15-17 Saturn Place, Unsworth Heights, Auckland
View on mapBusy Bees Rosedale
Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre - 22/03/2019
1 Evaluation of Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre
How well placed is Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre is licensed for 148 children, including 50 up to the age of two years. Small numbers of Māori children attend the service. The centre operates from a purpose-built facility located in the Unsworth Heights business area. It is organised into three age-related areas, with two rooms for each area. The area for the youngest group of children has its own outdoor space. The other two areas share a large outdoor environment that provides opportunities for mixed-age play for children over two years of age.
The centre philosophy advocates respect for children's capabilities and the importance of positive parent, caregiver and whānau partnerships with teachers. It upholds the provision of high quality early childhood education practice, and the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. The centre's curriculum is influenced and guided by Pikler, Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) and Reggio Emelia philosophies, and reflects Te Whāriki, the early childhood education curriculum, principles and strands.
The centre director oversees five family owned and operated centres. The experienced centre management team works closely with the centre director and other centre managers in the organisation to develop policies, and implement procedures that are personalised to Learning Tree Childcare Centre.
The Review Findings
The Learning Tree Childcare Centre provides high quality care and education for children. Children are supported to be capable and independent learners. They settle quickly on arrival and are warmly welcomed by teachers. They lead the direction of their play and choose play areas based on their interests. Children have easy access to high quality resources, and move freely between indoor and outdoor areas. The environment is thoughtfully designed to affirm and celebrate children’s interests, and extend their learning experiences. Natural resources are highly valued and are used creatively throughout the centre.
Teachers actively encourage children to share their ideas and discoveries. They engage children in ways that help them develop their understanding and explore deeper meanings in their learning. Children are well supported to transition into the centre, between the centre's age-related areas, and from the centre to school. Children with additional needs are very well catered for.
Interactions between teachers and children are sensitive and supportive of children's learning. Teachers use highly effective practices that enhance each child's sense of themselves as successful learners. Children under the age of two years experience nurturing, calm interactions with teachers who know them well, in an environment that promotes exploration and supports their development.
Teachers plan skilfully for children's learning. They offer a high quality curriculum that is well designed and responsive to individual children's interests, strengths and abilities. Children's learning in core curriculum areas, such as literacy, mathematics and science, is enriched through meaningful ways that engage children. Children are encouraged to problem solve, learn collaboratively, and lead their own learning.
Tikanga Māori concepts and te reo Māori are reflected in the programme and environment. Partnerships with parents and whānau provide opportunities for them to contribute as valued partners in their children's learning. Teachers know children and their families well and promote a strong sense of belonging. Children's culture and identity is celebrated and affirmed.
Centre leadership is highly effective. The centre director, managers and teachers have a shared understanding of the centre's philosophy and vision. They share a commitment to professional learning and ongoing improvement. Centre leaders focus on building leadership capacity and capability. Teachers have opportunities to participate in professional learning that promotes positive outcomes for children. Leaders promote a collaborative and inclusive culture that supports high levels of trust and professionalism amongst staff.
The centre is well governed. The business and centre directors make employment and resourcing decisions based on what is best for all children. Centre managers and teachers are well supported to work positively to meet the needs of children, parents, whānau and community.
Internal evaluation is well understood and is used effectively to inform ongoing improvement. The centre has a relevant policy framework and systems that guide its overall operation.
Key Next Steps
Leaders and teachers use internal evaluation well to identify appropriate next steps for sustaining and building on highly effective practices. This includes continuing to strengthen learning partnerships with parents and whānau.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Learning Tree Early Childcare 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
22 March 2019
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 |
Unsworth Heights, Auckland |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
10236 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
148 children, including up to 50 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
147 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 60% Girls 40% |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5% |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
February 2019 |
||
Date of this report |
22 March 2019 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2015 |
|
Education Review |
September 2012 |
||
Education Review |
August 2009 |
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
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
-
Very well placed
-
Well placed
-
Requires further development
-
Not well placed
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.
Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre - 26/06/2015
1 Evaluation of Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre
How well placed is Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre in Unsworth Heights, Auckland, is licensed to provide full day and sessional education and care for 148 children, including up to 50 children aged less than two years. Children are grouped according to age in six separate rooms with shared outdoor play areas.
Since the 2012 ERO report the centre’s ownership has changed. The new owners have merged the two licences previously operating under Topkids Saturn Place. Extensive improvements to the premises include the provision of a new room upstairs specifically for children aged between two and three-and-a-half years.
The centre director and centre manager have successfully established a qualified and diverse teaching team. Consideration has been given to developing effective teams in each room. The diversity of the community is reflected in these teaching teams.
The centre’s philosophy statement focuses strongly on children’s individuality. The provision of a loving and inspirational environment that supports children’s holistic needs is important to the new team. Values of honesty, respect, trust, integrity and co-operation underpin centre practices.
The 2012 ERO reports for the Topkids Centres highlighted the need to strengthen self review and bicultural practices. Safe fall material in two of the outdoor environments did not meet safety requirements. Progress has been made in improving self review and the learning environments.
The Review Findings
Children play collaboratively in attractive, well-resourced environments that encourage their exploration. Effective teaching practices and interactions encourage children to settle and become highly focused in their play.
Children aged less than two years benefit from having consistent teaching teams who provide them with nurturing, individualised care. Older children have opportunities to set themselves challenges and lead their learning. Children approach adults with confidence and show a strong sense of belonging in their environment.
Parents who spoke to ERO shared their appreciation of the management team’s support and responsiveness to the needs of their families. Teachers’ inclusive practice and their relationships with children were also identified as strengths. Parents enjoy children’s portfolios, which are attractive records of children's ongoing learning. Teachers could develop portfolios to better reflect the cultural heritage of each child, and the partnerships they are establishing with whānau.
Teachers listen well to children. Their observations and knowledge of individual children help them to provide a programme relevant to their interests and dispositions. Teachers have responded positively to professional development that is guiding their programme planning and curriculum refinements.
Teachers have a sense of ownership and pride in their practice. They collaborate well with each other. Teaching teams are committed to developing environments that are unique, aesthetically pleasing, and promote children’s learning. Environments include pieces of teacher-made furniture suited to children’s particular needs.
Self review processes are based on identifying and improving outcomes for children. All staff members have opportunities to be involved in and to lead self review projects. Decisions around governance, teaching practice and professional learning are informed by self review and changes made are monitored and evaluated.
Teachers have committed to a professional development programme to develop their understanding of te ao Māori perspectives and to strengthen the centre’s bicultural practice. Teachers acknowledge the importance of recognising each child’s language and culture to support children to develop a sense of identity in the centre.
The new owners have made good progress in establishing a teaching team with a shared vision of high quality early childhood education and care. The centre philosophy, which is currently being reviewed, is clearly evident in practice. Centre operations are guided by a framework of effective policies and procedures.
Centre leaders are committed to developing sustainable leadership capacity across the centre. They have successfully promoted an organisational culture that is focused on improvement.
Key Next Steps
The owners and managers have identified appropriate next steps for centre development. These include:
- strengthening bicultural practice and understandings of te ao Māori perspectives
- considering further ways of including families’ involvement in the programme
- continuing to strengthen self review.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Learning Tree Early Childcare 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.
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Learning Tree Early Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
26 June 2015
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 |
Unsworth Heights, Auckland |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
10236 |
||
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
148 children, including up to 50 aged under 2 |
||
Service roll |
156 |
||
Gender composition |
Boys 88 Girls 68 |
||
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese European Samoan Cook Island Indian Niue other Asian other Pacific Cultures other |
12 76 19 13 5 4 2 2 18 2 3 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
May 2015 |
||
Date of this report |
26 June 2015 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2012 |
|
Education Review |
August 2009 |
||
Education Review |
August 2006 |
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.