clear vision for the philosophy to be implemented in this service. These high expectations are lifting teacher practice and promoting positive outcomes for children.
Teachers engage in responsive, reciprocal relationships with children and their parents or whānau. Teachers use conversations with and observations of children to know children's interests and help children lead their own learning.
Montessori values are to the forefront of much of the teaching and learning. A strong emphasis on respect is evident. Routines are well established so children know what is expected and how they should respond. The environment and resources encourage exploration, positive interactions and fun. Infants and toddlers benefit from caring relationships with their teachers. Teachers have established a calm, slow pace where there is ample time to meet the needs of the children.
The staff are responsive to the needs of families and whānau, and are welcoming and engaging. They take care to understand the child in the context of the family. Teachers build on their knowledge of each child to prepare well-documented individual plans. Plans are supported by profile stories which show good evidence of next steps and feedback from parents and whānau.
There is trust and mutual respect in the leadership group. After a very large turnover of staff with the arrival of the new director, there has been a concerted effort to build stronger working relationships within the teaching team. The leaders have provided very good guidance for staff on the quality expected in their teaching. Leaders support teachers well in their reflective practice and for the evaluation of the impact of their teaching.
The director is committed to promoting bicultural practices to support tamariki and their whānau. The centre's purpose includes ensuring all children experience aspects of Aotearoa New Zealand's bicultural heritage. The next step is ensure greater consistency of teachers' practice in promoting bicultural aspects for Māori children and for all children.
The director has put major work into building sustainable governance practices. There has been significant progress since the change of ownership. The director and leadership team have supported this by creating a culture where each child and whānau is able to feel well included and experience success. The director has provided a large number of resources to support staff and for the ongoing development of the centre. The strategic plan gives clear direction.
A next step would be to ensure that the strategic plan shows clear links to expected outcomes for children.
The key next steps are for leaders and teachers to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Aynsley Street Preschool Limited 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.
The next ERO review of Aynsley Street Preschool Limited will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Te Waipounamu)
27 June 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 | Timaru | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 70059 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 58 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls: 33 Boys: 25 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Pacific Other | 12 37 3 6 | |
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 | April 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 27 June 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | May 2014 | |
| Supplementary Review | January 2013 | ||
| Education Review | April 2009 | ||
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.