Pukeatua Playcentre

Education institution number:
31010
Service type:
Playcentre
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
3
Telephone:
Address:

Arapuni Road, Pukeatua

View on map

Pukeatua Playcentre - 18/06/2020

1 Evaluation of Pukeatua Playcentre

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

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

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

Background

Pukeatua Playcentre is licensed to provide mixed-age sessional education and care for 25 children, one day a week. This includes 10 children up to the age of two. At the time of this review, there are 11 children enrolled and seven identify as Māori.

The Playcentre Aotearoa philosophy, ‘whānau tupu ngātahi – families growing together’, is to empower parents and children to learn, play and grow together. Alongside this, the centre philosophy commits to learning and support for rural families.

Since the June 2016 ERO report, the New Zealand Playcentre Federation has restructured by amalgamating all associations to form Playcentre Aotearoa. Pukeatua Playcentre is part of the Central North Island Region and is supported by a regional manager and support persons.

Whānau and families share responsibility for the curriculum. Day-to-day operation is undertaken by session support personnel and centre-elected office holders. A centre support worker and centre administrator regularly visit playcentres to provide professional support, strengthen practice and promote improvement.

This review was part of a cluster of nine reviews in the Central North Island region.

The Review Findings

Children experience an inclusive and respectful environment where parents and children learn and play together. Independence is encouraged and children take increasing responsibility for themselves. Positive guidance supports children of all ages to interact with each other. The playcentre philosophy is highly evident in centre practice.

Children with additional needs are included in all centre activities. Additional support from appropriate agencies is sought where necessary. Transitions into the centre and on to school are well-supported through effective communication and information. Children up to two are included in all areas of the curriculum. There are a range of resources suited to their needs. They are seen as capable and confident learners.

There are many opportunities for children to grow literacy and numeracy skills through conversations with adults and other children. A wide range of resources inside and out encourage a range of play opportunities. Local excursions enrich children's learning experiences. Displays of children’s work reflect their learning and involvement in the centre. Bicultural resources reflect the language, culture and identity of Māori children. Parents document children’s interests and activities in hard copy portfolios, that can be revisited by children. Planning and assessment can be further strengthened using learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, early childhood curriculum, to identify children's learning and progress.

Children are benefiting from the recently established parent-leadership group who are well supported by the centre support worker and the session facilitator. There is a focus on building capability in a way that is manageable for parents. Emergent leadership is actively fostered in an environment focused on improving outcomes for all children.

Strategic and annual plans are in place. These processes now need to be embedded to ensure sustainability. The parent-leader role, models te reo me ngā tikanga Māori to promote a sense of belonging for Māori children. The self-identified need to develop planned internal evaluation for playcentre improvement, should reflect parent aspirations and learning outcomes for children.

The revised parent education programme is becoming more accessible to centre members. Parents are involved in the parent education courses to build their knowledge and understanding of early learning. Appraisal processes for session support staff have recently been strengthened to better identify professional learning and development needs and focus on achievement of goals.

The national restructuring process continues to require significant attention and support to implement an extensive range of systems and processes. Regular communication from Playcentre Aotearoa seeks to keep parents informed of progress, changes and upcoming requirements. National policies and procedures have recently been introduced and parents are in the process of aligning practices to these. Ongoing support is required to enable parents to understand and implement these procedures to meet licensing requirements.

Key Next Steps

Pukeatua Playcentre should:

  • continue to embed the use of the strategic and annual planning processes to guide centre operation

  • continue to grow capability in assessment planning and evaluation to sharpen the focus on learning outcomes

  • further develop internal evaluation processes to support positive learning outcomes for children.

Playcentre Aotearoa should continue to build centre knowledge and understanding of policies and procedures to ensure licensing requirements are upheld.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Pukeatua 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.

Darcy Te Hau

Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

18 June 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

Location

King Country

Ministry of Education profile number

31010

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

11

Gender composition

Female 8 Male 3

Ethnic composition

Māori
NZ European/Pākehā
Other ethnic groups

7
3
1

Reported ratios of adults to children

Under 2

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

February 2020

Date of this report

18 June 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

June 2016

Education Review

January 2013

Education Review

December 2009

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.

Pukeatua Playcentre - 09/06/2016

1 Evaluation of Pukeatua Playcentre

How well placed is Pukeatua Playcentre 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

Pukeatua Playcentre is a parent-led centre located near Te Awamutu, providing education and care for children from birth to school age. The centre is licenced for 25 children including 10 up to two years of age. At the time of the ERO review, 19 children were enrolled, two of whom identify as Māori. Currently, there are a total of three sessions per week, two mixed-age sessions and one session to cater for older children. Due to the recent increase in the number of babies, parents have decided to have only one mixed-age session to meet the needs of parents and whānau.

The centre operates under the umbrella of King Country Playcentre Association (KCPA). It is affiliated to the New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF). They provide the centre with effective governance, strategic direction, management support and adult education programmes. The centre's practice is based on the guiding principles of the NZPF philosophy. This provides a commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi and values productive partnerships with Māori.

The playcentre programme places strong emphasis on children and parents learning together through play, in a safe and supportive environment. Members aim to build a sense of belonging in the community for children and adults, and assist children to develop as socially competent and confident learners.

Since the 2013 ERO report, the centre has made some progress with the areas for development. Parents have worked effectively to attract new members in order to improve the centre's sustainability. Long-serving parents have encouraged others to participate in playcentre courses at appropriate levels. A significant number of these parents now have Level 3 course qualifications.

This review was part of a cluster of four playcentre reviews in the King Country Playcentre Association.

The Review Findings

Babies, toddlers and young children, and their parents and whānau demonstrate high levels of enjoyment, belonging and wellbeing. Children of all ages have many opportunities to choose and explore their interests alongside their parents. They are able to express their ideas and creativity through imaginative and explorative play. Physical activity is encouraged through the provision of a range of outside play areas. Adults recognise and respond to children's development and interests, in an inclusive environment.

Babies and toddlers are included naturally in the programme. They benefit from warm, caring relationships with all adults. Mothers encourage their babies to play with a wide range of equipment appropriate to their age. They acknowledge and value the high levels of reciprocal support from one another, including the sharing of good food and nutrition practices.

Young children are highly engaged in both independent and group play. They select learning resources and make choices about what they want to do. Children demonstrate positive social skills and include other children in their play. These interactions build their confidence, independence, oral language and problem solving skills.

Adults prepare and present a wide range of high quality equipment and activities, which are available to all children. Parents are building their capability to recognise and respond to children's interests through course work and assistance from the playcentre support staff member. They record children's learning in portfolios. There are some good examples of learning stories that identify the way children learn, and possibilities to extend their learning. In addition, parents capture the uniqueness of each child's personality.

Children visit the neighbouring school and participate in various events. These strong connections are effectively supporting children's transition to school.

Parents have developed a strategic plan to guide ongoing development in the areas of property and sustainability. They review aspects of the playcentre's operation at monthly meetings. They now need to review the effectiveness of centre programmes in promoting positive outcomes for children.

The New Zealand Playcentre Federation and the King Country Playcentre Association continue to provide good quality governance and management for this centre. The association provides comprehensive policies and guidelines, and employs a centre support person who assists families to operate the service in the best interests of children and their parents and whānau. The benefits of this support would be made more evident if a process was introduced to provide formal reports on the quality of centre programmes.

Key Next Steps

Self Review: It is important that parents, assisted by the centre support staff member, review the effectiveness of the quality of learning for babies, toddlers and children in their centre. Aspects for development include:

  • documenting and analysing session evaluations over time

  • improving assessment practice to ensure that parents have a more consistent understanding of how best to notice, recognise and respond to children's learning.

This should improve the quality of learning interactions to sustain and extend children's emerging interests.

It is also important for parents to continue to develop their skills in te reo and tikanga Māori in order to integrate a programme of cultural awareness for themselves and their children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Pukeatua 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 Pukeatua Playcentre will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

9 June 2016

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

Te Awamutu, Waikato

Ministry of Education profile number

31010

Licence type

Playcentre

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

25 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Service roll

19

Gender composition

Girls 11 Boys 8

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Other

2

14

3

Review team on site

April 2016

Date of this report

9 June 2016

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

January 2013

Education Review

December 2009

Education Review

February 2007

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.