ERO Report – Global kids early learning centre St Martins & Sydenham Christchurch

Relationships between teachers, children and parents are warm, caring and respectful. Teachers listen carefully to children, respond appropriately and effectively support children to make choices and lead their play. Parents’ views are sought and valued.

Children have good opportunities to make choices in the daily programme. This is helping them to have sustained play, based on their ongoing and emerging interests. Children benefit from a wide range of learning experiences and activities that are based on their developing interests. These include supporting transition through regular visits to the local school and frequent excursions into the local community.

Teachers frequently encourage children to talk about their ideas and their play. They support children to play successfully with each other and create opportunities to work with children individually and in small groups. They recognise and build on children’s interests in literacy and numeracy.

The centre is multicultural. It is inclusive of all children and families. Children’s home cultures are respected, included in the programme and celebrated through special events. Children’s cultures are also visible in environment displays and some resources.

There have been recent improvements to assessment and planning. Teachers are now more clearly showing how they recognise children’s learning and plan to support this. They have developed useful formats and guidelines that link to Te Whariki, the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum.

Centre staff work collaboratively. The manager and teachers have developed a shared vision and philosophy. Teachers regularly share useful information about children’s interests and abilities and use this information well to plan interesting programmes. Teachers frequently share knowledge gained through attending professional development about how to better support children’s learning, for example in mathematics.

Managers have developed a strategic and measured approach to implementing recent changes. They are making significant use of well-targeted professional development to improve practices at management and teacher level. They have developed a strategic approach to future planning and sound health and safety procedures.