2 Ballyboe Place, Pinehill, Albany, Auckland
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe opened in 2013. The centre manager and head teacher are responsible for governance and management of the service. The community and teaching team are culturally diverse. The service is licensed for 70 children, including up to 15 infants under two years of age.
Children and infants are respected, confident learners. They experience gentle and respectful interactions from kaiako and leaders. Children are encouraged to lead their own learning and confidently explore different inquiries through play.
Children are well known by teachers who interact warmly with them. They experience learning that engages their individual interests. Kaiako actively listen and respond to children’s ideas. They could now extend learning by planning for further development of children’s capabilities in relation to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Leaders and teachers are developing their cultural competencies. Tikanga concepts are modelled by kaiako, and children are familiar with simple te reo Māori phrases. Children make connections with their local community during national language celebration days.
Leaders promote transparent communication practices. Whānau respect the service leaders and their care. Kaiako are included in decision making at a strategic level, and this leads to an increased sense of ownership for centre development.
Service leaders access ongoing professional development for kaiako. Professional conversations are strengthening kaiako shared understanding of teaching and assessment practices and a quality curriculum.
Leaders and kaiako engage in networked relationships with schools, kāhui ako and other agencies to support children’s broader educational outcomes. The service provider and leaders are united in their vision that the service will be a valued part of their community. Leaders and kaiako have identified that further developing internal evaluation capability to promote positive outcomes for children is a next step.
Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe 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.
During the onsite visit the service provided ERO with evidence that showed it had addressed the following non-compliances:
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
16 November 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe |
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Profile Number |
46071 |
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Location |
Pinehill, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teacher) |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
50 |
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Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā 7, Chinese 12, Middle Eastern 9, African 6, other Asian 13, other ethnic groups 3 |
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Review team on site |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
16 November 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, October 2017 |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe, in Pinehill, Auckland, is licensed for up to 60 children including 15 up to the age of two years. The centre is spacious and purpose-built, with three learning areas for different age groups. There are two outdoor areas which are accessible from the indoor learning area.
This service is one of three North Shore centres owned by The Apple Tree Childcare Centres Ltd. The director/owner works across the three centres to support day-to-day operations. The owner is an experienced teacher and is supported by a dedicated centre manager.
The Ballyboe centre has eight registered teachers and four staff with other qualifications. Most of the staff have worked as a team since the centre opened. Teachers reflect the diverse community and use children’s home languages routinely throughout the day.
The Apple Tree philosophy of 'create a home away from home, providing warmth, trust, respect and aroha', guides centre practices. Teachers' education and care for children is guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The positive features of this centre that were acknowledged in ERO’s 2014 report continue to be evident. All suggestions for improvement have led to the review and refinement of centre practices.
This review was part of a cluster of three reviews in the Apple Tree Childcare Centres Ltd organisation.
Children and parents/whānau are warmly welcomed. The primary caregiver approach used across the centre contributes to a secure foundation for children’s development. Teachers' interactions with children are respectful, warm and responsive. The environment has a home-like and calm atmosphere, providing a sense of security and wellbeing for children.
Children are well supported by teachers who see children as capable and confident learners. Children show initiative and engagement in leading their own learning, uninterrupted for sustained periods. They are provided with a wide variety of resources in learning areas. It is timely to review all resources with a view to increasing natural and open-ended resources, to further promote children's creativity and exploration.
Children up to the age of two benefit from caring teachers who promote a settled and peaceful environment. Care routines are appropriately individualised. Younger children have easy access to a separate outside area for their own exploration and play.
Children transition within the centre as they are developmentally ready. These decisions involve conversations with families to ensure that children transition confidently.
Culturally responsive teaching practices are highly evident in the centre. Children’s languages and cultural identities are valued. Children have many opportunities to celebrate their own and each other’s cultures. They play together in inclusive groups, developing friendships through collaborative play. Teachers recognise Te Tiriti o Waitangi and use te reo Māori respectfully.
Learning programmes are based on children’s emerging interests. Teachers use a ‘notice, recognise and respond’ model. Most teachers use high quality questioning to encourage children's higher order thinking and to facilitate complex play.
Planned learning is very visible in centre displays and is reflected in practice. High quality portfolios provide good information on children’s learning experiences over time. Centre leaders encourage families’ involvement in the centre, providing opportunities for parents to be engaged in their children’s learning.
The centre is well led and effectively managed.Teachers work collaboratively, and enthusiastically commit to professional development to improve their practice and enhance outcomes for children. The director provides teachers with leadership, a management framework, support personnel and a programme of professional development. Managers continue to work on refining teacher appraisal processes. Professional development is also planned to support centre managers in their leadership and management roles.
Apple Tree systems for monitoring and promoting improvement in its three centres have been established. Strengthening alignment between the philosophy, and strategic and annual plans will further guide future direction. A variety of systems and processes contribute to the teaching team’s internal evaluation. It is now timely to include outcomes for children in the evaluation process.
The director/owner and centre manager agree that the key next step is to develop indicators against the centre's strategic plan to measure progress towards strategic goals over time.
Before the review, the staff and management of Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe 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 Apple Tree Childcare Centre Ballyboe will be in four years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
6 October 2017
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 |
Albany, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46071 |
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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 |
60 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
62 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 38 Girls 24 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
6 |
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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 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
July 2017 |
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Date of this report |
6 October 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 2014 |
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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.