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Education REVIEW REPORT:
NEW PLYMOUTH= =20 MONTESSORI EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE 2

FEBRUARY=20 2008

1. = ; =20 About the=20 Centre

2. = ; =20 The Education Rev= iew=20 Office (ERO) Evaluation

3. = ; =20 Review=20 Priorities

4. = ; =20 Areas of National= =20 Interest

5. = ; =20 Management Assura= nce on=20 Compliance Areas

6. = ; =20 Recommendations

7. = ; =20 Future=20 Action

= ; =20 Community=20 Page

Disclaimer

In= dividual=20 ERO school and early childhood centre reports are public information= and=20 may be copied or sent electronically. However, the Education Rev= iew=20 Office can guarantee only the authenticity of original documents whi= ch=20 have been obtained in hard copy directly from either the local ERO o= ffice=20 or ERO Corporate Office in Wellington. Please consult your teleph= one=20 book, or see the ERO web page, http://www.ero.govt.nz, for ERO offic= e=20 addresses.

<= /A>This report has been prepared in accordance with standard pro= cedures=20 approved by the Chief Review Officer.

1. = =20 About the Centre

Location

New Plymouth

Ministry of Education profi= le=20 number

50524

Type

Education and Care=20 Service

Number licensed for<= /P>

Over 2=92s 50

Roll number

Gender composition

Boys 29, Girls 21

Ethnic composition

NZ=20 European/Pākehā 38, Māori 6,
Other ethnic= groups=20 6

Review team on site=20

November 2007

Date of this report<= /P>

12 February 200812=20 February 2008

12 February 2008

To the Parents and Community of Ne= w=20 Plymouth Montessori Early Childhood Centre 2

These are the findings of = the=20 Education Review Office=92s latest report on Ne= w=20 Plymouth Montessori Early Childhood Centre 2.

New Plymouth Montessori Association (Centres 1 and 2) operate= in a=20 purpose-built facility successfully designed to meet the needs of children= from=20 two to six years. The servi= ce is=20 recognised by its Montessori prepared and resourced environment. Montessori philosophy and the ea= rly=20 childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki=20 effectively guide centre practice.=20

T= his review=20 evaluates the quality of education and care children receive, interactions= =20 between children and with adults, and the quality of the environment for=20 learning. The review also e= valuates=20 improving educational outcomes for Māori children in mainstream early= childhood=20 services and the provision of a safe physical and emotional=20 environment.

C= hildren=92s=20 learning is successfully promoted through skilful teaching. Educators know children well. They work alongside individuals = and=20 small groups, questioning and supporting them to extend their thinking and= =20 assist in the completion of tasks. = =20 Staff continue to refine planning processes to link early childhood= =20 theory related to monitoring and recording children=92s progress to the de= dicated=20 Montessori approach.

C= hildren=20 and adults interact positively in a climate of mutual respect. Educators listen carefully and v= alue=20 what children communicate, using these cues to initiate further learning.<= SPAN=20 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> Staff use technical terms where= =20 appropriate, acknowledging children as competent.

M= āori=20 children are capable learners who participate fully in all aspects of the= =20 programme. Parents report t= hat they=20 are pleased with the quality of education their children receive while at = the=20 centre. As a next step for= =20 development, educators should reflect on their vision and strategies for=20 continuing to strengthen a Māori perspective in the centre.

Well-maintained, inviting grounds and children=92s gardens en= hance=20 outside play areas. The ind= oor=20 environment is structured to provide children with a range of
well-cons= idered=20 experiences that guide their learning and development.

P= arents are=20 well informed about, and participate in, the programme and continuing=20 development of the centre. = They=20 work closely with teachers and management in a supportive environment. Children benefit from a shared i= nterest=20 in their learning.

Management and educators=20 demonstrate, through their own self-review processes, the capacity to make= the=20 appropriate improvements as the need arises. Effective supervision systems are= in=20 place to support children=92s wellbeing and safety in the large, open=20 grounds. All staff work tog= ether,=20 to take all reasonable steps, to provide a safe environment for children.= =20

Future Action=

E= RO is=20 confident that the service is being managed in the interests of the=20 children. Therefore ERO wil= l review=20 the service again as part of the regular review cycle.

When ERO has reviewed an early ch= ildhood=20 centre we encourage management to inform their community of any follow up = action=20 they plan to take. You shou= ld talk=20 to the management or licensee if you have any questions about this evaluat= ion,=20 the full ERO report or their future intentions.

If you would like a copy o= f the full=20 report, please contact the centre or see the ERO website,=20 http://www.ero.govt.nz.

= Graham=20 Randell
Area Manager

for Chief Review Officer

=20

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT REVIEWS

About ERO

ERO is an independent, ext= ernal=20 evaluation agency that undertakes reviews of schools and early childhood=20 services throughout New Zealand.

About ERO Reviews

ERO follows a set of stand= ard=20 procedures to conduct reviews. The=20 purpose of each review is to:

=B7 = =20 improve quality of education fo= r=20 children in early childhood centres; and

=B7 = =20 provide information to parents,= =20 communities and the Government.

Reviews are intended to focus on = outcomes=20 for children and build on each centre=92s self review.

Review Focus

ERO=92s framework for revi= ewing and=20 reporting is based on four review strands.

=B7 = =20 Quality of Education =96 includ= ing the=20 quality of the programme provided for children, the quality of the learnin= g=20 environment and the quality of the interactions between staff and children= and=20 how these impact on outcomes for children.

=B7 = =20 Additional Review Priorities = =96 other=20 aspects of the operation of a centre, may be included in the review. ERO will not include this strand= in all=20 reviews.

=B7 = =20 Areas of National Interest =96 = information=20 about how Government policies are working in early childhood centres.

=B7 = =20 Compliance with Legal Requirements =96=20 assurance that this centre has taken all reasonable steps to meet legal=20 requirements.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews=20 do not cover every aspect of centre performance and each ERO report may co= ver=20 different issues. The aim i= s to=20 provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for=20 children and useful to this centre.

Review Recommendations

Most ERO=20 reports include recommendations for improvement. A recommendation on a particular= issue=20 does not necessarily mean that a centre is performing poorly in relation t= o that=20 issue. There is no direct l= ink=20 between the number of recommendations in this report and the overall perfo= rmance=20 of this centre.