Footsteps Christian Community Preschool

Education institution number:
65137
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
39
Telephone:
Address:

5 Grants Road, Papanui, Christchurch

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Footsteps Christian Community Preschool

ERO’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.

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Not meeting

Governance, management and administration

Not meeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Footsteps Christian Community Preschool is governed by the South New Zealand Seventh Day Adventist Education Trust (2004). The centre is becoming more ethnically diverse and includes a small number of tamariki Māori and children from Pacific heritages. Most teachers and the manager are new to the centre since the 2019 ERO report.

Summary of Review Findings

The service philosophy emphasises the Christian beliefs and learning priorities that are integrated throughout the curriculum. Adults providing education and care engage in positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. The curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour.

The design and layout of the premises offers different types of indoor and outdoor experiences, including quiet spaces and areas for physically active play. An annual plan guides the service’s operations. Processes for self-review and internal evaluation are in place to support ongoing improvements.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • when children leave the premises on an excursion documentation shows: assessment and management of risk is undertaken and adult: child ratios are determined accordingly, parents/caregivers have given prior written permission for their child’s participation and approval of the proposed ratios; and the Person Responsible gives prior written approval for the excursion to take place

  • all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked every three years in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008; HS17, GMA7A.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Kathy Lye
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

9 March 2023 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Footsteps Christian Community Preschool

Profile Number

65137

Location

Christchurch

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

46 children, two years and over

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

49

Review team on site

December 2022

Date of this report

9 March 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, October 2019; Education Review, June 2016

General Information about Assurance Reviews

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 license to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation

  • previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’

  • that has moved from a provisional to a full licence

  • that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership

  • where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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:

  • curriculum

  • premises and facilities

  • health and safety practices

  • governance, management, and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory 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:

  • 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

  • discussions with those involved in the service

  • consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems

  • observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

Footsteps Christian Community Preschool - 09/10/2019

1 Evaluation of Footsteps Christian Community Preschool

How well placed is Footsteps Christian Community Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Footsteps Christian Community Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Footsteps Christian Community Preschool is a special character Christian preschool in Papanui, Christchurch. It is licensed to provide all-day care for up to 46 children aged over two years. The centre is owned by the South New Zealand Seventh Day Adventist Education Trust (2004) which provides governance and support for the centre to uphold its special character.

The centre is purpose-built and has two learning spaces. Most children transition to the adjacent Christchurch Adventist School. The centre's community is ethnically diverse.

All teachers are qualified early childhood teachers. Minimal staffing change has provided continuity of teaching at the centre. Since the June 2016 ERO review, there have been several changes at governance and leadership level. New trustees, a head teacher and a senior teacher have been appointed.

The centre's philosophy promotes a faith-based approach to learning and emphasises physical wellbeing, curiosity, social competence, literacy and numeracy. The principles of the Treaty of Waitangi are also evident in the centre's philosophy.

The centre has made progress in assessment, professional learning, and curriculum leadership, which were identified as areas for further development in the 2016 ERO report. Recent centre-wide professional learning with an external provider, and subsequent follow up and teacher support by the centre's curriculum leader, have focused on planning, assessment and evaluation.

The Review Findings

Children learn in a calm, friendly, inclusive environment where a sense of belonging and Christian faith are fostered. Interactions between teachers and children are purposeful and seek to engage children. Staff also seek to engage parents in their children's learning.

Child-led learning is valued and children have a voice and choice in activities. Transitions into the centre and to school are individualised and responsive. Transition practices are currently the subject of a teacher inquiry as the centre seeks to ensure they respond effectively to the needs of all children.

The curriculum responds well to the needs and interests of children. Learning is made visible for parents on effective wall displays and in learning stories. Wall displays are also referred to by teachers to guide planning and everyday practices, and support continuity of teaching and learning. The centre is well resourced and good use is made of available indoor and outdoor spaces. Inviting and interesting resources are provided for children to promote curiosity and extend learning.

Language, culture and identity are respected and valued in daily routines. Children with specific language and learning needs are very well supported. Bicultural practices are evident. Waiata is an integral part of the curriculum and te reo Māori is regularly used by teachers and children. Aspects of te ao Māori are evident in the curriculum and in planning.

The trust and centre leaders work closely together to ensure that the special character of the centre is promoted and that a localised curriculum is in place. The philosophy was collaboratively developed with external professional development support and nine priorities for children's learning were identified. The philosophy and priorities appropriately guide improvement and direction for the centre.

The strengths and skills of leaders and teachers are suitably utilised and nurtured. Meaningful professional learning opportunities are linked to the centre's strategic goals, children's needs and the findings of internal evaluations. Teacher inquiry for improvement is a feature of centre professional practice.

Key Next Steps

Leaders need to ensure that the centre's existing practices for assessment, planning and evaluation of learning are sustained by implementing a quality assurance process. This process should monitor:

  • the inclusion and quality of bicultural perspectives in the documentation of children's learning
  • evidence of response to language, culture and identity in learning stories, including parent and child voice, as appropriate.

Leaders should work with the centre's trustees to clarify expectations for reporting to the Trust in relation to strategic goals and outcomes for children.

Leaders and the Trust need to strengthen the appraisal process to ensure that it meets Teaching Council expectations.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Footsteps Christian Community Preschool 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Te Tai Tini

Southern Region

9 October 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

Christchurch

Ministry of Education profile number

65137

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

46 children aged over two years

Service roll

68

Gender composition

Girls 38, Boys 30

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnicities

3
40
25

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2019

Date of this report

9 October 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

June 2016

Education Review

February 2013

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.