35 Wheatley Steet, Naenae, Lower Hutt
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 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 Conductive Education Wellington Trust are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Conductive Education Wellington is a special education service located on Naenae Primary School grounds. A centre manager and a long serving conductor lead the service with a qualified teacher and specialist staff. There has been some progress made against the key next steps from the 2022 ERO report.
Children experience an inclusive curriculum that intentionally extends their learning and development. Responsive adults know children and their whānau very well. Respectful interactions between staff and children are sensitive to each child's changing needs and preferences. Teachers who work with children are responsive to their verbal and non-verbal cues and signals. Through purposefully planned local excursions of therapeutic benefits, children experience individualised and sensory activities that foster their developmental capabilities. Aspects of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori such as waiata, kupu Māori and visits to places of local significance are evident within the curriculum.
Leaders and teachers carefully coordinate with external agencies to ensure children, families and whānau are well supported. The role of the conductor is integral to this process. Strong advocacy promotes positive outcomes for children and their whānau. This includes accessing specialised equipment for children to engage in their environment and creating tools that help them to attain levels of independence.
The quality of assessment, planning and evaluation practices are variable. Documentation shows inconsistencies in the ways teachers intentionally use the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Parent aspirations are woven into planning for learning, however evaluation of teaching and learning, and clearly showing children’s progress is yet to be fully implemented.
Leaders and teachers engage in targeted professional learning and development opportunities to foster collective responsibility and collaborative practice. They are in the early stages of developing effective internal evaluation processes. Leaders acknowledge that taking a more evaluative approach will give them better information about what is working well and for which learners.
The small board of trustees has the role of overseeing the operations of this service. Most board communication with leaders is informal. While trustees are available for financial approvals, there is little evidence that the board meets regularly with leaders to discuss ongoing challenges relating to the upkeep and sustainability of the service. Governance roles, responsibilities and processes need to be formalised and occur more regularly to support leaders and teachers.
Conductive Education Wellington Trust will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Conductive Education Wellington Trust 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:
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.
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
9 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Conductive Education Wellington |
| Profile Number | 55360 |
| Location | Lower Hutt |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 20 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 50-79% |
| Service roll | 24 |
| Review team on site | May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 9 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2022; Education Review, January 2019 |
ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
Governance, management, and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Conductive Education Wellington is a special education service located on Naenae Primary School grounds. A centre manager and a long serving conductor lead the service with a recently qualified teacher and specialist staff. An open plan learning environment with specialist areas caters for group and individual activities.
Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum and Conductive Education philosophy and approaches are woven into the daily programme. Adults providing education and care demonstrate an understanding of children’s development and learning. They prioritise whānau relationships and children’s wellbeing, belonging and communication.
Interactions with children are positive, meaningful, and respectful. The well-resourced and developmentally appropriate learning environment supports the provision of different kinds of indoor and outdoor experiences. Those responsible for governance and management, need to be more familiar with the Regulatory Standards and the Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008.
Next steps include:
to explore ways that children could independently, and with support, access their own learning records
adults who engage with children support the rights of each child to be confident in their own culture, particularly Māori children.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
sleep procedures that ensure children are checked for warmth, breathing, and general well-being at least every 5-10 minutes, and a record is maintained of the time each child attending the service sleeps
evidence of parental acknowledgement that medicine has been administered
a procedure people should follow if they wish to complain about non-compliance with the Regulations or criteria which includes the local Ministry of Education office contact details
selection and appointment procedures.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS9, HS28, GMA1, GMA7.
Since the onsite review, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
a current Fire Evacuation Scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
records of daily hazards that includes windows and other areas of glass, vandalism, and dangerous objects
evidence that all staff have been Police vetted and these remain current.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS4, HS12, GMA7a.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
10 August 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Conductive Education Wellington |
|
Profile Number |
55360 |
|
Location |
Lower Hutt |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
12 children, including up to 4 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
15 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 5, Other ethnic groups 4 |
|
Review team on site |
June 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
10 August 2022 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, January 2019; Education Review, March 2016. |
All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.
Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.
having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.
All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service 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.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a 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 certification; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
discussions with those involved in the service
consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Conductive Education Wellington is a special education service licensed for 12 children including four children up to two years.
Situated on the grounds of Naenae Primary School, an open plan learning environment with specialist areas, caters for group and individual activities. Longstanding volunteer trustees provide governance.
The centre philosophy emphasises supporting children with motor disorders to reach their full potential. The application of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, together with the Conductive Education's philosophy, provides a focus on children's holistic care and education. Respectful relationships between whānau and staff continue to encourage positive outcomes for learners.
The centre has experienced some change to staff since the March 2016 ERO report. In addition, staff roles and responsibilities have been reviewed. This has resulted in the appointment of a centre manager and lead teacher of curriculum in 2017. A long serving conductor leads and implements the Conductive philosophy.
The previous ERO report identified a number of areas for ongoing development. These included assessment for learning, appraisal, self review and annual planning. Progress in these areas has not been sufficient and these remain a priority for improvement.
Children participate and learn in a rich and responsive curriculum that extends their learning and development. Through well considered local excursions children experience the therapeutic benefits of aquatic activities, contact with animals and community interactions.
Staff know children well. They are welcoming and inclusive of the greater community that supports the development of each child. Individualised activities, both sensory and hands on promote children’s physical and cognitive development. Respectful and highly valued interactions between staff and children are sensitive to each child's changing needs and preferences.
Careful coordination of agencies ensures children and their families are well supported. Children and their whānau experience well-considered transitions into, within and beyond the centre. This fosters children's sense of belonging and security. The role of the conductor is integral to this process. Strong advocacy promotes positive outcomes for children and their whānau. This includes accessing specialised equipment for children to engage in their environment and creating tools that help children to attain levels of independence.
Learning-focused interactions support planning that aligns to whānau aspirations. Parents are encouraged and respected for the contribution they make to the learning within the centre and at home. Close and regular communication occurs and progress is celebrated as part of daily interactions.
Infants and toddlers experience attentive care. One-to-one interactions carefully consider children’s temperament and interests. Teachers are affirming and positive within a calm and unhurried learning environment. Interactive routines encourage learning. Literacy and numeracy are promoted through music and rhyme.
Portfolios show teachers noticing and recognising children's learning and progress. Teachers use Te Whāriki to design the learning programme for children, with an emphasis on belonging | mana whenua, to deepen their connections to the Conductive Education Wellington whānau. A strengths-based approach guides practice. Co-constructed goals feature as part of the Conductive Education Plan (CEP) and form the basis for the child's care, learning and development. ERO and leaders agree that a key next step is to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation practices. This should include whānau feedback about their child's interests and learning goals aligned to Te Whāriki. Clearly identifying the teaching strategies planned, should better support the extension of children's learning.
Kaupapa Māori and reo are evident in the learning environment. This includes manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and aroha being enacted. Leaders, staff and volunteers should continue to develop their shared understanding of Māori concepts. In addition, using the strengths within the centre's Māori community should extend their response to language, culture and identity.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. They regularly reflect on aspects of their practice to guide improvement. ERO and leaders agree that a key next step is to develop their understanding and use of internal evaluation to better know the impact of practice on outcomes for children and inform resourcing decisions.
An appraisal process has been implemented and aligns with the centre's philosophy. Further development is required to clearly align teacher appraisal with Teaching Council requirements. This should contribute positively to the centre’s strategic priorities to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
The board and leaders are improvement focused and continue to work on clarifying roles and responsibilities. Board members are highly supportive of the service. Leaders and teachers have a strong commitment to teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for all children. The strategic plan provides some direction for the centre and action plans articulate the work ahead. Further consideration should be given to developing goals that are clear, specific and measurable. This should include how to more effectively support the new leader to continue to build an increased understanding of operational requirements for this service that promote sustainability and improvement.
A key next step is to continue to strengthen the annual plan of work. Timeframes, clarity of roles with resourcing that aligns to priority actions are required to guide practice at all levels. This should support clear direction of expectations each year that support the strategic goals and enable leaders and trustees to more clearly measure impact of resources, teaching and learning programmes.
Priority areas to strengthen include:
Trustees should also ensure the centre manager is supported to build leadership capability and further develop robust systems and processes for sustainability.
Before the review, the staff and management of Conductive Education Wellington 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.
To improve practice the service provider should:
The next ERO review of Conductive Education Wellington will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard Director Review and Improvement Services
Southern Region
18 January 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.
| Location | Lower Hutt | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55360 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 12 children, including up to 4 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 15 | ||
| Gender composition | Male 9, Female 6 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 7 4 4 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:6 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | November 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 18 January 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | March 2016 | |
| Education Review | March 2013 | ||
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:
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.