251-255 Campbell Road, Greenlane, Auckland
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Joyce Fisher Preschool, formerly known as The Hearing House Preschool, specialises in the education and care of children who are hearing impaired. These children travel from all over Auckland to attend the preschool. Children from the local community also participate in the learning programme. The preschool has a full-day licence for up to 20 children from 2 years to school age.
The preschool is part of The Hearing House (THH) organisation and is located on the same site in a new purpose-built preschool building. The organisation supports families and children by providing speech and developmental therapy following children's cochlea implant surgery. The Hearing House organisation provides governance support through its Chief Executive who is the service provider of the preschool. This connection means that children and their families experience a wraparound service.
The centre manager has responsibility for the day-to-day operation of the preschool. Both teachers are fully qualified early childhood teachers. They are assisted by a teacher aide and others who provide additional learning support for children. Teachers have identified valued outcomes for children. These include oral language development, self-help and independence skills, leadership and problem solving skills, and social competence.
Since the 2013 ERO review, there have been significant staff changes, including the appointment of a new centre manager. The centre has increased its daily hours of operation to reflect the needs of its diverse community. Teachers have made good progress addressing the key next steps from ERO's previous review. They have developed a strategic plan that sets clear priorities for the preschool, implemented a new appraisal system, and are engaging in professional learning to support teachers' ongoing development.
Children benefit from the small group size in the calm, unhurried learning environment. They receive personalised education and care that supports their sense of belonging and wellbeing in the preschool. Children have many opportunities to extend their oral language, literacy and mathematics learning, and to develop their leadership skills.
Teachers are welcoming and inclusive of children and whānau. They encourage parents to be involved in the learning programme and keep them well informed about their child's progress and interests. Teachers assist parents to access the support needed for their children. Children with additional needs and their whānau are effectively supported.
Children experience respectful interactions with each other, their teachers and with other adults in the preschool. They work well in groups and alongside others as they solve learning problems. Children confidently choose their areas of play. They are settled and actively engaged in their learning. The environments are well-resourced and attractively presented.
Children eagerly participate in the carefully structured mat times. Teachers use this opportunity to build children's confidence by supporting them to lead waiata and familiar activities. They foster children's understanding of differences and empathy through discussions that help children to think deeply about their current topic of interest.
Teachers view children as competent and capable learners. They have high expectations of children and challenge them to think creatively and investigate ideas fully. Teachers provide a carefully prepared learning programme in response to children’s interests and abilities. They regularly use digital technology to research with children and to communicate with parents about their child's participation in the programme.
Teachers know children well. They encourage children to explain their ideas. Each child's contributions are valued. Teachers use intentional, deliberate teaching approaches to develop children's specific skills and knowledge.
Te ao Māori is evident in the learning environment and programme. Manaakitanga, whanaungatanga and aroha are well-established values. Teachers naturally incorporate te reo and tikanga Māori into the daily programme. They place a strong emphasis in the learning programme on Pacific and other cultures, to reflect their diverse community. Teachers purposefully include children's home languages where English is not the first language.
Transition into and out of the preschool is well managed and focused on the needs of each child and family. Leaders have established positive relationships with schools.
Teachers make use of an internal evaluation process to reflect on areas needing improvement. They engage in useful appraisal processes and an appropriate range of professional learning and development. Leadership is collaborative and teachers support each other to achieve the preschool's priorities.
Centre leaders agree the keys next steps are to:
integrate the preschool's commitment to Māori values and concepts more explicitly into key preschool documentation
streamline assessment, planning and evaluation processes to make learning and teaching more visible in documentation
strengthen the evaluative aspects of internal evaluation by using the preschool's valued outcomes for children as a framework and regularly evaluate the strategic plan.
Before the review, the staff and management of Joyce Fisher Preschool 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.
The next ERO review of Joyce Fisher Preschool will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
5 July 2018
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 |
Greenlane, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10221 |
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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 |
20 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
13 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 7 Boys 6 |
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Ethnic composition |
Tongan |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
June 2018 |
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Date of this report |
5 July 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
December 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
November 2010 |
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Education Review |
June 2007 |
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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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
The Hearing House Preschool in Greenlane, Auckland is the only preschool of its type in New Zealand. It provides specialised education and care for children who are hearing impaired. The preschool is licensed for up to 15 children over 3 years of age. Children with hearing impairments travel to the preschool from all over Auckland, and some hearing children from the local community also attend. The preschool offers all-day sessions from 8.30am to 2.00pm each week day.
The preschool is part of the Hearing House organisation located on the same site. The organisation supports families and children with speech and developmental therapy following children’s cochlea implant surgery. The Hearing House organisation has overarching governance responsibility for the preschool.
The preschool currently operates out of a refurbished house. Work is soon to begin constructing a new preschool facility and a remodelled building for The Hearing House organisation on the same site. The manager and teaching staff are well qualified and experienced. They have all been at the preschool since the 2010 ERO review. The CEO of the organisation continues to provide leadership and governance support.
The preschool philosophy promotes a language-rich, listening-focused environment and uses Auditory Verbal Therapy (AVT) to teach children how to speak. It also aims to promote dynamic relationships, and support children to be confident, creative and successful in their learning.
The 2010 ERO report identified many strengths, including promoting a bicultural curriculum and opportunities for children to problem solve and think critically. It recognised the professionalism of staff and indicated the good work undertaken to develop a strategic plan and introduce self review systems. The report recommended that managers continue strengthening self review and improve the performance appraisal for teachers.
Children and parents are very well supported by teachers and staff, and children are highly engaged in the programme. Teachers are gentle and calm with children. They skilfully use strategies to settle children, make them feel secure and engage them in play. They also promote children’s tolerance of each other and understanding of difference. As a result children are kind to each other, play well alongside others and have a strong sense of belonging in the centre.
The preschool curriculum design is reviewed and modified constantly to identify and extend priorities for children. Teachers skilfully link Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum with AVT. They plan programmes that are personalised and responsive to individual children’s learning needs. Children have many opportunities to choose their own activities and areas of play. They enjoy the very well planned mat times that are focused around children’s language development. Teachers support children to be independent, take responsibility for themselves and others, and take on challenges in their learning.
Children’s hearing progress, oral language development and listening skills are central to teachers’ curriculum design and programme planning. Teachers work in partnership with therapists, using specific strategies to promote conversations with children. They encourage them to think critically and problem solve. Language experiences for children are purposeful and meaningful. Older children are very well supported as they transition to school. Teachers work alongside parents, children and schools to make starting school an enjoyable and stress-free experience.
The manager promotes a shared and inclusive leadership approach. Teachers are reflective, and work together to review and improve outcomes for children. They value the specialist knowledge parents have about their children, and work in partnership with them to make decisions about children’s learning. Teachers use e-folios to share children’s learning with parents. This approach allows parents to observe their child engaging in varied learning experiences, including those relating to language and physical development challenges. Self review is very well developed and used as a tool to make ongoing improvements to the preschool.
The preschool has a strong connection with the Hearing House organisation and teachers are continually aligning AVT and early childhood learning practices. This connection means that children and their families experience a holistic, wrap-around service. The organisation provides a clear policy framework for the preschool.
To further promote improvements and sustainable practices in the preschool, managers and ERO agree that key next steps include:
The preschool currently uses the performance management model for The Hearing House organisation to appraise teachers. It would be useful for the CEO of the Hearing House to now access external professional support to develop an appraisal and attestation framework aligned to the Registered Teacher Criteria. It could also be beneficial for the manager and teachers to be appraised by an external early childhood specialist.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Hearing House Preschool 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 The Hearing House Preschool will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
2 December 2013
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 |
Greenlane, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10221 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
15 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
23 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 13 Girls 10 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese Indian Samoan Tongan |
1 16 3 1 1 1 |
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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 |
NA |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2013 |
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Date of this report |
2 December 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
||
|
Supplementary Review |
June 2004 |
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.