1856 Moutere Highway, Upper Moutere
View on mapHarakeke
Harakeke - 14/12/2020
1 ERO’s Judgements
Akarangi | 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. Information about Akarangi | Quality Evaluations can be found here.
ERO’s judgements for Harakeke are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Kia rangatira ai te tipu Excelling |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakawhanake Sustaining |
2 Context of the Service
Harakeke is a privately-owned, rural service that provides education and care for a maximum of 25 children from two years to school age. The owner, who is the centre manager, leads a team of four qualified teachers. Since the last ERO review in December 2013, there have been very few staff changes. The service has addressed the key next steps from the previous ERO report and has sustained a range of high-quality practices. Harakeke has gained the Silver Enviroschools award.
3 Summary of findings
Children and their families benefit from close relationships with teachers who know them very well. Teachers deliberately and successfully build children's social competence. Kaiako work respectfully in partnership with children, parents and whānau to support emotional wellbeing and cultural connectedness, within the play-based learning programme. Positive outcomes for children are clearly and consistently evident in learning information and service documentation.
Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, is highly evident in assessment, planning and evaluation processes and underpins the learning programme. Kaiako deliberately use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki to guide and show children’s progress and achievement over time. These processes show that teachers value parent partnerships and children’s interests to successfully plan to extend children’s learning and development.
Trusting relationships at all levels of the service promote collaboration, openness to new learning, and ongoing improvement. Those responsible for governance and management have developed policies and procedures that:
- make explicit the expectation that kaiako will implement a bicultural curriculum
- reflect the rights of children to quality, inclusive early childhood education.
A collaborative, supportive team of teachers promotes a positive environment for ongoing learning. Leaders and kaiako continually build their professional knowledge, expertise and cultural competence to provide a rich, responsive curriculum for all children, including Māori. They participate in a wide range of professional learning opportunities and actively engage in critical reflection and problem solving that promotes positive outcomes for children.
Distributed, cohesive leadership approaches utilise the strengths of kaiako to promote high levels of engagement in the internal evaluation process. Kaiako use appropriate methods to gather a range of relevant information for the purposes of evaluation. These result in well-considered actions that impact positively on outcomes for children.
4 Improvement actions
Harakeke will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
- evaluate how effectively the service integrates the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi in their daily practices and into key service documentation
- show more consistently how teachers intentionally plan the most appropriate teaching strategies to support children’s learning.
5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Harakeke 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 (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
14 December 2020
About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Harakeke |
Profile Number |
45329 |
Location |
Moutere, Nelson |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
25 children, two years and over. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Service roll |
27 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 16, Other ethnicities 7. |
Review team on site |
November 2020 |
Date of this report |
14 December 2020 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, December 2013. |
Harakeke - 20/12/2013
1. Evaluation of Harakeke
How well placed is Harakeke to promote positive learning outcomes for children?
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Background
Harakeke is a privately owned and operated early childhood centre that opened in February 2010. It is located in the rural area of Upper Moutere, near Nelson. The service provides education and care for a maximum of 25 children aged around three to five years and is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 3pm. This is the centre’s first ERO report.
The centre philosophy commits to developing children's curiosity, confidence and love of the living world through enjoyable play and exploration in a friendly, nurturing environment. The vision is that children will grow and learn together, know they are part of a close community and understand how to contribute caringly.
Educators are led by the owner who is an experienced, registered early childhood teacher with additional qualifications in special education. Two of the three other staff members are registered and one is in training. They have worked together since the centre opened. The building is new, purpose-designed and set in a spacious natural environment. The immediate area is fenced for outside play but children experience regular adventures beyond these boundaries.
The Review Findings
Children’s wellbeing and learning is at the centre of practice. The vision, philosophy and expectations are stated clearly and shared in many ways with educators, children, parents and the wider community.
Centre practices are highly inclusive and collaborative. The centre leader promotes teamwork and encourages others to take initiative and lead activities. Children have responsibilities for making choices and decisions in the rotating role of teacher-helper.
Parents are invited to share in planning centre direction. They are consulted for their views on how well the service is meeting the aspirations they have for their children. They regularly contribute to the programme through sharing their interests, skills and cultures. A collective approach to supporting and promoting children’s engagement and learning is evident.
The programme is child led. It caters for children’s interests, skill and attitude development through group experiences and self-chosen play or exploration. Children come together for mealtimes, planning activites, quiet time and reflection. The programme flows smoothly and at an unhurried pace.
The philosophy emphasises learning experiences in natural surroundings. Children are offered opportunities to be brave, accept challenges and explore new experiences. Teachers guide, encourage and give support when it is needed. Children learn to make sensible choices and develop self confidence at a level appropriate to individual readiness.
Teachers meet daily to share observations of individuals and to reflect on children's learning across the curriculum areas. More formal weekly meetings are held to plan support for further learning. Teachers’ documentation of observations of children shows that teachers know children well. Individual learning journals provide parents with an attractive record of the range of experiences their child has enjoyed. Children revisit their books proudly.
The centre leader recognises that assessment, planning and evaluation processes are still developing and is working with her team to build practice. The revised appraisal process should support this. She also recognises the need to give formal feedback and develop shared understandings of self review.
Policies and practices uphold cultural awareness and responsiveness. Teachers regularly use te reo Māori in conversations with children and interactions with adults. Tikanga Māori is evident in routines, activities and throughout the centre. The centre operates as a whānau and children learn to lead and support each other. Cultural richness bought by children and their families to the community, is evident.
Children with specific needs receive appropriate support and guidance within group and individual activities. The leader and teachers are highly collaborative. They respect the choices of parents and children and work with them to assist development, support wellbeing and transition children happily to the next stage of learning.
Children and their families are appropriately assisted to make the move from centre to school. The leader has formed connections with nine schools in the area and arranges some reciprocal visits. Relevant information is available in the centre for parents. Feedback from past families and children indicates that children make the transition easily and settle well into their new environments. The centre leader considers that it is now time to review how well transition is working to increase knowledge of effectiveness and find opportunities for improvement.
Key Next Steps
The centre leader has identified and shows a good understanding of development priorities. ERO’s evaluation finds that these are appropriate for sustaining and contributing to improved performance. The key next steps are to continue to develop:
- assessment and planning to record responsiveness to children’s learning
- appraisal processes for building team and individual capacity
- processes for supporting transition to school
- a shared understanding of self review.
Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Harakeke 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.
Next ERO Review
When is ERO likely to review the service again?
The next ERO review of Harakeke will be in three years.
Joyce Gebbie
National Manager Review Services
Central Region (Acting)
20 December 2013
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 |
Upper Moutere, Nelson |
||
Ministry of Education profile number |
45329 |
||
Licence type |
Education and Care Service |
||
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
Number licensed for |
25 children over 2 years |
||
Service roll |
19 |
||
Gender composition |
Girls 11 Boys 8 |
||
Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā Samoan Asian |
17 1 1 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
N/A |
|
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
October 2013 |
||
Date of this report |
20 December 2013 |
||
Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous ERO reports |
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 and Next Review
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:
- Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
- Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
- Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
- Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education
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.