71 Aubrey Road, Silverdale
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 Aubrey Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakatō Emerging Whakatō Emerging |
Aubrey Early Learning Centre is privately owned and operated. The service provides full day, education and care sessions for infants, toddlers, and young children. A qualified centre manager oversees operations. They support a team of five qualified teachers and one unqualified staff member. A small number of tamariki Māori and children of Pacific heritages attend.
Teachers provide a calm, slow pace that supports children’s growing independence. This creates an environment where children can develop confidence and an understanding of the daily routines. Leaders acknowledge the need to strengthen teaching practice to enable their teachers to engage in intentional interactions which promote learning.
A curriculum policy is in place, but at this time it does not provide sufficient guidance for teachers to implement it into practice. A newly developed system for documenting children’s learning has also not yet been fully implemented. As a result, there is limited evidence of children’s progress in relation to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
A service wide focus on early literacy skills has meant that some children have begun to recognise print symbols and are using these with enjoyment and purpose. Teachers do not yet plan for individuals. This means the curriculum is yet to respond to children’s interests and learning dispositions. There is also a need to begin the process of integrating te reo Māori and tikanga Māori into day-to-day teaching practice, to align to the service’s philosophy.
Leaders have prioritised developing policies and procedures with a focus on meeting the licensing requirements. A system for monitoring the implementation of these policies would support practice and ensure the regulatory standards are maintained. Leaders and teachers have not yet established a shared vision, goals, and priorities for children’s learning. The manager has been pro-active in seeking external support. The impact of this support is not yet evident on shifts in teacher practice or improved outcomes for children.
Aubrey Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Aubrey Early Learning Centre 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.
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
6 May 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Aubrey Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 25370 |
| Location | Silverdale, Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 39 |
| Review team on site | February 2024 |
| Date of this report | 6 May 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, November 2019; Education Review, March2016 |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Aubrey Early Learning Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Aubrey Early Learning centre in Silverdale provides for children from Stillwater and the neighbouring suburbs. Since the 2016 ERO review, the centre has added a separate building for infants and toddlers, and increased its licence numbers to 50 children, including up to 15 under two years of age.
The service owners oversee the operational and administrative aspects of the centre. One of the owners is the centre director. As a registered teacher, she provides support for the centre manager and the longstanding, stable teaching team.
The centre’s philosophy references Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the Treaty of Waitangi. Teachers aim to provide equitable learning opportunities to all children irrespective of age, ability, gender, ethnicity, or economical background. The newly built Teina area caters for infants and toddlers, while programmes are provided for older children in the Tuakana area.
ERO's 2016 report identified some positive features such as children being well settled, and the centre's community focus. Areas for improvement included bicultural practices and teacher appraisal processes. There has been progress in these areas.
Children settle easily into the programme and demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They benefit from warm and nurturing relationships with their teachers, and often engage in conversation with adults and each other.
The learning environment in Tuakana is attractive and children move freely between inside and outdoor areas, choosing activities that interest them. They participate enthusiastically in the activities provided by teachers. The rural context of the centre reflects many children's home environments and provides opportunities for them to engage with nature.
Teachers in Teina and Tuakana demonstrate inclusive practices and support children with additional learning needs to achieve positive outcomes. They use flexible approaches that help children to transition easily into the centre. Teachers encourage all children to participate in the activities and programme.
Children have opportunities to learn and sing waiata, and adults use some phrases in te reo Māori in their conversations. Strengthening the bicultural and multicultural components of the programme is an ongoing focus for the teaching team. Especially in the Teina area, teachers could make a greater variety of resources easily accessible to children. The teaching team is in the process of learning more about and responding to the revised early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017).
Teachers know children and families well and have built strong relationships with them. They regularly share information with parents in informal ways. Owners and leaders engage regularly with the community. Parents who spoke with ERO expressed an appreciation of the sense of community created in the centre. Teachers have established connections with the local school to support children's transitions out of the centre.
Programmes incorporate activities related to special termly events and some significant celebrations. Leaders agree that they should continue to strengthen assessment, planning and evaluation practices. Increasing shared understandings of analysing children's assessment information to understand more about children's learning pathways would help teachers to plan more specifically for extending children's learning and thinking. Teachers use a digital portal to share information about children's learning with parents. They could consider ways to give children better access to their own learning records while in the centre.
The owners have a strong commitment to sustaining ongoing operations and future development. Policies and procedures guide centre operations and are regularly reviewed and updated.
The recently established appraisal process encourages teachers to reflect on their practice. Internal evaluation follows a regular format. Leaders have identified a need to continue supporting teachers' ongoing journey in the use of evaluation to improve their teaching practice and outcomes for children.
Key next steps for improvement include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Aubrey Early Learning 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:
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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
8 November 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 | Silverdale, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25370 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 70 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 37 Boys 33 | ||
| Ethnic composition | NZ European/Pākehā other ethnic groups | 65 5 | |
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 | August 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 8 November 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | March 2016 | |
| Education Review | January 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:
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 will depend on how well the service promotes 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.
Aubrey Early Learning Centre is located in a rural setting in Stillwater, Silverdale. Children have regular opportunities to be involved in farm experiences. The centre provides good quality education and care for infants, toddlers and children up to the age of five years of age. Full-day and sessional options are available for children.
Creating a community of learners that includes teachers, children and whānau is central to the core values of the centre. Respect, care for the environment, and child-initiated play underpin the centre’s philosophy. Staff enact the philosophy in their practices. Education and care is guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, with aspects of the Reggio Emilia philosophy also being included.
The attractive purpose-built centre is privately owned. Building and facility upgrades have taken place since the 2013 ERO report, and a new separate building for infants and toddlers is currently under construction.
The owner is an experienced teacher and is supported by a dedicated head teacher. Four of the centre’s teachers are fully registered and two teachers are provisionally registered. The staff have worked as a team since the centre opened.
The centre has responded positively to recommendations in the 2013 ERO report. Positive relationships between parents and teachers continue to be a strong feature of the centre.
Children are settled, happy and demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging. The centre is community focused and children and their families are warmly welcomed. Whānau highly value the nurturing respectful relationships that their children experience.
Children are friendly, articulate and competent learners. They are focused and engaged in learning, and readily sustain their uninterrupted play. Parents appreciate many aspects of the centre’s services. They are pleased with the opportunities children have to mix together and develop their social skills.
Teachers work collaboratively to bring about centre-wide improvements. They work alongside children to support and promote their learning. Some teachers use questioning strategies very effectively to extend children’s thinking and problem solving. The owner and head teacher agree that this good teaching practice needs to be consistent across the centre.
Children up to the age of two benefit from caring teachers who promote a calm and peaceful environment. Education and care routines are appropriately individualised. Younger children have easy access to a separate outside area for their own exploration and play. They also have access to another outside area where they can mix with older children.
Staff promote bicultural awareness through te reo Māori, group activities and festive celebrations. Centre leaders agree that increasing the visibility of Māori culture within the centre’s various learning areas and extending the use of te reo Māori should further strengthen the bicultural dimensions of teaching practice.
Children benefit from carefully planned and attractive centre environments that stimulate their interest and involvement in the programme. They have easy access to indoor areas and to the spacious, very well presented outdoor play areas. Learning environments offer challenge and opportunity for children to explore. The centre’s rural location is a focus for regular excursions, including excursions to farming-based locations.
Teachers meet regularly to plan activities and select resources that are well matched to children’s interests and developmental stages. They also use topicbased investigations to enhance children’s learning.
Children’s electronic portfolios are well used by families to easily access information about their children’s learning and to provide feedback to teachers. As a next step, teachers should now work to ensure each child’s learning journey shows progress and success over time and reflects their own cultural identity.
The centre has close links to local primary schools and children are well supported by a highly effective transition programme as they prepare for the move to school. Children with additional learning needs are well supported in their learning. External support is provided when required.
Governance and management is efficient and effective. The purpose of self review is well understood. Established systems, policies and procedures are consistently implemented and regularly monitored. The owner and head teacher work collaboratively together and provide a variety of professional development opportunities for teachers. It would now be timely to evaluate the impact of these professional development opportunities on teaching practice.
The owner and head teacher agree that staff are now well placed to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Aubrey Early Learning 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:
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 Aubrey Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
4 March 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.
| Location | Stillwater, Silverdale | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25370 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 38 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 62 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 32 Girls 30 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Pākehā | 62 | |
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 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 4 March 2016 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | January 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:
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.