ERO Reports

How well placed is Choice Kids Browns Road to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Background

Choice Kids Browns Road is a privately owned service. It is the first centre to be established of a group of six Choice Kids centres across Auckland. This centre caters for the diverse community in Manurewa, Auckland. Full-day and sessional options are available from two years up to the age of five years.

The Choice Kids organisation provides a community-focused charitable wrap around service for children and their whānau. The centre follows the Choice Kids overarching centre philosophy of promoting a learning environment where children are respected, valued and supported to grow as confident learners.

Two directors and two operations managers oversee all the centres. Each centre has their own head teacher. At Choice Kids Browns Road, the teaching team, including the head teacher, are all new to the centre since the 2013 ERO report. The centre has two fully registered teachers, one provisionally registered teacher and one qualified teacher who is completing further qualifications to gain full registration. Full-time hospitality staff support teachers with the care for children and provide nutritional meals through the day.

The centre has responded positively to the recommendations from the 2013 ERO report. Staff are continuing to refine routines in order to provide children with opportunities for uninterrupted play. Positive relationships between parents and teachers continue to be a strong feature of the centre.

The Review Findings

Children are happy and settled. Families benefit from an environment that is welcoming and inclusive and have a strong sense of belonging. Whānau highly value the nurturing respectful relationships and appreciate their children’s experience. Teachers from diverse backgrounds use home languages that reflect those of the families and children.

Children are friendly and follow the centre’s clear routines. Their play is well supported in a learning environment that reflects their own culture. All staff promote bicultural awareness through the increasing use of te reo Māori. Group activities and festive events are celebrated. Teachers are now looking at their practice through a bicultural lens, and their increasing knowledge of tikanga Māori is evident.

Teachers know the children well. They make links to children’s home experiences and follow their interests when working alongside them to promote learning. Teachers use topic investigations and children’s interests to develop children’s learning. Children benefit from the sensitive care provided by teachers that is responsive to their individual needs. Teachers could now ensure that children experience more complex play and provide further opportunities for exploration and problem solving.

Parents are encouraged to contribute to their children’s portfolios of learning. There are some good examples of children’s learning journeys at the centre. Teachers should be supported to gain greater consistency of children’s learning journeys and ways of capturing these journeys over time.

The head teacher promotes a collective approach to programme planning. Wall displays reflect the children’s learning and programme activities. It is now timely for staff to document meetings that focus on children’s learning and to review how day-to-day centre operations are managed.

Teaching practices reflect the Choice Kids overarching philosophy, and education and care is guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The operation managers and head teacher agree that developing a philosophy that aligns with the overarching organisational Choice Kids philosophy would better reflect Choice Kids Browns Road.

The centre has close links to local primary schools. A transition to school programme supports children, and parents who spoke to ERO appreciate the centre’s process in getting children ready for school.

The managers have a strong commitment to providing appropriate professional development for all staff. They keep the staff informed about the operation of the centre. Established systems, policies and procedures are well implemented and regularly monitored. The purpose of centre reviews is increasingly understood to guide and improve teaching practice.

ERO References