Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth

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 Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth are as follows:

2 Context of the Service

Future Kids New Plymouth is one of four privately owned services supported by a general manager. A centre manager oversees daily operations. Approximately a quarter children attending are Māori, and a small number of learners have Pacific heritages. There has been good progress in relation to the key next step from the first review regarding exploring the service’s learning priorities to inform the localised curriculum.

3 Summary of findings

Children have opportunities to lead their own learning in a play-based curriculum. Their learning and development are fostered through caring, nurturing relationships with their teachers. The youngest children experience a calm, unhurried environment. There is a focus on wellbeing and social and emotional competence throughout the service. Children who have additional learning needs are well supported within the curriculum.

Teachers are beginning to explore the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and to use these when planning for and assessing children’s learning. Currently, children’s assessment documentation focuses on children’s interests, what they are doing, and provides information to support transitions. However, assessment records do not yet show children’s learning and progress in relation to Te Whāriki learning outcomes.

There are some opportunities for parents and whānau to contribute to and participate in their child’s learning, including sharing iwi information and whānau aspirations. These aspirations are not yet used to inform children’s assessment document. Aspects of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are integrated into the curriculum.

An established framework for internal evaluation is in place and has been used to guide reviews of the service’s processes. Evaluation practices are yet to be framed by an evaluative question and measurable quality indicators to guide the process to know what is working, or not, for individuals and groups of children.

Leaders and teachers are beginning to work collaboratively to build their professional knowledge. There is a strong system to support teachers’ professional growth. Leaders provide helpful feedback and feedforward to teachers. Outcomes for children and their whānau are promoted by effective systems and processes. Governance and management have developed policies and procedures that provide environments that are physically and emotionally safe for adults and children.

4 Improvement actions

Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

• Build teachers’ collective understanding and use of Te Whāriki learning outcomes to better inform planning and to show children’s learning and progress over time.

• Consult with whānau Māori to decide what success looks like for their tamariki, and use this information to guide planning for, and assessment of, their learning.

• Further develop effective internal evaluation processes and practices.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Future Kids Preschool New Plymouth 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.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

20 July 2023

6 About the Early Childhood Service