97 Harewood Road, Papanui, Christchurch
View on mapAratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub
Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub
1 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 Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whakaū Embedding Whakaū Embedding |
2 Context of the Service
Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub is governed and managed by the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission (CMM). The centre serves a diverse community and nearly half the children attending are Māori. There is a small number of children of Pacific heritages. Good progress has been made towards the key next steps identified in the 2020 ERO report relating to strategic planning, assessment, planning and evaluation, and appraisal.
3 Summary of findings
Children are well supported in a responsive and engaging curriculum. Their interests form the basis of the programme. The development of children’s physical skills is well supported through the large outdoor play area. Teachers use a range of useful strategies that build children’s mana and coach them to develop their social and emotional competence.
Infants and toddlers have their own play space which is centrally positioned in the centre. This approach successfully fosters a sense of a connected learning community. Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Leaders and teachers work in partnership with their whānau and external agencies.
The service’s learning priorities are highly visible in the environment and in children’s assessment documentation. Teachers use the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, in varying ways within assessment documentation. They regularly discuss children's learning and progress with parents and whānau who have opportunities to contribute. The service has yet to explore the learning outcomes with whānau and use them to inform individual learning plans.
Te reo Māori is evident in documentation and in the environment. Leaders and teachers have begun to explore the local history of mana whenua but are yet to incorporate this into the programme. A stronger focus on teacher’s use of te reo Māori throughout the curriculum is required.
There is a strong process in place to support teachers’ professional growth cycles with an emphasis on the impact on outcomes for children. Leaders use an appropriate framework for internal evaluation and are working to build capacity across the teaching team. Further work is needed on developing measurable indicators to inform and guide the evaluation process.
Governance and management actively pursue ways to promote equity and social justice for children and their whānau. This includes internal advocacy services such as a dedicated whānau support worker. Greater monitoring of systems, processes, and policies is necessary to remain current and meet the requirements of the regulatory framework.
4 Improvement actions
Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
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use the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki with parents and whānau to guide discussion and inform individual learning plans
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incorporate the pūrākau and histories of mana whenua into the curriculum
-
increase meaningful opportunities for children to hear and use te reo Māori.
5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
-
risk assessments for safety checking are documented for all children’s workers.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care services, 2008; GMA7A].
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
11 May 2023
6 About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Aratupu Preschool and Whānau Hub |
Profile Number |
70407 |
Profile Number |
Christchurch |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 9 aged under 2 |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
Service roll |
53 |
Review team on site |
February 2023 |
Date of this report |
11 May 2023 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2020; Education Review, January 2017 |
Aratupu Preschool and Nursery - 12/06/2020
1 Evaluation of Aratupu Preschool and Nursery
How well placed is Aratupu Preschool and Nursery to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Aratupu Preschool and Nursery is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Aratupu Preschool and Nursery is located in Papanui. It is governed and managed by the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission which has the vision of a 'socially just and inclusive society in which all people flourish'. The centre's philosophy includes the concepts of whanaungatanga -authentic relationships, manaakitanga - welcoming and supportive environment, te mahi o te tamaiti - giving children time and space to play and explore, and literacy of life - social and emotional confidence and security.
The centre serves a diverse community. Whānau attend from the local area and wider Christchurch. It is a community hub that is particularly focused on advocating for families with higher social needs. It provides full-day education and care and caters for 38 children, including 8 children aged under two years.
The mission and centre staff are focussed on supporting the participation of tamariki and whānau in centre programmes. They provide additional funding to meet specific requirements, including a fulltime whānau support worker who is based at the centre to support an holistic approach to the wellbeing of children and their families.
All teachers, including the manager, are qualified early childhood teachers. The leaders and teachers are actively involved in the Waimairi-iri Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning.
Since the January 2017 ERO review, there have been significant changes to the leadership roles and responsibilities of the management team. There is a new centre manager and a practice leader who oversee the operation and practice of the service. A divisional manager supports the growth and development of the leadership team.
The service has made some progress in the next steps identified in the 2017 ERO review. They have engaged in professional development to strengthen their knowledge and understanding of internal evaluation. Considerable work has been undertaken on assessment, planning and evaluation. Leaders and teachers have developed a new appraisal system.
The Review Findings
Leaders and teachers demonstrate a strong commitment to the centre's philosophy, vision, and values of a socially just and inclusive society. The vision and values are highly evident in practice.
Children choose from a wide range of experiences in a well-resourced programme. Teachers focus appropriately on the individual needs of each child. They respond well to children's interests and strengths, and identify how they can effectively support them and their whānau in the programme. They develop supportive, ongoing partnerships with whānau.
Children benefit from the provision of a rich bicultural curriculum. There is a strong focus on te ao Māori in the learning environment. Teachers naturally incorporate te reo and tikanga Māori into the daily programme. They value Māori children's identities as the foundation for, and key to, success as Māori. All parents and whānau are consulted about aspects of the centre's operation and have opportunities to contribute to key documentation.
The natural outdoor environment provides appropriate physical challenges for children. There is an emphasis on respect and caring for each other and the environment. This includes children's active involvement in caring for the vegetable garden, which provides additional food for the centre, whānau and community.
Children under two years of age benefit from a calm, peaceful, learning environment. Responsive teachers meet their wellbeing needs through an individualised approach to caregiving in the nursery. They are respectful of all children and provide predictable routines.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Leaders and teachers provide an inclusive learning environment to ensure that these children participate fully in the programmes, alongside their peers. Leaders and teachers draw on strong connections with a wide range of internal and external agencies to access additional assistance for children and their whānau.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focussed. They use internal evaluation to reflect on and identify areas of practice that can be strengthened and participate in targeted professional development opportunities with a focus on outcomes for children.
Key Next Steps
Leaders and the ERO team agree that the key next steps are to:
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refine strategic planning to clearly identify key annual priorities, and regularly monitor, evaluate and report on progress in relation to strategic goals
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continue to develop and embed the new assessment, planning and evaluation system and ensure that teaching strategies are identified and evaluated for effectiveness
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strengthen the new appraisal system by developing guidelines for teachers and ensuring that all Teaching Council requirements are met.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Aratupu 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; 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 - Te Tai Tini
12 June 2020
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 |
Christchurch |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
70407 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
39 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 17 Boys 22 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
18 |
|
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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
January 2020 |
||
Date of this report |
12 June 2020 |
||
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
January 2017 |
|
Education Review |
August 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.