2 Barry Hogan Place, Middleton, Christchurch
View on mapNot well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centre (215) is well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centre - Tower Junction (215) is one of 12 early childhood education and care centres in Christchurch owned and administered by Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The centre operates under the Kindercare philosophy, and management and accountability systems. An area manager works in partnership with centre leaders to guide the effective operation of each centre.
Kindercare Learning Centre - Tower Junction (215) caters for the education and care of children from birth to school age. Children play and learn in five separate rooms. Children and families come from a wide geographical area and a diverse and rich range of cultures. Careful consideration has been given to the best use of the layout of the building and learning areas specifically designed for the needs of the age groups.
Since the last ERO review in September 2014, there have been some changes to staffing. However, the management and leadership of the centre has remained stable. Most teachers are qualified and registered. An on-site cook provides nutritious, vegetarian meals and snacks for children.
Centre leaders have been very responsive to the recommendations from the previous ERO report. They have implemented a systematic and planned approach to strengthening centre leadership and teaching and learning practices. A curriculum leadership role has been created to guide the effective use of planning, assessment and evaluation processes. Increasing emphasis has been given to bicultural practices and to the provision of useful parent education and support.
This review was part of a cluster of 12 Kindercare Learning Services reviewed in the Christchurch area in Term 1 2017.
The service philosophy is well understood and the values of 'safe, loved and learning' are embedded in centre practices. Families are warmly welcomed. Children are well supported to develop a good sense of belonging and to make positive transitions into and within the centre.
Centre leaders and teachers model care and respect for one another and for children and their families. They actively foster positive and inclusive relationships, valuing diverse home cultures and parents' involvement in their children's learning.
Teachers are responsive to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of children. They provide a wide range of resources and activities to engage children's curiosity and participation. Emphasis is given to supportive oral language interactions and enjoyable creative experiences. Teachers are increasingly integrating bicultural perspectives and literacy in meaningful ways.
Infants and toddlers are well cared for in two separate rooms that cater for the specific needs of children from birth to 18 months old, and 18 months to two years old. Consistent caregiving enables teachers to respond sensitively to each child's changing needs, preferences and wellbeing.
Parents are well informed of their children's learning and interests through a range of methods, such as written records, photos and technologies that provide ongoing opportunities for parent feedback.
The centre is well led and managed. Centre leaders provide clear expectations, and implement Kindercare management, curriculum, and health and safety systems. They build on teacher capability and leadership capacity through targeted professional development and regular mentoring. Leaders and teachers work together to make good use of self-review processes to build on practices, such as recent developments in assessment, planning and evaluation. They are focused on ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children and families.
Centre leaders have identified, and ERO’s evaluation has confirmed, that the key next steps are to:
ERO has identified that the key next steps for Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres - Tower Junction (215) 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 Kindercare Learning Centres - Tower Junction (215) will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu
12 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 | Christchurch | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 70071 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 100 children, including up to 30 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 78 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 43; Boys 35 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Pacific Chinese Other ethnicities | 8 37 2 20 11 | |
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 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | February 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 12 June 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO reports
| Education Review | September 2014 | |
| Supplementary Review | February 2012 | ||
| Education Review | July 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 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Kindercare Learning Centres (215) is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kindercare Learning Centres (215) is located in Tower Junction. It is one of 11 early childhood education and care centres, in Christchurch, owned and administered by the Kindercare Learning Centres Ltd. The service owners have a strong philosophy, useful policies and procedures and a framework for monitoring health and safety.
An area manager is working in partnership with the centre director to improve the quality of the programme and practices. The key next steps are to make the philosophy more evident, and strengthen leadership and teaching and learning practices.
Kindercare Learning Centres (215) is a large and complex operation. Three centres joined together after the 2011 Canterbury earthquakes and merged two licenses in 2012. Children and families come from a wide geographical area, and a diverse range of cultures. Since the merger there have been changes in leadership and teaching staff.
This review was part of a cluster of seven reviews for the Kindercare Learning Centres Service.
Teachers are caring and supportive of children. They follow children’s interests in the daily programme. Teachers plan for and evaluate the impact of resources and activities provided for children to extend their interests. They supervise children and comment on their involvement in activities. Teachers are beginning to place an increased focus on developing bicultural perspectives within the programme. ERO observed teachers in the infant and toddler area working with babies in nurturing and responsive ways.
Parents are informed about children’s interests and participation in the programme through attractive wall displays, newsletters, portfolios, and journals. Parents have opportunities to attend social and education evenings that help to make connections between home and the centre.
Children have easy access to a wide range of good quality resources within well-organised environments. Visitors to the centre and visits into the community support the programme offered to children.
The centre director fosters respectful and inclusive relationships with children, staff and families.
Kindercare guidelines for self review are used to improve the team’s understanding and use of self review. Teachers are encouraged to reflect on their practices and to contribute to centre self review. Parent surveys are used to gain parent perspectives about the centre operation.
The key next steps for senior managers and the centre director include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kindercare Learning Centres (215) 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 adult-to-child ratios. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following area.
Ensure that the adult-to-child ratios (minimum) are maintained at all times.
Licensing Criteria for Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Schedule 2.
ERO recommends that the service consults with the Ministry of Education and plans to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The service has provided ERO with an action plan to show how it will address the identified areas for development and the compliance action in this report.
The next ERO review of Kindercare Learning Centres (215) will be in three years.
Graham Randell
National Manager Review Services Southern Region
9 September 2014
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 |
Middleton, Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70071 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
100 children, including up to 40 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
117 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 54%; Girls 46% |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Pacific Asian Other ethnicities |
6 74 2 23 12 |
|
|
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 |
July 2014 |
||
|
Date of this report |
9 September 2014 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Supplementary Review |
February 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 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
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.