40 Mahi Road, Te Kauwhata
View on map|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Te Kauwhata Playcentre is a well-established, parent-lead early childhood education service in a rapidly growing, semi-rural community. It offers group-supervised sessions for up to 27 children from birth to school age. At the time of this ERO review 27 children were enrolled and 5 identify as Māori.
Centre members promote a philosophy of learning alongside their children, as whānau, as friends, and as a community growing together. This philosophy is an extension of the playcentre motto, Whānau Tupu Ngātahi, Families Growing Together.
The playcentre is one of 17 centres in the Counties Playcentre Association (CPA). The New Zealand Playcentre Federation (NZPF) and the CPA provide governance oversight for the centre. This includes strategic direction, management support, documentation and adult education programmes. In addition, the centre receives regular visits from experienced personnel who offer advice guidance and support to centre members. The NZPF is currently undergoing restructuring, and this has implications for CPA governance actions in the future.
ERO's 2013 review identified key next steps in relation to, extending children's learning, culturally responsive practices, te reo and tikanga Māori, leadership and succession planning. Centre members have given strong consideration to these areas for development through focused self review, resulting in significant progress.
This review was part of a cluster of six playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
Respectful, trusting and reciprocal relationships are highly evident. Integral to these relationships is the shared philosophy that supports a culture of care and shared learning for each child and their family. Centre members have established a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere where cooperation is promoted and leadership is effectively distributed. This enables all members to feel valued and to make contributions to the day-to-day running of the centre. Members are also encouraged and well supported to undertake parent education courses. This knowledge, and the leadership approach are resulting in greater understanding of children's learning and development, within the context of Te Whāriki and continuity of the playcentre service for children and families.
The playcentre has well-developed processes for strategic planning and self review. Members have identified key, long-term goals in relation to the learning environment, adult education, membership and the curriculum. These goals are promoted and achieved through specific action plans that include targeted and collaborative self review. This deliberate approach to centre development is resulting in ongoing improvements to the adults' knowledge of playcentre, the curriculum and the promotion of positive learning outcomes for all children.
Children's self-chosen play, exploration and learning is well understood and valued. ERO observed high levels of engagement where parents work as learning partners alongside children. They listen to children, respect their preferences and thoughtfully support them to grow their knowledge. Children are confident and capable learners who readily engage with peers, approach adults and involve them in play and conversations.
The learning environment is extensive and highly functional. All areas of play are promoted through carefully designed and creatively presented spaces both indoors and outside. Equipment and activities are flexible and able to be adapted in ways that ensure equitable access to learning experiences for children of all ages and abilities. Recent enhancements to the environment, including artwork reflect the children, their families and places of importance to this community of learners. The playcentre environment fosters children's curiosity, active exploration and sense of belonging.
The centre has well-considered and effective processes that guide assessment, planning and evaluation. Individual portfolios provide a valued record of children's friendships, interests and learning over time. These records are valued by parents and children, and often used to revisit previous learning experiences. There are regular opportunities for parents to share their aspirations and knowledge of their child as a learner. This information supports all members to respond to each child's interests, dispositions and learning. Session planning is informed by daily and termly evaluations, and promotes an environment and opportunities that supports the achievement of children's individual goals and continuity of learning.
Centre members have established positive relationships with, and close involvement in, the local primary school. Children enjoy opportunities to join in school events. The playcentre's curriculum and skilled adult interactions with children naturally promote children's social confidence and competence. Children's thinking skills and interests relating to literacy, mathematics, technology, science, creative and performing arts are effectively promoted. Children's experiences at playcentre are fostering self belief and preparing them to take their place in a school environment and culture.
Centre members demonstrate a shared commitment to strengthening their response to te Tiriti o Waitangi. They have benefited from previous and life-members' contribution to growing bicultural awareness and greater presence of the Māori language and culture. The bicultural officer position supports Māori families to promote te reo and tikanga Māori through the playcentre curriculum and philosophy. Māori children and families are affirmed for who they are and recognise that their language and culture is valued by others.
Through the centre's current self-review of cultural diversity and te reo Māori, it will be important for members to consider how the playcentre can more actively include Māori knowledge and perspectives for Māori children, and the cultural diversity of the Te Kauwhata community.
In addition, playcentre parents should explore ways to share what they know about their children's strengths and interests, to strengthen continuity of learning for each child as they make the transition to primary school education.
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kauwhata 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.
The next ERO review of Te Kauwhata Playcentre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
23 June 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.
|
Location |
Te Kauwhata |
|
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25216 |
|
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
|
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
|
|
Number licensed for |
27 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
|
|
Service roll |
27 |
|
|
Gender composition |
Boys 14 Girls 13 |
|
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
5 |
|
Review team on site |
February 2017 |
|
|
Date of this report |
23 June 2020 |
|
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
December 2013 |
|
Education Review |
August 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2007 |
|
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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Te Kauwhata Playcentre is a parent-led cooperative that offers four general sessions to children from birth to 6 years. It also offers an extended session for children from 3-6 years old which is led by a centre president and two trained supervisors. The centre is managed and governed by its members and promotes their values and aspirations and those of its community.
Centre operations are underpinned by the Playcentre philosophy of whānau and children learning together. Sessions are informed by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Centre members are committed to the vision and philosophy of the centre, and support each other to ensure the successful running of the centre.
Te Kauwhata Playcentre is one of seventeen centres in the Counties Playcentre Association, which provides a management and policy framework for centre operations. Liaison workers and other elected association officers provide support for centres. Association members deliver the Playcentre adult education programme to help whānau build their understanding about children’s learning.
This review was part of a cluster of eight playcentre reviews in the Counties Playcentre Association.
Children are happy and settle quickly when they arrive to play at the centre. They are confident to make choices, willing to have a go and take risks. They access a good range of equipment and resources and enjoy indoor and outdoor play. Children benefit from affirming and supportive relationships with adults.
Members are welcoming and supportive of each other. They have a good understanding of the children who enjoy mixed aged play. Adults encourage children to interact during activities through the use of open ended questions and conversations. Children are listened to and are involved in decision making and problem solving.
Adults make good use of equipment and resources to promote curriculum areas such as science, music and art. They provide a good range of activities and resources to support children’s literacy and numeracy learning. Relevant links are made to children's learning and their home experiences. Children’s thinking is extended through meaningful experiences and trips that enrich their play.
Daily evaluations of the programme are used to inform further planning to cater for children’s interests. Portfolios track children’s learning through play, over time. They are displayed for parents to access and update. A stronger focus on recording children’s learning has enabled some parents to better notice, recognise and respond to each child’s interests.
A bicultural officer leads the centre’s initiatives to promote a bicultural curriculum. Although te reo Māori and waiata are used by adults, there is more work needed to develop a bicultural approach that builds children’s understanding of te reo and tikanga Māori.
Members have participated in professional learning to enhance their self-review processes. They review their practice to improve children’s learning experiences. Self review is formally documented. Centre members have developed some good management systems and have recently prepared successfully for relicensing under the 2008 early childhood regulations. They are led ably by the president who has developed positive working relationships with other adults in the centre.
Association management practices are well established. Self review involves centre members, and contributes to decision making. A strategic review is currently underway, with a view to streamlining association systems and practices and making them more manageable for playcentre members. This review could also consider how the association can provide earlier, more focused support for centres that are facing challenges. Liaison workers should consider ways to help centres establish effective strategic and annual planning, and strengthen self-review practices. Monitoring and supporting the quality of programmes in centres should be a more central aspect of the liaison worker role.
Centre members and ERO agree that the key next steps for the playcentre include:
As a result of this cluster of reviews, ERO recommends that the Counties Playcentre Association access support from the Ministry of Education and the NZ Playcentre Federation to refine the Association’s structure, systems and practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Kauwhata 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:
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 Te Kauwhata Playcentre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
National Manager Review Services
Northern Region
9 December 2013
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 |
Te Kauwhata, Waikato |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25216 |
||
|
Licence type |
Playcentre |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
27 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
30 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 15 Girls 15 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori NZ European/Pākehā |
14 16 |
|
|
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 |
September 2013 |
||
|
Date of this report |
9 December 2013 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2010 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2007 |
||
|
Education Review |
January 2004 |
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:
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.