1d Cardale Street, Darfield
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 Darfield Preschool and Nursery are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
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Ngā Akatoro Domains |
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Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding |
Darfield Preschool and Nursery is a rural community-based early childhood service governed by a parent-led Board. A small number of children from Pacific and Māori heritages and other diverse cultures attend the service. Since ERO's 2019 review, the leadership model has been embedded and progress has been made in addressing the key next steps.
Children are empowered to become competent and confident learners in a language-rich and nature-based curriculum that reflects their interests and strengths. Teachers engage in meaningful interactions and support children to make independent choices. They effectively support children to develop their social skills to play cooperatively within a mixed-age setting. Daily routines and rituals are thoughtfully designed to allow infants and toddlers uninterrupted time and space to engage deeply in their own play and learning.
Children's sense of belonging is fostered in a culturally responsive curriculum. Teachers continue to build their own confidence as they meaningful integrate the use of te reo Māori and te ao Māori into the curriculum.
Teachers are increasingly intentional in using the learning outcomes and goals in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, to inform curriculum design and assessment for learning documentation. Assessment information shows children’s learning over time in relation to the learning outcomes. Learning partnerships with family and whānau are enacted. There are regular opportunities for families and whānau to share aspirations, contribute to the curriculum and extend home learning. However, further exploration of the learning outcomes with the learning community is needed to define what learning matters most for this community.
Leaders and teachers are highly reflective, and improvement focused. Teachers collaborate to build their collective capability in internal evaluation with a focus on improving outcomes for children. Embedding internal evaluation processes and paying greater attention to some aspects of the process is now required. Governance keeps the focus on the learning of all to the fore when making decisions. Aspects of human resource practices need strengthening to maintain compliance with the regulatory standards.
Darfield Preschool and Nursery will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
explore the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki with the community to determine valued learning priorities
continue to build teachers’ collective capability to integrate te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into everyday learning experiences
when undertaking internal evaluation, monitor and evaluate more closely, how well-planned actions have improved outcomes for individual and groups of children’s learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Darfield Preschool and Nursery 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; 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.
ERO identified the following area of non-compliance:
ensuring the risk assessment is documented when undertaking the periodic safety checking of existing employees in accordance with the Children Act 2014.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 GMA7A.
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure non-compliances identified in this report are addressed.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
5 December 2022
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Darfield Preschool and Nursery |
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Profile Number |
70401 |
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Location |
Darfield, Canterbury region |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
94 |
|
Review team on site |
July 2022 |
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Date of this report |
5 December 2022 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2019; Education Review, March 2016 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Darfield Preschool And Nursery is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Darfield Preschool and Nursery is a community-based early childhood service licensed for 60 children up to school age, including 15 children under 2. Teachers provide education programmes for different aged children in two rooms. Each room has a separate outdoor play area. The centre is in a rural setting on the outskirts of Darfield.
The centre is led by a team made up of a manager, team leader and two lead teachers. There are ten fully certificated early childhood teachers and five teachers in training.
The philosophy is centred on the core values of Whakaute (respect), Whanaungatanga (partnerships) and Taiao Ako (unique environment). The vision is 'To grow our tamariki to be positive, proud, resilient community members who embrace a love of learning'.
The centre is run by a board of trustees. It is a member of Te Hū o Kākāpōtahi Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.
Since ERO's review in 2016, there has been a change to the leadership structure and several changes to the teaching staff. There has also been a number of changes to the board. The centre has made good progress in addressing the areas identified for development in the March 2016 report.
Strong, reciprocal, respectful relationships are evident throughout the centre and support children's sense of belonging and learning. Teachers collaborate to provide a responsive curriculum drawing on their understanding of each child as a unique learner. Teachers make links to and provide opportunities for children to learn about the local and wider community. They plan meaningful programmes based on ongoing observation of children in everyday activities that shows what children know, understand, are interested in and can do.
Families are an integral part of the learning community. Teachers value the knowledge parents and whānau share about their children. They seek parents' aspirations for their children and take account of these when assessing and planning for children's learning. Records of learning show multiple perspectives and reciprocal sharing of learning information between home and centre.
Māori children are well supported in their learning. They benefit from hearing te reo Māori and learning about aspects of te ao Māori. Teachers have developed strong learning partnerships with whānau and parents of Māori children.
Infants and toddlers are very well nurtured and supported. Consistent caregiving enables teachers to respond sensitively to infants' and toddlers' changing needs and preferences. Teachers have meaningful interactions and provide relevant experiences to encourage their learning and development. The physical environment provides for the safety, wellbeing and social support of very young children.
Successful transitions into and beyond the centre are supported by effective partnerships between the service, families and schools. Recent changes to establish more consistent practices across the centre contributes to a seamless transition at all levels. This provides flexibility especially in the nursery where older children enjoy visiting siblings and kaiako.
Leaders have established a culture in which children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Relevant professional learning, and sound induction and appraisal processes support and enable teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for all children. There is a focus on improving the quality of education and care through ongoing reflection.
The manager and leaders and need to strengthen strategic and annual planning. This includes:
ongoing monitoring, evaluation and reporting of progress and the effectiveness of planned actions.
The new leadership model should be embedded, and ongoing support provided for the leaders to grow their effectiveness.
Leaders and teachers need to continue to develop and embed internal evaluation processes to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of developments and progress made, and to inform decision making for ongoing improvement and sustainability. This should include reviewing how well the new leadership model is promoting positive outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Darfield Preschool And Nursery 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:
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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services Southern
Southern Region
26 September 2019
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 |
Darfield |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70401 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
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Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
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Service roll |
90 |
||
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Gender composition |
Boys 49, Girls 41 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
10 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
July 2019 |
||
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Date of this report |
26 September 2019 |
||
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Most recent ERO reports
|
Education Review |
March 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
December 2012 |
||
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.
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.
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 |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Darfield Preschool and Nursery is a long-established, community-based early childhood centre that is owned by a not-for-profit trust. It is governed by a parent board of trustees. In 2013, the centre relocated into a new, purpose-built facility.
The centre caters for infant and toddlers to school age children, within two mixed-aged group settings, for full day sessions. Both groups have their own indoor and outdoor areas.
The centre has undergone a significant number of staffing changes in the last few years, including centre manager, teaching staff and some new trustees. These changes do not appear to have affected outcomes for children. However, it has meant that some areas identified in the 2012 ERO review, such as self review, assessment and planning are not consistently implemented. Improving bicultural practices still remains a focus.
Children and their families are warmly welcomed and supported to settle into the programme. Teachers know children and their families well. Children benefit from the positive relationships they have with staff.
Children are confident within the environment and programme. They are encouraged to make choices about their play, develop independence and become self-managing learners. ERO observed children actively involved in the programme and playing well together for extended periods of time.
Teachers provide children with a variety of interesting, easily accessible resources that support their physical and creative development. They make good links between children's home life and the centre.
Children play within a spacious and attractive setting that reflects their rural location. Aspects of Māori culture are evident throughout the environment. There are some aspects of the indoor and outdoor areas that are still being developed. A special feature of the environment is the community garden that has been developed by the staff and parents on the centre's property.
Toddlers and infants are well supported in a positive and nurturing environment. Teachers are responsive to children's needs and non-verbal communication. They actively focus on extending children's language development.
Children's transitions into, within and beyond the centre are well managed and planned for. Teachers support individual children as they move from the nursery to the preschool. The outdoor areas allow young children to interact with older children and see the preschool environment. The centre manager and preschool teachers have good links with the local primary schools. They are involved in a cluster of schools that is focused on supporting transitions for children across the local area.
Teachers encourage parents to be involved in the programme. They promote open communication with parents and are proactively considering ways to seek and include parents' aspirations for their children in programme planning.
The centre manager and leaders provide good leadership for their teams. They are focused on ensuring strong collaboration within and between the teams. Teachers' individual strengths and experiences are recognised and used appropriately to support children's learning and centre developments.
The board, centre manager and leaders are highly supportive and responsive to staff needs. Teachers have benefitted from regular opportunities to participate in professional learning and development. The centre has made good use of external assistance to build on teachers' knowledge and capability, particularly in self review and planning.
The board of trustees, centre manager and leaders have developed a comprehensive strategic plan that provides clear direction and is built on over time. The centre manager and trustees should now ensure that they evaluate their progress to meeting the goals in the strategic plan.
The centre manager, leaders and ERO agree that the key priorities are 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 Darfield Preschool and Nursery will be in three years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
22 March 2016
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 |
Darfield |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70401 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
60 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
101 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 54; Girls47 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Pākehā Māori Asian African Middle Eastern Other Ethnicities |
81 14 1 1 1 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
22 March 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2009 |
||
|
Education Review |
February 2006 |
||
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.
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.