22-26 Northumberland Street, Tapanui
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for KidzWay Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
|
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
The centre is owned and governed by the Kidz Way Trust, a non-profit organisation linked to a local church. The head teacher manages the day-to-day running of the service and leads a team of six permanent qualified kaiako with one in training. Children two years of age and over come from Tapanui and the surrounding rural area to attend the service.
Leaders and kaiako establish and maintain responsive, respectful relationships with children, parents, whānau and the wider education community. Kaiako provide a curriculum, guided by Christian values and beliefs, that enables all children to fully participate in the wide range of experiences and activities, with and alongside others.
Kaiako are beginning to build a shared understanding about assessment, planning and evaluation to inform the provision of the curriculum that is consistent with Te Whāriki- the early childhood curriculum. To enhance children’s learning kaiako need to focus on making the centre’s valued learning priorities more visible and reflected in long- and medium-term planning as well as in day-to-day practices. Assessment of and for learning should align with the principles of Te Whāriki and show how the service responds to children’s diverse languages, cultures and identities.
Leaders and Kaiako are beginning to integrate te reo me ngā tikanga Māori into the curriculum. Kaiako work positively with external agencies to promote the wellbeing, learning and development of children who may need additional learning support.
Leadership has a deliberate focus on building a culture where teachers can critique and receive feedback to improve practices, develop leadership capability and promote children’s learning. The planned internal evaluation is led by the head teacher and used to improve aspects of teaching and learning and the provision of curriculum. Internal evaluation processes now need to enable leaders, kaiako, parents and the wider community to better understand how improvement actions have impacted on outcomes for children. There should now be a focus on building the collective capacity of all kaiako to undertake evaluation for improvement.
The long-serving trust board and management team provide effective governance and good guidance to leaders and the centre community. They ensure parent and whānau aspirations influence the service vision, goals and plans. They receive regular descriptive reports about key aspects of the service’s operation. Reporting needs to be more evaluative to enable the trust board to know about the impact of the decisions made for the learning and development and outcomes for children from the curriculum.
KidzWay Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of KidzWay Early Learning Centre 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.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF30, HS11.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
24 March 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | KidzWay Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 80067 |
| Location | Tapanui |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children over two years. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
55 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 42, Other ethnicities 7 |
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Review team on site |
October 2020 |
|
Date of this report |
24 March 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2016; Education Review, February 2013. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
This centre is owned and run by the KidzWay Trust, a non-profit organisation. The centre and trust are linked to a local church. Christian teachings and values underpin the centre's programmes and practices.
Up to 30 children, over two years of age attend this full-day service. Children come from the Tapanui township and surrounding rural area.
Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been few changes in staff. A trust board oversees the centre. Several trustees, the head teacher and centre administrator form a management committee.
The centre has made very good progress against the recommendations in ERO's last report.
Children settle quickly on arrival and know the centre's well-established routines and expectations. They play well alongside and with their friends, and show sustained interest in their play and activities. New children and families are made to feel welcome.
Teachers are respectful and responsive in the way they interact with the children. They ensure that there is a good balance between teacher and child-led learning activities. They support and encourage children to attempt new tasks and/or skills, take risks, be independent and take responsibility.
Teachers have a shared understanding of what good-quality interactions should look like in the centre. They intentionally use open-ended questions to encourage children to think more deeply and engage in sustained conversations. Children are given time to think and respond. Teachers encourage children to support each other in their learning.
The head teacher and teachers have built very close relationships with whānau/families. They listen and respond to parents' views about their child's learning and how these can best be supported. The culture of care extends to children's families.
Teachers think deeply about how they can support Māori children well to stand proud in their culture and be successful in their learning. They genuinely seek and respond to the wishes of the parents of Māori children.
Some children whose families are new to New Zealand attend the centre. Teachers go to great lengths to make these families feel part of the centre’s bigger family. They also endeavour to learn about these children’s language and culture, and celebrate this diversity.
Children make very good use of the inviting indoor and outdoor environment. Teachers intentionally set up resources and activities that excite and engage the children. These are often linked to group plans. For example, to support a trip to the beach, teachers will provide a table of shells to explore, books about the seashore, a display of children's questions, art and stories all linked to a sea theme.
Children benefit from a broad and interesting curriculum. This is largely based on local events and children’s interests. Teachers make frequent links to children's lives beyond the centre. They value children's views and seek their ideas when planning programmes.
Teachers know the children well as individuals and as learners. Each child has an individual learning plan that includes clear learning goals. Parents, children and all staff contribute to these. Teachers think deeply about the strategies they will use to support the intended learning. They evaluate each child's progress against the goals. Parents appreciate the informative learning stories they get about their child.
Other curriculum strengths include rich opportunities for children to learn about and enjoy:
The trust board and staff show a genuine commitment to valuing Māori language and culture. Teachers show a growing awareness of core Māori concepts such as whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and tuakana-teina like relationships. Trustees, leaders and teachers see bicultural practice as an ongoing priority.
The centre is very well managed and governed. A clearly stated vision, philosophy and 'valued outcomes' set the direction for the centre and guide decision making and learning priorities. There are positive relationships and good communication between staff, the head teacher and trustees. At all levels, there is a strong commitment to providing high-quality early childhood education.
The head teacher is implementing a new appraisal system. When fully implemented, it will align better with new requirements and best-practice expectations. Teachers appreciate the positive staff culture and the way that their interests and strengths are valued. They work well as a team to provide the best for children.
The head teacher, teachers and trustees have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps for this centre are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of KidzWay Early Learning Centre 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 KidzWay Early Learning Centre will be in four years.
Chris Rowe
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)
20 May 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.
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Location |
Tapanui |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
80067 |
||
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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 |
30 children aged over 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
52 |
||
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Gender composition |
Girls: 28 Boys: 24 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian |
8 42 2 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
March 2016 |
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Date of this report |
20 May 2016 |
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Most recent ERO reports
|
Education Review |
February 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
November 2009 |
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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 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.