150 Salisbury Street, Christchurch, Christchurch
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
BestStart Salisbury Street is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
BestStart Salisbury Street operates under the BestStart Educare Ltd management structure. BestStart is a large national organisation that owns a significant number of early childhood education centres across New Zealand. A professional services manager and a business manager work with the centre manager to support the day-to-day operation of the centre.
Located in the heart of Christchurch City, the centre has two separate learning areas for infants and toddlers under two years-old and for children aged from two, to five years-old. The service is licensed for 66 children including 20 under two years of age. The increasingly diverse community is well represented in the families and staff. Most staff are registered and qualified early childhood teachers.
There have been some recent changes to the management team. The service has been responsive to the recommendations from the September 2016 ERO report. This includes improving assessment, planning and internal evaluation and increasing bicultural perspectives and practices.
The centre vision prioritises the centre as 'a home away from home' with inviting experiences that engage children in learning that responds to their personal interests and learning goals. It also states that, teachers will provide responsive, respectful caregiving routines.
This review was part of a cluster of 4 reviews in the BestStart organisation.
Infants, toddlers and young children have easy access to an environment that is well resourced to inspire their curiosity and encourage exploration. They have many opportunities to be involved in physical play challenges in spacious outdoor areas.
Transitions for children from the under two area to the preschool are well considered and personalised. This promotes a positive sense of belonging for the child.
Children with additional learning needs are well supported. Teachers promote an inclusive learning environment ensuring that they fully participate in the programme alongside their peers.
Centre managers are currently introducing clearer assessment expectations and processes to help teachers to develop a consistent, effective approach to the writing of children's learning records.
The BestStart organisation provides a high level of quality professional support to ensure the effective operation of the service. They have effective management systems to monitor physical and emotional health and safety for all involved in the service.
Teachers benefit from an appraisal system that supports teachers to improve their practice. Professional development is provided to build teachers' and leaders' capability and to establish shared understandings with a focus on improved learner outcomes.
Managers and teachers have increased their knowledge and understandings of te ao Māori and the cultural narrative of the local area to inform the provision of the bicultural curriculum. Teachers use te reo and tikanga Māori in ways that value and recognise New Zealand's bicultural society.
The service has established connections within the wider community. Partnerships with whānau Māori have continued to strengthen over time. This has positively contributed to the wellbeing of tamariki Māori.
BestStart managers and ERO agree that the key next steps are to continue to embed the new assessment and planning processes to ensure:
consideration of multiple perspectives
clarity of learning and development goals ensuring language culture and identities are evident
inclusion of teaching strategies
learning priorities are visible and used in children's planning
Leaders and teachers continue to develop a shared understanding of internal evaluation to evaluate the effectiveness of centre programmes and teaching on outcomes for children.
Before the review, the staff and management of BestStart Salisbury Street 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 Te Tai Tini
Southern Region
21 October 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.
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Location |
Christchurch |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70447 |
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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 |
66 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
75 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 46, Girls 29 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
7 |
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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 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2019 |
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Date of this report |
21 October 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2016 |
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Education Review |
April 2013 |
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Education Review |
March 2010 |
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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 |
ABC Salisbury are Well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
ABC Salisbury Street operates under the BestStart Educare Ltd management structure. BestStart (previously known as Kidicorp Ltd) is a large national organisation that owns early childhood education centres across New Zealand.
The centre is situated in the heart of Christchurch city. The increasingly diverse community is well represented in the families and staff at the centre. The centre has a nursery to cater for infants and toddlers and a preschool for older children.
Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been significant changes to management and leadership. There have been a number of new staff appointed due to the increasing roll. Most staff are qualified and registered teachers. An on-site cook provides meals and snacks to meet children's dietary needs.
Centre leaders have successfully implemented a systematic and planned approach to addressing the recommendations from the previous review. They have placed increased importance on bicultural perspectives in centre documentation and practices. Teachers are clearly focused on making sure their shared philosophy is reflected in practice.
Leaders and teachers actively promote positive, respectful relationships with children and families. Children play well with and alongside others. Older children are encouraged to take responsibility for the environment, and to care for younger children.
Leaders and teachers are very sensitive and responsive to cultural diversity and the individual needs and preferences of families. The skills of staff are appropriately used to support families in a number of home languages.
Children with additional needs are carefully supported in the inclusive learning environment. Individualised, flexible transitions into and within the centre help children to settle well.
Children are actively involved in a wide range of interesting and enjoyable learning experiences including exploratory, creative and physical activities. Teachers give careful consideration to the thoughtful presentation of the spacious, well organised learning areas. They create inviting spaces for children to explore and make their own discoveries. Purposeful links with the community and visitors to the centre enhance the learning programme offered to children.
The specific needs of infants and toddlers in the nursery are caringly met by responsive staff. Predictable, unhurried routines provide children with a calm environment that promotes their wellbeing.
Parents and families are well informed of children’s interests and participation in the learning programme through informative wall displays, individual profile books and online learning stories. Teachers value parents' views and make good use of parent aspirations for their children when planning the learning programme.
The centre manager, business manager and professional services manager are knowledgeable and experienced. They work in partnership to increasingly align and implement BestStart systems effectively, including quality assurance, strategic planning, appraisal and health and safety processes.
Managers have clear expectations and specific strategies to manage change well and to build on teacher capability and leadership skills. Leaders and teachers regularly engage in systematic and collaborative internal evaluation that informs centre priorities and teaching and learning. Regular and targeted professional development and mentoring is provided to staff to help build reflective and evaluative practices.
There is a strong shared focus on continuous improvement and promoting positive outcomes for children and families.
Managers have identified, and ERO's evaluation has confirmed, that key next steps are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of ABC Salisbury Street 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 ABC Salisbury Street will be in three years.
Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
1 September 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 |
Christchurch |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
70447 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
66 children, including up to 20 aged under two |
||
|
Service roll |
85 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 44; Boys 41 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
12 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
June 2016 |
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Date of this report |
1 September 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
April 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
||
|
Supplementary Review |
February 2008 |
||
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.