Raumati Street, Matawai
View on mapERO’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 |
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Premises and facilities |
Not meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Matawai Playcentre is in rural Tairāwhiti, located on the grounds of Matawai School. It is administered by Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa – Playcentre Aotearoa. Parents cooperatively manage operation and implement the curriculum through two mixed-age sessions weekly.
The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Their preferences are respected. Meaningful, positive interactions with children enhance their learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. A range of experiences and opportunities enrich and extend children’s learning and development.
The playcentre is not meeting requirements in some areas. Members are working towards ensuring all windows accessible to children are made of safety glass. Policy review and budgeting have not recently occurred.
During a recent restructure period Playcentre Aotearoa regional centre-facing staff have not been appraised.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, PF7, GMA6, GMA7, GMA9]
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
16 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Matawai Playcentre |
| Profile Number | 55017 |
| Location | Matawai |
|
Service type |
Playcentre |
|
Number licensed for |
29 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
0-49% |
|
Service roll |
27 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 17, Other ethnic groups 3. |
|
Review team on site |
April 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
16 June 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2016; Education Review, February 2014. |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Matawai Playcentre is one of eight early childhood centres administered by Tairawhiti Playcentre Association, (the association), which oversees governance operations. A board of governors provides guidance and support for members.
The playcentre is located on the grounds of the local primary school, in the Matawai rural district near Gisborne. It operates two mixed-age sessions weekly, for a maximum of 29 children, including 15 up to two years of age. Of the 16 children enrolled, four identify as Māori. Parents cooperatively lead the programme provided.
The February 2014 ERO report identified that significant improvement was needed, particularly in the following: assessment, planning and evaluation; the bicultural curriculum; the consistency of effective teaching practice; and self review. Key next steps were identified for the association which focused on ensuring the centre was effectively governed and managed.
Playcentre members and the board of governors at the association received targeted support through a Ministry of Education funded programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO). The Playcentre Federation has also provided ongoing professional development related to the key next steps.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Tairawhiti Playcentre Association.
Since the February 2014 ERO report, the association has built their internal capacity to provide clear direction and targeted support for centres.
Playcentre members have made good progress in improving the consistency and quality of interactions between children adults so that these are purposeful and focused on learning. Adults have participated in professional learning and development to further their understanding of effective teaching practice, self review, the bicultural curriculum, and assessment, planning and evaluation.
The philosophy promotes child-initiated play, expresses a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and encourages parents to share in the responsibility for the education of their children. This approach is evident in practice.
Children’s interests are used to guide the programme offered. Adults work alongside children using a range of strategies to extend play and learning. Imaginary play is promoted and celebrated within the environment. Interactions are purposeful and children engage in sustained play.
Routines are well established, and through these, children’s independence skills are fostered. Their social and emotional competence is effectively supported by members. Collaborative and cooperative play is promoted and valued. Literacy and numeracy is integrated throughout the programme. Toddlers play and learn alongside their peers, actively participating in the programme provided. Members have made good progress in using effective strategies to support and extend children’s play and learning.
Adults have been responsive to the need to build bicultural practice. This is evidenced in the environment and aspects of the programme. Adults integrate the use of te reo Māori throughout the sessions and children are familiar with these words and phrases. The association plans to provide greater strategic guidance for playcentres in promoting success for Māori children as Māori. ERO's evaluation affirms this planned development.
Adults use a range of useful techniques to gather information about children. This information shows evidence of emerging interests and developing friendships. While some progress is evident, members agree that assessment, planning and evaluation processes should continue to be strengthened. Development should focus on:
Group planning is based on children’s interests and is reflected in the programme provided. When reviewing the programme, adults should consider the impact on children’s learning so they can make judgements that are more evaluative.
Spontaneous self review is used to reflect on aspects of the programme and make ongoing improvements. Adults should continue to build their understanding of, and capability with, internal evaluation. The evaluative process should include gathering evidence to determine the impact of the programme and identifying how well practices support children’s learning.
Adults have an understanding of the implications of the changes needed to meet the requirements of the Vulnerable Children Act 2014, and the Playcentre Association has provided initial guidance.
The board of governors demonstrates leadership in supporting playcentres in their understanding of legislative requirements. Monitoring of these has been supported through the appointment of a liaison officer. In addition the association has developed:
The association has identified a next step is to develop an internet safety policy. ERO agrees that social networking and appointment policies should also be developed.
The Association should assist members to address the key next steps to:
The association should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Matawai Playcentre 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 Matawai Playcentre will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
3 February 2016
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 |
Gisborne |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
55017 |
||
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
29 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
16 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 8, Boys 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups |
4 9 3 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
November 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
3 February 2016 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
September 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
June 2007 |
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.
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.