124 Wellington Street, Freemans Bay, Auckland
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Freemans Bay Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Freemans Bay Playcentre is a well-established centre and operates as a parent cooperative. The centre is licensed for 28 children, including up to 15 children under two years of age. It is open for four sessions each week.
Centre practices are based on the Playcentre philosophy of families learning together. The centre's philosophy affirms parents as valued and best educators of their children. Sessions are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. There is an expectation that te reo and tikanga Māori are included in sessions.
The 2015 ERO report identified a variety of good practices. Since 2015, centre members have focused on strengthening bicultural practices. There have been changes in centre membership. Most members are currently enrolled in Playcentre adult education courses.
The new Playcentre Aotearoa structure is now fully operational. It provides a sound management framework and support personnel to help parents/whānau to manage their centres. Playcentre Aotearoa administers centres’ funding and provides adult education programmes for parents/whānau to achieve Playcentre qualifications.
This review was part of a cluster of six reviews in the Playcentre Aotearoa Auckland region.
Children are capable and confident learners. They show a strong sense of ownership and belonging in the centre. Children have fun, play well in groups and are eager to learn. They develop independence, friendships and a positive attitude to learning in a welcoming and supportive environment.
Centre members provide a play-based programme. The learning environment is interesting and well-resourced, reflects children's interests and sustains their engagement in play and learning. Literacy, mathematics and science learning is integrated in meaningful ways. Enthusiasm for children’s creativity is reflected in a good provision of art and messy play materials.
Parents/whānau enthusiastically work alongside children, supporting their play and encouraging them to explore, experiment and make decisions. They provide extra resources, suggestions and encouragement to foster sustained play and respond quickly to comfort and assist children when needed. More experienced centre members model ways to engage children in sustained conversations and play that fosters learning.
Centre members' commitment to embedding te reo and tikanga Māori in the programme is evident. They are eager to continue to enrich their knowledge of bicultural practices. The cultural diversity and the strengths and abilities of children and their whānau are valued in the centre. Children are caring and inclusive of peers with differing ages, abilities and languages.
Parents/whānau work collaboratively to ensure infants can participate in all aspects of the programme. Toddlers actively explore the environment and join in activities with good support from adults. Tuakana/teina relationships are apparent in the ways that older children include younger peers in their play and act as role models. Children's curiosity and growing independence are fostered well, and their discoveries are valued by adults.
A strong sense of community and shared purpose underpin the centre culture. Centre members show a clear commitment to taking an active role in their children’s education and the operation of the centre. Newer centre members are well supported to build their knowledge of Playcentre philosophy and expectations. All parents are involved in programme planning, maintaining their own children's assessment portfolios and contributing to others.
Centre members have adopted planned approaches to implementing the Playcentre Aotearoa policy framework. They have many processes for internal evaluation. While much of their reflection and evaluation is not recorded in depth, whānau are highly consultative and decisions are made by consensus. Good quality meeting minutes provide evidence of reflection on practices and reporting by office-holders.
Key next steps for centre members are to continue to:
engage in Playcentre adult education to build their confidence and enhance learning opportunities for children
develop a shared understanding of and strengthen their processes for internal evaluation for improvement
make the continuity of children's learning more visible in assessment, planning and evaluation documentation.
Key next steps for development in the Playcentre Aotearoa Auckland region include:
strengthening the use of internal evaluation to measure the effectiveness of systems and practices across the region.
Before the review, the staff and management of Freemans Bay 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:
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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
19 February 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 |
Freemans Bay, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
22016 |
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Licence type |
Playcentre |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
17 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 11 Boys 6 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:1 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2019 |
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Date of this report |
19 February 2020 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
March 2015 |
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Education Review |
May 2012 |
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Education Review |
October 2008 |
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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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Freemans Bay Playcentre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Freemans Bay Playcentre is an established parent cooperative that serves a multicultural suburb close to the Auckland city centre. Members provide sessional education and care for children from birth to school age, five days a week in a mixed age group. The centre is licensed to provide for 28 children including up to 15 less than two years of age. Children and their parents/whānau are encouraged to attend regularly. As children become more familiar with Playcentre, they are able to attend some sessions without an adult. The parent group takes collective responsibility for independent children.
The centre follows the Playcentre philosophy, and members have also recorded their own philosophy statement to guide their work with children.
The centre operates as part of the Auckland Playcentres Association, which provides Playcentre adult education, frameworks of policies and procedures and support from Association personnel. Each Playcentre contributes to the make-up of the Association and has representatives at Association level.
At present the Playcentre Federation is undertaking a restructure with the aim of maintaining the viability of Playcentres throughout New Zealand. This is likely to change the current structure of the Auckland Playcentres Association.
The 2012 ERO report identified centre members’ good practices and provisions in providing programmes for children. The report also identified a growing roll, and the intention of the centre to continue to develop the bicultural content of the programme.
This review was part of a cluster of nine Playcentre reviews in the Auckland Playcentres Association.
Freemans Bay Playcentre members continue to provide high quality programmes for children. Centre members work well together, honouring the Playcentre expectation that the centre will operate as a parent cooperative.
Centre members work well with children, talking to them and developing children’s interests and strengths. Children show a real sense of belonging in the centre and ownership of their play. They are enthusiastic about their play. Friendships and tuakana/teina relationships between children are obvious as they happily play alongside and with each other.
Children are articulate and confident about working with adults and other children. Adults support their conversations, asking questions to prompt children’s thinking. They deliberately weave literacy and mathematical concepts into play, to support children’s developing understandings.
Children are provided with a range of high quality resources. As a result of recent review, new furniture, improved lighting and internal repainting have significantly enhanced the learning environment for children. The centre gardens have also been attractively developed. Good supervision on a difficult site increases opportunities for children to explore and learn from a wide variety of activities and experiences as part of their play.
Centre members have placed significant focus on improving their planning for children. Assessment portfolios include regular observations of children’s learning and are used to guide planning for future sessions. Evaluations at the end of each session lead to sound forward thinking about extending children’s learning.
Centre members continue to develop a bicultural emphasis in the programme. They are increasing their use of te reo and practising appropriate tikanga Māori. Resources clearly reflect these efforts. Parents/whānau also make a special effort to include and value families from diverse cultures. They reflect these cultures in centre displays and resources.
The Association’s strategic plan provides a guide for governance and is regularly monitored. Management and governance processes are well established. The Association provides assistance for centres, and appropriate Playcentre training courses. It provides regular visits every term from a curriculum and programme supporter. Association office holders are highly committed to the Playcentre philosophy and to maintaining Playcentre as a valuable early childhood education option for parents/whānau.
Centre members have identified next key steps include continuing to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Freemans Bay 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Freemans Bay Playcentre will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
25 May 2015
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 |
Freemans Bay, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
22016 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
28 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
28 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 20 Girls 8 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Indian Pakistani other |
2 19 3 2 2 |
|
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
March 2015 |
||
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Date of this report |
25 May 2015 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) These are available at www.ero.govt.nz |
Education Review |
May 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
October 2008 |
||
|
Education Review |
November 2005 |
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.