97 Harewood Road, Papanui, Christchurch
View on map|
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.
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.
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.
Leaders and the ERO team agree that the key next steps are to:
refine strategic planning to clearly identify key annual priorities, and regularly monitor, evaluate and report on progress in relation to strategic goals
continue to develop and embed the new assessment, planning and evaluation system and ensure that teaching strategies are identified and evaluated for effectiveness
strengthen the new appraisal system by developing guidelines for teachers and ensuring that all Teaching Council requirements are met.
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:
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 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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70407 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
39 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 17 Boys 22 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
18 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
January 2020 |
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Date of this report |
12 June 2020 |
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Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
January 2017 |
|
|
Education Review |
August 2013 |
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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 |
Aratupu Preschool and Nursery is well placed to provide positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Aratupu Preschool and Nursery is governed and managed by the Christchurch Methodist Central Mission. It is a community hub that is particularly focused on advocating for families with additional needs and promoting equity and excellence for all children. The centre caters for the care and education of children from birth to school age.
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 an extra teacher, to support the individual needs of children transitioning into the centre and onto school.
All teachers, including the manager, are qualified early childhood teachers. A whānau support worker, and partnership community worker are based at the centre to support an holistic approach to the wellbeing of children and their families. Nutritious meals and snacks are provided for children.
Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been changes to the leadership team and some staffing. The centre manager and a core group of teachers have provided consistency for families. They have addressed the recommendations from that report, including developing a stronger focus on teaching and learning, bicultural perspectives, assessment and planning and self review.
The leaders and teachers have strong links with the wider social and education community, including a learning cluster of other early learning services and schools.
Leaders and teachers have a strong, shared vision and philosophy that is very evident in practice. Teachers work collaboratively towards a culture of respect, inclusion, and are committed to the holistic wellbeing of tamariki, whānau and community.
Teachers actively foster respectful relationships with tamariki, parents and whānau. They value and respect the languages, cultures and identities of all children while embracing the bicultural nature of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Leaders and teachers establish a culture in which tamariki are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are, and for what they bring to their learning. Tamariki are at the heart of everything that leaders, teachers and staff do.
Teachers are caring and nurturing. They strive to understand the child in the context of family, whānau and community. Teachers take time to talk with whānau and encourage them to have a voice and share information that supports children’s learning and sense of belonging.
Teachers model care and respect for one another and for tamariki and whānau. They are responsive to the individual interests, strengths and capabilities of infants, toddlers and young children within a child-led curriculum. There is a strong focus on developing oral language, independence, social skills and friendships with others. Older children are encouraged to support and care for younger children (tuakana teina relationships).
Children benefit from the careful thought given to the presentation of the environment and natural resources to inspire curiosity, creativity and exploration. They adapt resources to extend children's ideas, involve themselves in physical challenges and help learn children about caring for the natural world.
Parents are well informed about their children’s interests and participation through conversations, informative wall displays and well-written learning records. Parent involvement in their children's learning is encouraged and valued.
Leaders and teachers are very reflective. They challenge themselves, and one another to further develop teaching and learning practices. Key governance and management documentation is well aligned to short-term goals, self review, appraisal and professional development.
Leaders ensure that effective processes are used to guide internal evaluation to build leadership capacity and to continue to improve teaching and learning capability. Leaders make good use of the individual strengths and passions of teachers to provide positive outcomes for tamariki and whānau.
In order to build on good practices, the next steps for leaders are to continue to strengthen the:
focus on learning and the evaluation of teaching and learning
teacher appraisal processes to better align with all of the requirements of the Education Council
confidence of teachers in leading, implementing and monitoring effective internal evaluation practices.
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.
The next ERO review of Aratupu Preschool and Nursery will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern/Te Waipounamu
27 January 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 |
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 two |
||
|
Service roll |
53 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 27; Girls 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Samoan Tongan Other ethnicities |
19 28 2 1 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 January 2017 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
March 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2007 |
||
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.