ERO Report 2010

1. Evaluation of the Service
2. Legal Requirements
3. Next Review
4. General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

Information about the Early Childhood Service

The Purpose of an ERO Report

Education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to positive outcomes for children. We work with early childhood services to identify their strengths and the areas they need to review and develop. Early childhood services take part in the review process and are expected to make use of the findings to enhance children's learning and wellbeing.

Disclaimer

Individual ERO school and early childhood centre reports are public information and may be copied or sent electronically. However, the Education Review Office can guarantee only the authenticity of original documents which have been obtained in hard copy directly from either the local ERO office or ERO National Office in Wellington. Please consult your telephone book, or see the ERO web page, http://www.ero.govt.nz, for ERO office addresses.

1. Evaluation of the Service

How well placed is the service to promote positive outcomes for children?

Haleema Kindergarten is well placed to promote positive outcomes for children. However governance and management systems and processes, including self review are not fully developed. Therefore ERO intends to carry out another review in 12 months.

The centre management has accepted ERO's offer of Post Review Assistance (PRA) to facilitate the development of an action plan. This will assist the service to prioritise and plan how they will address the areas identified for development and review in the report.

Context

This is the first ERO review of Haleema Kindergarten. It was opened in 2010 as a result of consultation with the local community and the International Muslim Association of New Zealand. 

It is governed by a non-profit organisation. The purpose-built centre is situated beside the Islamic Centre in Taita, Lower Hutt. The multicultural teaching team has been together for the past six months. It comprises a head teacher with many years experience and three teachers, two of whom are provisionally registered and one subject to confirmation. The kindergarten offers an introduction to the Arabic language. Haleema is Arabic for gentle/mild mannered. The kindergarten is uniquely placed to provide both New Zealand and Islamic curricula.

Areas of strength

The philosophy places value on providing emotional stability and emphasises individuals having respect for each other. Interactions between staff and children reflect this philosophy. An holistic approach is taken to support the development of the child, in conjunction with fostering close partnerships with parents. An increasing number of children have siblings attending. Whānau and aiga involvement is valued and many opportunities are provided to
engage families in kindergarten life, including home visits and excursions to the local kohanga reo and Pacific preschool.

The collegial teaching team establish warm and nurturing relationships with children, supporting them to develop social skills and independence. Children engage purposefully in their play and interact well together. The head teacher effectively role models, for teachers, the importance of extending children’s learning and following their interests.

Children make choices about play and learning within a well-considered and varied environment that includes many natural resources. Learning spaces are attractive and welcoming and encourage children’s exploration, creativity and physical development. Many resources and displays reflect a commitment to valuing cultural diversity and awareness.
Language and symbols of children’s backgrounds are highly visible.

Children with additional needs are well supported. Teachers together evaluate and discuss children's progress. They develop individual education or behavioural plans and may work with external agencies. The board provides extra funding to employ teacher aide support.

The well-integrated curriculum is clearly linked to the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, and the special Islamic curriculum. Priorities focus appropriately on literacy and numeracy acquisition and many concepts are presented in authentic ways. Children experience a strong multilingual language programme.

Planning is clearly based on individual and group interests. Learning stories in individual profile books indicate teachers are noticing and recognising children’s significant learning moments. They are increasingly talking with parents to increase their involvement. Teachers effectively record and assess children’s progress. 

Transition to school is well managed. A flexible transition programme is provided for children and the head teacher networks with local schools. Reciprocal visits are regularly undertaken to prepare children for their primary school experiences.

A bicultural perspective is evident in the environment. The importance of children’s whakapapa is acknowledged and parents’ aspirations are sought. A staff member successfully models te reo Māori. The next step is for teachers to increase their confidence in using te reo Māori.

Areas for development and review 

It is important to build board and staff self-review capability. Many practices are in the developmental stage. There is a need to strategically review centre operations to ensure ongoing improvements for children. Stronger links between self review, appraisal, strategic planning, and professional development are required. The board of trustees agree that the next important step is to extend their understanding of self-evaluation practice.

Trustees and managers also acknowledge the need to:

• clearly delineate the roles of governance and management
• develop a shared understanding of their philosophy
• define the role of the head teacher as the curriculum leader
• ensure teachers consistently document how they respond to children’s strengths and needs.

2. Legal Requirements
 

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Haleema 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.

ERO identified an area of non compliance. To address this management must ensure:

• teaching staff are supported by a suitable appraisal process. [Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres GMA7]

3. Next Review
 

When is ERO likely to review the early childhood service again?
ERO intends to carry out another review in 12 months.
       Joyce Gebbie
       National Manager Review Services
       Central Region
       12 October 2012

4. General Information about Early Childhood Reviews
 

About ERO Reviews

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the New Zealand government department that reviews
schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

Review focus
ERO's education reviews in early childhood services focus on the factors that contribute to
positive learning outcomes for children. ERO evaluates how well placed the service is to
make and sustain improvements for the benefit of all children at the service. To reach these
findings ERO considers:

• 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 self review and partnerships with
parents and whānau.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of service performance and each ERO report may
cover different issues. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive
outcomes for children and useful to the service.

Haleema Kindergarten ERO Report 12/10/2012
From:

http://ero.govt.nz/index.php/Early-Childhood-School-Reports/Early-Childh...  

© ERO 2010