Petone Kindergarten 22/04/2008

Petone Kindergarten Education Review

About The Centre The Education Review Office (ero) Evaluation Review Priorities Areas Of National Interest Management Assurance On Compliance Areas Recommendations Future Action Community Page 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 Corporate Office in Wellington. Please consult your telephone book, or see the ERO web page, http://www.ero.govt.nz, for ERO office addresses. This report has been prepared in accordance with standard procedures approved by the Chief Review Officer. 1 2 4 8 10 11 12 12

About The Centre

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About The Centre

Location Petone, Hutt City Ministry of Education profile number 5376 Type Number licensed for Roll number Gender composition Free Kindergarten 45 children aged over 2 86 Boys 46 Girls 40 New Zealand European/Pkeh 52 Mori 21 Indian 4 Asian 4 Samoan 3 Middle Eastern 2 February 2008 23 April 2008 Education Review September 2005 Accountability Review August 1998 Interim Review November 1991

Ethnic composition

Review team on site Date of this report Previous ERO reports

The Education Review Office (ero) Evaluation

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The Education Review Office (ero) Evaluation

Petone Kindergarten is one of 58 administered by the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association (the association). A governing board provides policy direction and oversight of the association's constitution. The general manager reports to the board, keeping members well informed about management matters. The general manager, representing the association, is licensee of all Wellington kindergartens. A team of six senior teachers supports staff in the provision of programmes. Senior teachers offer advice and guidance. They have a monitoring and professional development role. ERO's evaluation of Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association's governance and management services is reported separately and can be found at the ERO website www.ero.govt.nz. This review of Petone Kindergarten evaluates the quality of the programme and learning environment provided for children. It gives particular emphasis to the interactions between teachers and children. Additionally the report includes an evaluation of progress the kindergarten has made in implementing selfreview practices. Health and safety requirements are also reviewed. The 2005 ERO review noted that the kindergarten team focused on developing positive relationships, a sense of belonging and self-management skills according to children's interests and learning needs. Activities were planned to meet a wide range of interests and encourage creative thinking and participation. The 'Playing as a Good Friend' initiative assisted the development of positive and respectful interactions among children. Recommendations focused on further developing planning, assessment and evaluation practices and ensuring that the teachers increased their confidence and skills in using te reo Mori. In addition, ERO noted that the indoor environment was aged and in need of redecorating. Since 2005, aspects of the interior space have been refurbished to enhance teaching and learning. A relieving head teacher preceded the new permanent head teacher, both appointed since the 2005 ERO review. Teachers are affirming, respectful and responsive. Children are greeted warmly when they arrive at the kindergarten each day. Positive relationships are nurtured and a sense of belonging is fostered. Teachers know the children well and seek to promote their self-management skills. They are responsive to children's needs, taking particular care to assist new children to settle happily into the programme and to form friendships. The new team has reviewed its philosophy and endeavours to promote learning through play, providing a range of activities and experiences which children are free to explore. During the review, some opportunities to develop more in-depth learning conversations during play were not capitalised on to scaffold children's emerging ideas and extend language development. Resources are easily accessible and the kindergarten layout is well organised, promoting

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children's growing independence. A grass and garden area to the rear of the building complements a large outside play area at the front and provides interesting spaces for investigation. Children are settled, have fun and enjoy their time at the kindergarten. They appear relaxed and comfortable in this environment. Profile books, containing photographs and records of events, enable children to revisit past experiences. These are often shared excitedly with friends and whnau. This report identifies some next steps for teachers to further improve their planning, teaching, assessment and evaluation practices. Parental participation in the programme enhances learning. They are keen to involve themselves in children's activities and to actively support the programme in action. A motivated parent committee works toward enhancing the environment through its fundraising activities. Presently, they are working towards providing a new and enlarged veranda roof to facilitate outside play during inclement weather. Communication with parents is fostered through informal discussion and a regular newsletter, which highlights new and ongoing information on events and activities.

Future Action
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interests of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again as part of the regular review cycle.

Review Priorities
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Review Priorities
The Focus of the Review
Before the review, the management of Petone Kindergarten was invited to consider its priorities for review using guidelines and resources provided by ERO. ERO also used documentation provided by the centre to contribute to the scope of the review. The detailed priorities for review were then determined following a discussion between the ERO review team and the management and staff. This discussion focused on existing information held by the centre (including self-review information) and the extent to which potential issues for review contributed to positive outcomes for children at Petone Kindergarten. All ERO education reviews in early childhood focus on the quality of education. For ERO this includes the quality of: the interactions between children and adults; the programme provided for children; and the learning environment. ERO's findings in these areas are set out below.

The Quality of Education

Background
The 2005 ERO review noted that the kindergarten team focused on developing positive relationships, a sense of belonging and self-management skills according to children's interests and learning needs. Activities were planned to meet a wide range of interests and encourage creative thinking and participation. The 'Playing as a Good Friend' initiative assisted the development of positive and respectful interactions among children. Recommendations focused on further developing planning, assessment and evaluation practices and ensuring that the teachers increased their confidence and skills in using te reo Mori. In addition, ERO noted that the indoor environment was aged and in need of redecorating. Changes since the 2005 review include the appointment of a relieving head teacher and a new permanent head teacher, and the discontinuation of a weekly playgroup.

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Areas of good performance

Interactions
Teachers are affirming, respectful and responsive. Children are welcomed to the kindergarten and greeted warmly. Positive relationships are nurtured and a sense of belonging is fostered. Children eagerly explore and discuss their activities. They share their ideas for problem solving through conversation, sometimes with teachers acting as commentator and questioner. Good ideas and efforts are praised, thus fostering confidence and prompting further exploration and discovery. Staff work together to facilitate the smooth running of the kindergarten and freely share information about the children's development and well-being. Teachers reflect on their practice and on children's emerging interests in regular team discussions. During the ERO review, parents and a student teacher were seen to actively notice, recognise and respond to children's emerging needs and interests. They were keen to participate in children's dramatic play or to work alongside children in order to scaffold their understanding and independence or to introduce new activities. These good interactions contributed to the high level of children's engagement. Teachers make themselves available to discuss children's learning with parents. They are approachable and welcoming in their manner and endeavour to create positive relationships with the kindergarten community.

Programme
Children are settled, have fun and enjoy their time at the kindergarten. They appear relaxed and comfortable in this environment. Children play for sustained periods of time both in small groups and in solitary activities. They are respectful and helpful, frequently showing care and concern for peers and adults. Teachers often share stories and books with children. Suitable teaching strategies help children to gain meaning from text and illustrations. Questioning, repetition of key words, use of rhymes and songs, clarifying understanding and introduction of new vocabulary are strategies that are evident in practice. Children often request books, enjoy these experiences and are keen to participate in related discussions. Exploration and learning through play is valued. Children involve themselves in a great deal of dramatic play, creative and artistic pursuits and enjoy experimenting with the available resources. Teachers notice their emerging interests and provide access to a wide range of experiences to further extend skills and knowledge.

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Significant moments in learning are documented as learning stories. These are freely available for adults and children to enjoy and their voices are sometimes evident in these stories. Children are very keen to share their profile books with peers and adults. The use of photographs in these records enables them to revisit and reflect on their involvement in past events. Teachers promote children's developing independence and self-management skills through modelling and encouragement. Expectations for positive behaviour and routines such as sharing and taking turns are established. During the review, children mostly played together in a settled and harmonious manner. Minor conflicts were resolved in a peaceful and positive way with teachers' support. Children are developing a sense of responsibility for themselves, others and their environment.

Learning Environment
Children's independence is promoted through organisation of the equipment and the layout of the kindergarten. Children know where to find what they need and resources are easily accessible. Independence and a sense of responsibility are further promoted through the use of tidy-up time as a focus for development of self-care, self-management, social and cooperative skills. The children have access to all indoor and outdoor spaces, weather permitting, and are keen to explore and adapt their environment. They move freely between the indoor and outside spaces. A variety of kindergarten pets are situated around the building and provide opportunities for children to observe, interact with and care for living creatures. The main features of the outdoor area are the large shaded sandpit, a wellstocked carpentry area, water troughs and equipment for experimentation, moveable climbing apparatus, a wide slide and several swings, a range of balls, hoops and other outdoor play equipment. Children also share books, jigsaws and games in this space. A small plot containing strawberries and vegetables has been cultivated in the rear garden. Staff practise and encourage sun-safe behaviour. The indoor space has been reorganised and provides designated areas for art and craft materials, games and construction equipment, music and movement, reading and dramatic play. It has an open and airy feeling and gives teachers good lines of sight to supervise children as they play. This area also has a kai table where children come together to eat healthy snacks.

Areas for improvement

A record of planning is not documented. It is unclear to what extent teachers have a considered approach to catering for individual and group developing needs, strengths and interests over time. Teachers identify that planning practices are under review.

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Learning stories record observations of children at play and often recognise significant aspects of their development, yet possible lines of direction or next steps are rarely documented. The addition of these is likely to assist teachers to consider strategies for further enhancing learning. Although interactions between staff and children are positive and respectful, during the onsite stage of the review some opportunities to develop more in-depth learning conversations were not capitalised on. Children would benefit from strengthened dialogue with teachers during play to scaffold their emerging ideas and extend language development. In contrast with the calm and purposeful atmosphere that prevails during the general session, mat time is a less settled and productive experience. Teachers acknowledge that self review of the organisation, goals and purpose of this activity would be timely in order to make it an enjoyable and purposeful activity for all concerned. Displays do not adequately promote development of early literacy and numeracy knowledge and understanding. Children's art work is exhibited at too high a level. Displaying these at a lower level with the addition of labelling and other appropriate signage is likely to provide a richer learning experience for children. While parents are kept informed about fundraising and committee matters via the noticeboards and informal discussion, there is little additional information on display regarding planning, the programme in action and current interests. In addition, it would be timely for teachers to consider ways to increase opportunities for parents to record their voice in profile books. Use of te reo Mori, bicultural resources, activities and aspects of ng tikanga Mori as described in the kindergarten team philosophy, are not evident. Little progress has been made in this area since the 2005 ERO review. The teaching team has acknowledged this as an area for professional development in 2008.

Areas Of National Interest

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Areas Of National Interest

Overview
ERO provides information about the education system as a whole through its national reports. This information will be used as the basis for long term and systemic educational improvement.

Progress with Self Review

As part of this review ERO evaluated the extent to which self review is understood and used in this service to improve practice and outcomes for children. Self review in Petone Kindergarten needs further development.

Areas of good performance

Some spontaneous review, while not recorded, has given rise to changes evident in practice, procedure or environment. Teachers regularly reflect together and these informal or unplanned reviews have provided insight when organising the furniture and equipment. Use of the association guidelines has enabled the teachers to identify areas for planned self review. In 2006 to 2007, improvements were planned to enhance the interior dcor and improve the working environment for children. Painted roof beams, additional cleaning and new tables resulted from this practice. The teachers have evaluated the success of the actions taken and reported these to the kindergarten committee. A supportive parent committee has assisted teachers in their efforts to achieve the desired outcomes identified in the documented self-review plans.

Areas for improvement

Teachers acknowledge that their self-review processes need further development. While they have used the association guidelines, all the steps within the self-review template have not been fully considered nor documented in sufficient detail to be effective in planning, evaluating and measuring success. Quality indicators relating to desired outcomes for children that may assist in effective evaluation and in identifying next steps for ongoing review and development have not been used. While self review has initially focused on improvements to the environment, it is timely for teachers to further reflect on the programme to enhance children's learning opportunities. Teachers have identified assessment, planning and evaluation for subsequent self review.

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Since the 2005 ERO review little progress has been made in addressing the recommendations in that report. It is unclear to what extent teachers evaluate the quality of the programme and the teaching and learning that is happening.

Recommendations
ERO recommends that teachers improve their self-review practice with specific guidance and mentoring by the association.

Management Assurance On Compliance Areas

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Management Assurance On Compliance Areas

Overview
Before the review, the licensee and staff of Petone Kindergarten completed an ERO Centre Management Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they have attested that they had taken all reasonable steps to meet their legislative obligations related to: administration; health, safety and welfare; personnel management; financial and property management. During the review, ERO checked the following items because they have a potentially high impact on outcomes for children: emotional safety (including behaviour management, prevention of bullying and abuse); physical safety (including behaviour management, sleeping and supervision practices; accidents and medication; hygiene and routines; travel and excursion policies and procedures); staff qualifications and organisation; and evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake. During the course of the review ERO's investigations did not identify areas of noncompliance. However, in order to improve current practice the management should: consider current procedures related to eating to address hand washing and supervision issues discussed during the review; and ensure that staff discuss and review procedures for children's use of the kitchen during session times.

Recommendations
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Recommendations
ERO, the kindergarten teachers and management agreed that teachers will: 6.1 Document planning for children's learning and explore ways to make the programme visible to the kindergarten community through display. 6.2 Complete planned professional development in te reo Mori and integrate this into practice. 6.3 Strengthen the quality of interactions with children to ensure that these enrich the experiences provided and support new learning.

Future Action
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interests of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again as part of the regular review cycle. Lennane Kent Area Manager for Chief Review Officer 23 April 2008 23 April 2008 To the Parents and Community of Petone Kindergarten These are the findings of the Education Review Office's latest report on Petone Kindergarten.

Community Page
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Community Page
Petone Kindergarten is one of 58 administered by the Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association (the association). A governing board provides policy direction and oversight of the association's constitution. The general manager reports to the board, keeping members well informed about management matters. The general manager, representing the association, is licensee of all Wellington kindergartens. A team of six senior teachers supports staff in the provision of programmes. Senior teachers offer advice and guidance. They have a monitoring and professional development role. ERO's evaluation of Wellington Region Free Kindergarten Association's governance and management services is reported separately and can be found at the ERO website www.ero.govt.nz. This review of Petone Kindergarten evaluates the quality of the programme and learning environment provided for children. It gives particular emphasis to the interactions between teachers and children. Additionally the report includes an evaluation of progress the kindergarten has made in implementing selfreview practices. Health and safety requirements are also reviewed. The 2005 ERO review noted that the kindergarten team focused on developing positive relationships, a sense of belonging and self-management skills according to children's interests and learning needs. Activities were planned to meet a wide range of interests and encourage creative thinking and participation. The 'Playing as a Good Friend' initiative assisted the development of positive and respectful interactions among children. Recommendations focused on further developing planning, assessment and evaluation practices and ensuring that the teachers increased their confidence and skills in using te reo Mori. In addition, ERO noted that the indoor environment was aged and in need of redecorating. Since 2005, aspects of the interior space have been refurbished to enhance teaching and learning. A relieving head teacher preceded the new permanent head teacher, both appointed since the 2005 ERO review. Teachers are affirming, respectful and responsive. Children are greeted warmly when they arrive at the kindergarten each day. Positive relationships are nurtured and a sense of belonging is fostered. Teachers know the children well and seek to promote their self-management skills. They are responsive to children's needs, taking particular care to assist new children to settle happily into the programme and to form friendships. The new team has reviewed its philosophy and endeavours to promote learning through play, providing a range of activities and experiences which children are free to explore. During the review, some opportunities to develop more in-depth learning conversations during play were not capitalised on to scaffold children's emerging ideas and extend language development. Resources are easily accessible and the kindergarten layout is well organised, promoting

From: http://ero.govt.nz/index.php/Early-Childhood-School-Reports/Early-Childhood-Reports/Petone-Kindergarten-22-04-2008 ERO 2010 Page 13 / 16

Petone Kindergarten Education Review Report

23/04/2008

children's growing independence. A grass and garden area to the rear of the building complements a large outside play area at the front and provides interesting spaces for investigation. Children are settled, have fun and enjoy their time at the kindergarten. They appear relaxed and comfortable in this environment. Profile books, containing photographs and records of events, enable children to revisit past experiences. These are often shared excitedly with friends and whnau. This report identifies some next steps for teachers to further improve their planning, teaching, assessment and evaluation practices. Parental participation in the programme enhances learning. They are keen to involve themselves in children's activities and to actively support the programme in action. A motivated parent committee works toward enhancing the environment through its fundraising activities. Presently, they are working towards providing a new and enlarged veranda roof to facilitate outside play during inclement weather. Communication with parents is fostered through informal discussion and a regular newsletter, which highlights new and ongoing information on events and activities.

Future Action
ERO is confident that the service is being managed in the interests of the children. Therefore ERO is likely to review the service again as part of the regular review cycle. When ERO has reviewed an early childhood centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up action they plan to take. You should talk to the management or licensee if you have any questions about this evaluation, the full ERO report or their future intentions. If you would like a copy of the full report, please contact the centre or see the ERO website, http://www.ero.govt.nz. Lennane Kent Area Manager for Chief Review Officer

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT REVIEWS About ERO

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ERO is an independent, external evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood services throughout New Zealand.

About ERO Reviews

ERO follows a set of standard procedures to conduct reviews. The purpose of each review is to: improve quality of education for children in early childhood centres; and provide information to parents, communities and the Government. Reviews are intended to focus on outcomes for children and build on each centre's self review.

Review Focus
ERO's framework for reviewing and reporting is based on four review strands. Quality of Education - including the quality of the programme provided for children, the quality of the learning environment and the quality of the interactions between staff and children and how these impact on outcomes for children. Additional Review Priorities - other aspects of the operation of a centre, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand in all reviews. Areas of National Interest - information about how Government policies are working in early childhood centres. Compliance with Legal Requirements - assurance that this centre has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal requirements.

Review Coverage
ERO reviews do not cover every aspect of centre 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 this centre.

Review Recommendations
Most ERO reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular issue does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation to that

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issue. There is no direct link between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall performance of this centre.

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