Prebbleton Playcentre

Education institution number:
70104
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
36
Telephone:
Address:

70 Tosswill Road, Prebbleton

View on map

Prebbleton Playcentre - 16/08/2019

1 Evaluation of Prebbleton Playcentre

How well placed is Prebbleton Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Prebbleton Playcentre is very well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

Prebbleton Playcentre operates as a parent cooperative under the governance and management of the Playcentre Federation, Upper South Island Region. It is licensed for 29 children, including 10 aged under two. The playcentre is open five mornings a week.

The playcentre employs a coordinator. Parents are rostered to help at each session. The Upper South Island Region employs a centre support person and an administrator who regularly visit the centre to support the parents and coordinator.

The playcentre's philosophy emphasises the important role of parents in children's learning and wellbeing. It states the importance of fostering a learning community where adults and children play, work and learn together. Enabling children to choose and follow their interests is valued. The playcentre is currently reviewing the philosophy to show the value it places on te ao Māori and key teaching and learning priorities.

Playcentre parents have addressed the recommendations of the 2014 ERO report.

This review was part of a cluster of eight Playcentre reviews in the Playcentre Federation, Upper South Island Region.

The Review Findings

Children are competent and confident learners. They are challenged in their learning and supported well to know about, and engage with, their local environment. Sustainability and the provision of a natural learning environment that incorporates strong Māori values, are thoughtfully embedded and are a feature. There is a highly effective programme for supporting children and their families in transitioning to school. Children confidently lead and engage in their learning.

Children access a rich and responsive curriculum. Adults work together effectively to identify and meet the learning and wellbeing needs of all children. They are very responsive to children with additional needs and modify the environment to increase children's engagement if needed. Younger children are supported in a safe and highly receptive environment where older children's support of their learning is valued. Adults make very good use of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum, to make sure the programme covers all aspects of the curriculum. There is variety of age and developmentally appropriate resources to support children's engagement. Children have equal opportunities to participate in an interesting, well-resourced programme.

Children have a strong sense of identity and belonging. The use of te reo and tikanga Māori in the programme and environment provides a welcoming environment for Māori children and their whānau. Children and parents value New Zealand's bicultural heritage and the different cultures of children. The playcentre provides a welcoming and inclusive environment for families.

Adults work effectively as a parent cooperative and in accessing support from the Upper South Island Region. They are reflective and are making very good use of internal evaluation and assessment and planning to support ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children. The playcentre is making good use of strategic planning and monitoring progress towards goals well.

There continues to be significant change occurring with the playcentre's governance and management at regional and federation levels.

Key Next Steps

The Upper South Island Region, the playcentre and ERO agree that the key next steps are for the centre to:

  • further develop strategic planning and evaluation by documenting the impact of changes made
  • strengthen the way children's learning is recorded by including what older children think about their learning and increasing the use of te reo Māori in learning stories.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Prebbleton 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.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

16 August 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

70104

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

29 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

49

Gender composition

Boys 26, Girls 23

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other

4
38
7

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

June 2019

Date of this report

16 August 2019

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

November 2014

Education Review

December 2011

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.

Prebbleton Playcentre - 07/11/2014

1 Evaluation of Prebbleton Playcentre

How well placed is Prebbleton Playcentre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Prebbleton Playcentre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

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

Background

This playcentre operates under the guidance of the Canterbury Playcentre Association. The playcentre is a parent cooperative. Parents are encouraged to be involved in all aspects of the programme and centre operation.

Prebbleton Playcentre has four morning sessions a week.

Since the 2011 ERO review, the centre has made good progress towards meeting the recommendations in the ERO report. The parents use a good range of ways to extend children’s oral language, thinking and problem-solving skills. They are increasing their knowledge and inclusion of te reo and tikanga Māori in the programme.

This review was part of a cluster of 11 playcentre reviews in the Canterbury Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Children learn in an environment where their ideas are valued. Parents make good use of their playcentre training to extend children’s thinking. They listen carefully to children, effectively use questioning, and give children time to think about possible solutions.

Children are well supported to use their interests to build their knowledge and understanding of the world. The indoor and outdoor areas are well resourced and children can easily access all the activities and resources. The programme gives them the time they need to explore, develop their ideas, confidence and self-management skills.

Supportive and caring relationships between children and parents, and among parents effectively promote children’s learning and wellbeing. Parents have a good knowledge of all children. They make use of this knowledge to help children build friendships and to play cooperatively in the programme. Older children take care of younger children and include them in their play.

Te ao Māori is steadily becoming part of the programme as parents gain more confidence through participation in the playcentre parent education programme, and develop closer relationships with Māori parents and Māori in the wider community.

Child assessment practices are well established and understood by parents. Regular parent workshops and well-documented information about how parents can record children’s learning have given parents the skills to identify and record children’s learning. Children’s comments about their learning are also often included in the child profile books.

Self review is well used to improve learning and teaching, and the environment. Recent reviews have improved parents' knowledge and expectations of assessment and of the under two-year-old area. This area is now safer and better resourced. More guidance is also provided for working with infants and toddlers during the session.

The centre operates effectively as a parent cooperative. Parents have a good understanding of their roles and responsibilities. Leaders are well supported and confidently undertake their roles. Buddy systems help to ensure new parents quickly become active members of the cooperative.

The playcentre parent education programme is well used and valued by parents. Many parents are progressing through the playcentre courses and supporting others to continue training. Learning from the courses and workshops is shared and used to improve learning outcomes for all children.

Key Next Steps

The centre parents and ERO agree that the next steps for the centre include:

strengthening child assessment and planning by focusing more on the role of the adult in promoting learning, and showing the development of children’s learning, particularly in mathematics

  • supporting Māori children and families to succeed as Māori in all aspects of playcentre.

Canterbury Playcentre Association

This is the third cluster review of a number of playcentres that ERO has undertaken in collaboration with the association. Each of the previous cluster reviews has identified emerging strengths from all the playcentres reviewed. This process has resulted in key next steps for the association to further support playcentres to improve learning outcomes for children.

The association has made some good progress in addressing the recommendations from the previous two cluster reviews. This includes:

  • supporting children’s transitions to school
  • re-establishing the centre managers’ appraisal system
  • improving feedback from the centre support team to parent groups about the quality of teaching and learning.

Further work is required to develop a stronger understanding of the government’s focus on priority learners so that the association can better support parent groups to respond to these children.

There continues to be significant change occurring in the structure of governance and management at association and federation levels. This has had a major impact on the association’s positive response to ERO’s recommendation from the previous cluster review, to document future planning.

Key Next Steps for the Canterbury Playcentre Association

During this cluster review the association has identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps for the association include:

  • helping parent groups more effectively sustain the developments in bicultural practices and strengthening the focus on Māori achieving success as Māori
  • reviewing assessment and planning processes to help adults identify children’s learning and the ways that adults can help children with their learning
  • developing a clear understanding of the process of strategic planning at association level and sharing this with parent groups
  • continuing to support and grow emergent leaders in playcentres.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Prebbleton 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Prebbleton Playcentre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

National Manager Review Services

Southern Region

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

Prebbleton

Ministry of Education profile number

70104

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 10 aged under two

Service roll

25

Gender composition

Boys 15; Girls 10

Ethnic composition

Māori

NZ European/Pākehā

Māori/European

Other ethnicities

2

16

1

6

Reported ratios of adult to children

Under 2

1:1

Better than minimum requirements

 

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2014

Date of this report

7 November 2014

Most recent ERO reports

Education Review

December 2011

 

Education Review

May 2007

 

Education Review

June 2004

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.