100 Pharazyn Street, Melling, Lower Hutt
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
BestStart Pharazyn Street is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
BestStart Pharazyn Street in Lower Hutt, formerly known as Early Years Pharazyn Street, provides all-day education and care for up to 52 children, including 15 children aged under two years. Of the roll of 65 children, 11 are Māori. BestStart Educare Ltd (the organisation) owns a number of early childhood services across New Zealand.
The centre's vision is ‘Together we investigate and discover’. The philosophy prioritises empowered tamariki to become confident learners nurtured in a safe environment, supported by strong relationships with kaiako, whānau and the community.
Since the June 2016 ERO review, staffing has remained stable. Most teachers are fully qualified. The day-to-day operations are the responsibility of the centre manager, who supports the teaching team. There are three learning areas: Tamariki Maia for preschool, Whakapuawai for toddlers and Waka Huia for infants.
ERO's previous report identified areas requiring further development. These included strengthening the bicultural curriculum through place-based learning; appraisal and internal evaluation processes; promoting success for Māori and Pacific tamariki; and improving the quality of assessment, planning and evaluation. All areas have been effectively addressed.
This review was part of a cluster of four reviews for BestStart Educare Ltd.
BestStart Pharazyn Street's shared vision and philosophy values are strongly promoted by leadership, teachers and whānau. They are highly evident throughout all aspects of the service. The centre manager has established a strongly inclusive culture where all children are valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning.
Children play freely in thoughtfully designed, well-resourced indoor and outdoor environments. Authentic, natural resources and sustainable practices promote understanding of kaitiakitanga, guardianship and care for the land.
Infants and toddlers experience an environment that strongly supports their wellbeing, engagement and learning. Consistent and attentive caregiving enables teachers to interpret and respond sensitively to their preferences and interests.
Children take a key leadership role alongside their teachers in planning and co-constructing centre-wide, learning-focused inquiries. Their shared interests directly inform and guide centre-wide project work. Teachers skilfully weave literacy, mathematics, science and the creative arts through these highly engaging contexts. They intentionally employ well planned strategies that capture interest and challenge children to further explore, experiment and have fun.
The local bicultural curriculum authentically enhances children's individual and group learning discoveries from a te ao Māori (Māori world) perspective. Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori is valued, well understood and meaningfully integrated into the programme.
Children with additional learning needs are effectively supported. Leaders and teachers work alongside families and whānau to access external agencies when required.
Well-established partnerships with parents and whānau are highly evident. Parents' aspirations are regularly sought, reviewed and updated. These, together with teachers' knowledge of children through targeted observations, add authenticity, depth and complexity to the curriculum. An online communication tool supports the building of strong partnerships with families and whānau. The daily sharing of photos, videos and observations effectively document and assess children's learning outcomes.
Leaders are highly committed and promote quality teaching and learning that contribute to positive outcomes for children. They are strongly collaborative and lead by example. Effective leadership builds and shapes the capability of the teaching team. Teachers are strengthening their understanding of internal evaluation. This supports them to plan, review and critically reflect on their practice. A recent internal evaluation of transition processes has led to more targeted support for children and whānau as they move into, through the centre, and on to local schools.
A well-considered appraisal process supports growth and development of teacher practice. Purposeful appraisal goals focus on strengthening leadership and practice to support children’s learning and wellbeing.
BestStart senior managers effectively foster a collective sense of responsibility to implement the vision, values and mission of the organisation. They are reflective and highly improvement focused. Systems and processes have been well developed to strengthen teachers' capability and positively impact on children’s learning.
Leaders agree that strengthening aspects of internal evaluation is needed to ensure and sustain continuous improvement in positive outcomes for all children.
Before the review, the staff and management of BestStart Pharazyn Street 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region - Te Tai Tini
20 March 2020
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 |
Lower Hutt |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
60098 |
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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 |
52 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
65 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 39, Girls 26 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
11 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
December 2019 |
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Date of this report |
20 March 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
June 2016 |
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Education Review |
January 2013 |
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Education Review |
October 2009 |
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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:
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:
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.
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.
Early Years Pharazyn Street operates under the Best Start Educare Ltd management structure. BestStart (previously known as Kidicorp Ltd) is a large national organisation that owns a number of early childhood education services across New Zealand.
The purpose built centre is located near the Lower Hutt central business district. It provides education and care for 52 children including 15 up to two years of age. Eight Māori and three pacific children are enrolled. A manager has responsibility for the day-to-day running of the centre. Changes in the leadership team have resulted from internal promotions.
ERO’s January 2013 report identified areas of practice requiring further development. These included appraisal, self review, and the integration of bicultural perspectives in the review process. Sufficient progress in these areas is evident.
This review was part of a cluster of four in the BestStart Educare Ltd.
Children are purposefully engaged in a rich learning environment that encourages their investigation, problem solving and thinking. Teachers use a range of strategies to effectively extend learning. Children's independence is promoted throughout the programme. Wellbeing is strongly supported through the centre-wide focus on healthy eating and promotion of physical activity.
Warm and consistent caregiving sensitively responds to infants' and toddlers' changing needs and preferences. There is a calm, slow pace to the day which allows them space and time to lead their own learning.
Children are involved in developing the project-based curriculum which is responsive to their interests. This approach is also used effectively by teachers to add complexity and challenge to learning. Recent positive initiatives to increase parent involvement in their child's education include gathering whānau aspirations and inviting them to programme planning meetings. Programme evaluation should be strengthened through including a focus on how well teachers' practice has supported intended outcomes.
Regular entries in children's profile books provide a rich narrative of their engagement in the programme and increasing subject knowledge. A next step is to revisit the BestStart planning and curriculum guidelines to develop teachers' shared understanding of assessment for learning.
Te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are effectively integrated throughout the programme. Children are familiar with the use of te reo Māori and respond appropriately. Leaders and teachers have identified the following next steps:
Teachers are aware they need to further develop their understanding of Pacific languages, cultures and identities, which should strengthen their work with their Pacific families and communities.
Self review is effectively guided by the BestStart guidelines. The process is collaborative and used well by leaders and teachers to support ongoing improvement. This approach should be strengthened by building their understanding of internal evaluation and in-depth analysis of the data gathered.
A clear framework guides the appraisal process. This includes a self and appraiser assessment and has a development focus. Leaders have identified that a next step is to include formal observations of practice for teachers renewing their practising certificates. ERO agrees with this direction. BestStart provides opportunities for teachers to participate in a wide range of professional learning and development.
Strong leadership and a demonstrated commitment to the philosophy of the centre are evident. Leaders have a clear focus on teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for all children.
BestStart, as a governing body, regularly undertakes parent satisfaction surveys which are used to further develop practice. Most parents involved in these surveys indicate a high degree of satisfaction with teacher practice and the curriculum provided.
Professional service managers provide regular feedback, support and guidance about the curriculum in action. They clearly identify strengths and areas for improvement through this process.
Roles and responsibilities of leaders and managers are clearly identified and well understood. A comprehensive policy framework including procedures and systems, guide the operation of the centre.
ERO and leaders agree that key next steps are to further strengthen:
Before the review, the staff and management of Early Years Pharazyn Street 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 Early Years Pharazyn Street will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
2 June 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 |
Lower Hutt |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
60098 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
52 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
58 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 32, Girls 26 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
8 |
|
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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 |
April 2016 |
||
|
Date of this report |
2 June 2016 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
January 2013 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2009 |
||
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.