Glendowie Christian Kindergarten

1 Evaluation of Glendowie Christian Kindergarten

How well placed is Glendowie Christian Kindergarten to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Glendowie Christian Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Glendowie Christian Kindergarten offers five morning sessions for children over two years of age, and six-hour sessions for children aged four years. Session hours are reviewed regularly to meet the needs of the community. The kindergarten’s philosophy is based on encouraging children’s learning in an environment of Christian character and values.

The kindergarten is operated by the Glendowie Christian Charitable Trust. Trustees are members of the Glendowie Presbyterian Church and are responsible for financial and operational matters. The newly appointed centre manager has responsibility for daily management of the kindergarten. Some teachers have a long-standing association with the kindergarten and the local area. Two new experienced teachers have recently been appointed. Four of the seven staff are certificated teachers and two of these attend each session.

Positive features identified in ERO’s 2016 report have been maintained. These include positive teaching practices and trusting relationships with children and families. ERO recommended improvements to teacher appraisal processes, internal evaluation, and bicultural practices. Teachers have made very good progress in these areas. Programme planning to better cater for individual children’s learning, continues to develop.

The Review Findings

Teachers are positive and responsive in their relationships with children. They encourage, accept and respect each child's uniqueness and contribution. Teachers are genuinely interested in the children. They know and care for them. Children respond positively in their relationships with adults and peers, creating a calm atmosphere.

The programme promotes positive outcomes for children. Creatively designed and thoughtfully presented indoor and outdoor areas prompt children’s inquiry and investigation. Literacy, mathematical and science learning opportunities are integrated into the programme. Children settle quickly into each session and show confidence when playing independently and in group situations. They show initiative, ask questions, and capably explore their environment.

Parents share with teachers about their children’s home and community experiences. Parents who spoke to ERO value the way teachers know their children and are highly satisfied with the kindergarten. They appreciate teachers’ care and approachability, and the way they support each child's wellbeing and development.

Teachers use good questions to prompt children’s problem solving and independent thinking. Children and teachers share information and ideas, work together and learn alongside each other. Children choose their play from a wide range of resources easily accessible to them. They have opportunities to extend their learning and to revisit prior learning.

Teachers have made significant progress in implementing their commitment to practices that reflect the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. They are confident to use waiata and te reo Māori during group times. Children receive rich opportunities to engage in a curriculum that has a strong bicultural integration.

The diverse cultures of children and families that attend the kindergarten are recognised and celebrated. Teachers include children's home languages when presenting and interacting with groups. The environment is inclusive, catering for additional needs, cultural diversity, and the special dispositions of individual children.

Teachers are skilled at capturing children's participation at play and identifying for parents the learning outcomes. The daily programme features children's interests, the coverage of special occasions and celebrations, and includes good links to the local community. Learning stories in individual portfolios are focused mainly on group events. A rebalance towards individual learning stories would better capture each child's learning journey at the kindergarten and celebrate their uniqueness.

The newly formed teaching team is developing shared understandings about effective teaching practices. Teachers plan to use extensive internal evaluation and individual inquiry to consider the continual improvements to centre operations and programming. A review of how well the afternoon programme links to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, should be a priority.

Trustees have well-developed systems in place to govern the kindergarten. They are forward looking and have made significant improvement to buildings and resources. The board has a clear purpose, has adopted a collaborative approach with staff, and makes thoughtful and well considered decisions. It is now timely for the board to ensure curriculum leadership is established and monitored.

Key Next Steps

To build on existing good practices, the next steps for trustees and teachers include:

• embedding and strengthening the goals of Te Whāriki, especially in the afternoon programme

• continuing to develop programme planning to cater for individual children’s learning

• developing the curriculum leadership team.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Glendowie Christian Kindergarten 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.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region - Te Tai Raki

20 March 2020

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

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.