Otago Childcare Centre Inc

Education institution number:
83021
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
28
Telephone:
Address:

22 Ross Street, Dunedin

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Otago Childcare Centre Inc

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 (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 Otago Childcare Centre Inc are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

ERO’s judgement

What the service knows about outcomes for learners

Whakatō Emerging

Ngā Akatoro Domains

ERO’s judgement

He Whāriki Motuhake

The learner and their learning

Whāngai Establishing

Whakangungu Ngaio

Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability

Whāngai Establishing

Ngā Aronga Whai Hua

Evaluation for improvement

Whakatō Emerging

Kaihautū

Leaders foster collaboration and improvement

Whakatō Emerging

Te Whakaruruhau

Stewardship through effective governance and management

Whāngai Establishing

2 Context of the Service

Otago Childcare Centre Inc is a not-for-profit community based early childhood service in Dunedin. It provides full-day education and care in a mixed-age setting. The values underpinning the curriculum are learn, connect and flourish.

3 Summary of findings

Children are well supported by the caring and respectful relationships they have with their teachers. Teachers thoughtfully prepare the learning environment to support sustained engagement in play. There is a particular focus on fostering curiosity, literacy and social competence. Children are encouraged to take increasing responsibility for their own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others. They demonstrate confidence and a strong sense of belonging at the centre.

There are many opportunities for infants and toddlers to explore the environment and physical development is promoted through careful resourcing. Teachers are attuned and responsive to children’s cues and there is a calm, slow pace to the programme and routines. Children’s trust in the environment and confidence as learners is fostered through this approach.

The bicultural curriculum is not strong. Some opportunities are provided for children to hear te reo Māori and experience aspects of tikanga Māori. A curriculum that reflects Māori ways of knowing, being and doing is not yet experienced by Māori children. There is not sufficient emphasis on valuing children’s home languages and cultures in the curriculum.

The newly implemented planning and assessment process has yet to be embedded in teacher practice.
Parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning are not used to inform decisions about planning for individuals. Assessment documentation does not clearly show how teachers are progressing children’s learning over time.

Self-review is collaborative, and improvement focused. While a suitable framework has been adopted to guide internal evaluation, the process is not well understood.

Leaders are in the early stages of mentoring and coaching teachers to build their teaching and leadership capability. Appropriate external expertise is sought to support this development which aligns to the centre philosophy and priorities for learning.

Governance provides adequate resourcing to provide support for children with additional needs and resources to reflect the service philosophy and professional learning and development.

4 Improvement actions

Otago Childcare Centre Inc will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:

  • increase the intentional use of te reo Māori and explore ways to implement a rich bicultural curriculum
  • continue to develop teachers’ shared understanding and ability to use high quality assessment-for-learning practices, this including gathering and responding to parent aspirations to inform decisions about planning, and more deliberate planning to extend children’s learning over time
  • build teachers’ and leaders’ understanding of effective internal evaluation processes to identify what is working well for children and what could be improved.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Otago Childcare Centre Inc 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.

6 Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • maintaining a record of all child accidents that occur in the service and evidence that parents have been informed about them.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS27.

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

25 February 2022 

7 About the Early Childhood Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Otago Childcare Centre Inc

Profile Number

83021

Location

Dunedin

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 16 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

32

Ethnic composition

Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 19, Other ethnicities 5

Review team on site

November 2021

Date of this report

25 February 2022

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review June 2018; Education Review March 2015.

Otago Childcare Centre Inc - 13/06/2018

1 Evaluation of Otago Childcare Centre Inc

How well placed is Otago Childcare Centre Inc to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Otago Childcare Centre Inc is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Otago Childcare Centre Inc is a not-for-profit community-based early childhood service in Dunedin. It provides full-day education and care for up to 35 children from birth to school age.

Recent changes to the service include the appointments of a new centre manager/head teacher and an assistant head teacher. There is a long-serving board and teaching staff. The centre manager/head teacher has focused on the development of operational systems and building a collaborative teaching team. There has been significant roll growth including an increase in the numbers of culturally diverse families.

The service has made good progress on addressing the areas for improvement identified in the March 2015 ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children at Otago Childcare Centre Inc benefit from a learning environment where their language, culture and identity are valued. The leaders, with the support of external agencies, have introduced new and effective systems and processes for the daily operation of the service. The board, leaders and teachers have reviewed the philosophy. The next step is to consult with parents and whānau and include their views. The service is well supported by an experienced and capable board.

Positive relationships are evident amongst children, and between children and adults. Children are well settled and engaged in the programme. Each child's interests, needs and preferences are well known by teachers. Teachers use this knowledge to plan activities and routines, and to adapt the learning environment to support children's learning and development.

The curriculum is responsive to the strengths, needs and interests of children. Early literacy and numeracy are well supported by teachers, with a strong focus on building oral-language skills for children. There is a warm, inviting culture that supports inclusive learning opportunities and a sense of belonging for all children. The physical environment offers challenges and interests that invite children to explore and become fully involved in a wide variety of activities. Daily care routines are well managed by adults and understood by children.

Leaders and teachers have strengthened partnerships with families and whānau. There has been an intentional shift for teachers to know the children and their families/whānau well. Teachers maintain open and ongoing communication with parents in order to know about children's changing needs. Parents and whānau are involved in their child's learning through the effective use of learning portfolios.

Careful consideration is given to supporting children getting ready to go to school to develop the social and self-management skills they need to adapt well to a new environment. This is contributing to a successful transition-to-school process. Programmes include Māori concepts, practices, customs, values and beliefs. For example, kaupapa Māori concepts such as manaakitanga, wairuatanga, whanaungatanga and kaitiakitanga are strongly evident. This is supporting Māori children to know their language and that their culture is valued.

A deliberate focus on developing collaborative relationships amongst teachers has resulted in increased opportunities for shared leadership. Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. They plan programmes that link well to children's lives and build on children's interests. Teacher capability has benefitted from ongoing professional support from external agencies.

Key Next Steps

The board, the leadership team and ERO agree, that the key next steps to improve outcomes for children are to:

  • urgently implement a robust appraisal system that meets the requirements of the Education Council

  • strengthen the strategic plan to better reflect the centre's goals and priorities

  • develop an annual plan to manage the pace of change that aligns with the strategic goals and to identify activities for the year's strategic direction

  • strengthen internal-evaluation processes to evaluate the effectiveness of the valued outcomes, learning programmes, and strategic and annual plans.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Otago Childcare Centre Inc 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Otago Childcare Centre Inc will be in three years.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern

Te Waipounamu - Southern Region

13 June 2018

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

Dunedin

Ministry of Education profile number

83021

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 16 aged under 2

Service roll

44

Gender composition

Girls: 26

Boys: 18

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

6
35
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

April 2018

Date of this report

13 June 2018

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

March 2015

Education Review

August 2011

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 and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

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.