MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TE TAHUHU 0 TE MATAURANGA National Office Early Learning, Parents and Whanau Fax: 04 463 800 4547 Pipitea St Thorndon PO Box 1666 Wellington OIA2950235 1 5 0 New Zeaiand Kirsty Johnston Education Reporter The New Zealand Herald Kirstv.iohnston?nzheraldconz Dear Kirsty Thank you for your email of 18 August 2015 requesting information about the ERO lnfants and Toddlers: Competent and Con?dent Communicators and Explorers report. On 1 September we transferred part (1) of your request as you had requested the same information from both agencies. Following the transfer, your request is now for the following information: 1. lnternal correspondence about the report between the comms and media team, the ECE group and the chief executive?s office; 2. Any correspondence between the Ministry and the Minister?s Office about the report and/or its release; and 3. Any internal memos or reports prepared about the report including communications lines or plans. Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act). The Ministry and the Education Review Office (ERO) work together supporting early childhood services to provide young learners with quality care and education. It has become apparent in recent years that there is more that we can do to support these services. The 2014 review is one way ERO has assessed the areas in which early childhood services are excelling and also where there is room for improvement, We will use this research to help us better support early childhood centres to develop confident young learners. The documents enclosed show the thorough process involved in peerureviewing research to maintain a high standard of accuracy. Documentation also shows that we prepared communications for the report?s release so that parents and whanau know that we are using this research to improve educational outcomes for young New Zealanders, and alongside the areas where the report shows improvement is needed, we also highlight the positive work that is going on. I We have identified 33 documents with in scope of your request. These documents have been itemised in the attached list Appendix A. Of these, 32 have been released to you in part with names and contact details deleted under section of the Act to protect individuals? privacy and section of the Act to maintain the constitutional conventions which protect the neutrality of officials. Information has also been withheld under section of the Act to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to Ministers of the Crown or members of an organisation. One document has been released to you in full. The public interest in releasing these names has been considered however there do not appear to be overriding public interest reasons in doing so. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to review my decision. You can do this by writing to info@ombudsman.parliamentnz or Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143. - Yours sincerely (1- .. Ki Rawm Brell Deputy Secretary Early Learning, Parents and Whanau Appendix A Table of documents No date Communications Plan Release 'in full 2 12 Re: ERO report Infants and toddlers Release in part February 2015 3 25 RE: ERO report Infants and Toddlers Release in part February 2015 4 26 RE: ERO report Infants and Toddlers Release in part February 2015 5 16 March RE: Infants and toddlers next steps Release in part 2015 and key messages 6 27 March FINAL Infants and Toddlers Release in part 2015 7 30 July FW: ERO infants and toddlers report Release in part . 2015 8 1 April FW: ERO comms plans Release in part 2015 9 8 July 2015 Re: reminder Ops and Issues Release in part please- by COP WEDNESDAY 10 28 July RE: ERO Infants Toddlers Comms Release in part 2015 Briefing 11 30 July FW: Two things one urgent - ERO Release in part 2015 report going live 12 31 July ERO infants and toddlers report Release in part 2015 13 31 July RE: re: Release in part 2015 14 31 July FW: ERO Infants and Toddlers Release in part 2015 report - aotion items from meeting held 30 July 15 31 July ERO Infants and Toddlers report Release in part 2015 Comms Briefing 16 3 August RE: ERO Release in part 2015 17 3 August RE: ERO Release in part 2015 . 18 3 August RE: ERO Release in part 2015 19 4 August Re: ERO Infants and Toddlers report Release in part 2015 . Comms Briefing 20 4 August RE: ERO Infants Toddlers report - Release in part 2015 MOE Comms Briefing DRAFT 21 4 August FW: Good story needed Release in part 2015 22 4 August RE: War Room Notes Release in part 2015 22 4 August Homebased Release in part 2015 23 4 August ERO report Infants and toddters Release in part 2015 24 5 August ERO report infants and toddlers Release in part 2015 25 5 August infants and toddlers Release in part 2015 26 5 August For Integrated Comms Release in part 2015 man 27 5 August Actions on infants and toddlers Release in part 2015 {dease 28 5 August RE: For Integrated Release in part 2015 Comms plan 29 5 August RE: actions on infants and toddlers Release in part 2015 rebase 30 5 August RE: Conversation with ERO re Release in part 2015 infants and toddlers 31 5 August RE: Conversation with ERO re Release in part 2015 infants and toddiers 32 5 August ERO report new live Release in part 2015 33 5 August RE: ERO infants and toddlers has Release in part 2015 leaked MINISTRY OF EDUCATION TE TAHUHU 0 TE MATAURANGA Date: 4 September 2015 Security level: in Confidence To: Rawiri Brell 01A: 950235 Deputy Secretary Early Learning, Parents and Whanau Official Information Act Request: Kirsty Johnston Education Reporter for the New Zealand Herald requests correspondence about the ERO Infants and Toddlers: Competent and Con?dent Communicator sand Explorers report. Recommended actions I recommend that you: 1. note the request for official information from Kirsty Johnston; note that we have provided the Minister?s Office with a copy of the response; approve the response; and sign the attached letter on or before 13 October 2015. ,fSteve Groom f/ Dat? Group Manager Government, Executive and Ministerial Services I APPROVEDINOT APPROVED My. 1. Rawiri Brell Deputy Secretary Early Learning, Parents and Whanau The request and due date 1. On 18 August 2015, Ms Kirsty Johnston wrote to the Ministry of Education requesting the following information about the Infants and Toddlers report under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act): 1. All correspondence between the ministry and ERO regarding this report (this has also been sent to 2. lnternal correspondence about the report between the comms and media team, the ECE group and the chief executive?s office; 3. Any correspondence between the Ministry and the Minister?s Office about the report and/or its release; and 4. Any internal memos or reports prepared about the report including communications lines or plans. 2. On 18 August 2015, we were contacted by the Education Review Office (ERO) to notify us that ERO had received a request about this topic. We responded advising that we had also received a request from Ms Johnston about this topic. 3. ERO advised us of their proposed response strategy and asked that as we received the same request for correspondence between ERO and the Ministry (part (1 we transfer this part to ERO. Following consultation, we agreed to this, and transferred part (1) to ERO on 1 September 2015. A copy of this document is attached for your information. 4. A response was due to the requester by 15 September 2015. However, due to the consultation required, we extended the timeframe for providing a response. 5. A response to parts (2the requester on or before 13 October 2015. Background 6. Ms Kirsty Johnston is the Education Reporter for the New Zealand Herald and a frequent requester to the Ministry for official information. She currently has four other active education?related requests and one Ombudsman complaint. These include a request for information about the Update of Special Education and a request about Child, Youth and Family residential schools. 7. During Terms 1 and 2, 2014, ERO reviewed 235 early childhood services as part of its regular review cycles. Following the review, ERO presented its findings in the Infants and Toddlers: Competent and Confident Communicator sand Explorers report (the report). The basic findings were that, overaii, early childhood services were providing warm and nurturing environments for young children but many were not adequately supporting young children to become confident communicators and explorers. 8. Over the course of approximately six months, the report was peer?reviewed by the Ministry to ensure that the findings and the presentation of these findings were consistent with Ministry research. Our Communications and Media Teams worked alongside ERO's to prepare for the report?s release. Information Act response Page 2 9. 10. On 5 August 2015, the report was leaked to Ms Johnston by an unknown source. Later that day, the report was published on website, and sent out to early childhood services and media sources. On 18 August 2015, both the Ministry and ERO received requests for official information about the report from Ms Johnston. We are co-ordinating with ERO to ensure that we respond to Ms Johnston's requests in a thorough and uniform fashion. ERO responded to Ms Johnston on 15 September 2015. A copy of this response is attached for your information. Recommended response 11. 12. 13. Risks 14. ?15. 16. Official Information Act response We have identified 44 documents within scope of Ms Johnston's request. The large majority of these documents are about preparing communications for the report?s release. Other documents include internal communication about the draft report and emails about the report being leaked and subsequently published shortly thereafter. The documents have been itemised in the attached list. Of these, we recommend partially releasing 43 documents with staff members below manager level and private citizens names and contact details removed under section of the Act to protect individuals? privacy and section of the Act to? maintain the constitutional conventions which protect the neutrality of officials. We recommend releasing one document in full. The public interest in releasing these names has been considered however there do not appear to be overriding public interest reasons in doing so. The proposed release of this information is medium risk. The information highlights the thorough communications consultation process which took place over a period of months prior to the planned release date. There is also mention of hosting ?war-rooms" and planting "good- news stories? following publication. Ms Johnston could use this information to write an article which paints a story about the Ministry trying to cover up the review's results rather than focusing on supporting early chiidhood providers to lift educational achievement. To mitigate this risk we have provided context in the response letter to advise Ms Johnston that a communications strategy, such as the one depicted in the email correspondence, is part of any data or research release. We use communications plans to help provide context about the information released and a balanced picture of the positive work going on in the sector and what we?re doing in response to research to help improve provision of education in the future. The information also shows that the Ministry was slow to provide feedback to ERO about the report. To mitigate this risk we have advised Ms Johnston that a thorough review process is required to make sure that the information government agencies release is accurate. Page 3 Consultation 17. This response was prepared by Government, Executive and Ministerial Services, in consultation with the Media Team and the Early Learning, Parents and Whanau and Evidence, Data and Knowledge business units. 18. We have provided a copy of the response to the Minister?s Office as part of our ?no surprises policy?. Official Information Act response Page 4 Communications Plan infants and toddiers?: Competent and confident communicators and explorers Release date: - Key parts of the report (or all of the report) have been leaked to the NZ Heraid. Immediate responses: 6 ERO and we have exchanged key messages. 9 We have sent ERO our draft narrative (see below). a The Minister's Office has been contacted. We have advised . enquiries to The Minister?s Office has a copy of th "?rst? arrative. N, a We are working on a combination of our narrative (Elev messages around ECE to post on the parent?s portai and on educat'?g, gift. Other actions I. a Post the Quality? story (narrativ messages) on our website and the parents portal as soon as rag . a Post two ?good stories? highlightihgks coessful professional development gains are developed to repurpose is" channels by August 11th key messages from this report from August 6 . Tweet the narrative, go (orsooneronce the ?EQrtunity with the South Auckland SELO provider is followed area by August 11 up and a storya/g v" Communiqg?gEQI-Qobjec?ves (immediate and ongoing) x. . New Zeaiand ECE is perceived as high quality and parents, families value ECE in New Zealand Exit?; . Refocus mediaattention on ?good quality' and on ?professional development' EOE stories Report Findings . reviewed the curriculum for infants and toddlers in 235 early childhood services. Our reviews are improvement focused and the review framework is based on best practice. In each review ERO looked at the services? practice in relation to the framework, and discussed where and how the service could improve. a ERO found that the majority of services had a curriculum that responded well to infants and toddlers care and learning needs. The services . revievved had a strong focus on the wellbeing and belonging aspects of the early childhood curriculum, Te Whariki. ?3 In individual service reviews, ERO discussed how services could build on their curriculum particularly in relation to exploration and communication. This report provides for the sector about best practice and tools for services to use in their own self review Narrative response (in draft but close to being finalised)! This report provides a very useful snapshot for the early chiidhood educaticgg to help us know what?s really working well and where there?s some more required. l_ it?s great news that the services it icoked at are doing a really go?o it establishing warm and nurturing reiationships with infants and? (0-3 years old). That?s important for parents to know. . :33? .. It?s also very encouraging to see that many providers re cm very well when it comes to actively promoting positive learning outco keg; python? infants and toddlers. What we?ve also seen is that this remai ??efea for others to put/more work and focus on. {it} Competent and confident communicator __.kplorers are two of five strands in the early childhood education curriculum. {a -- it?s the of services is their staff with professional development to make sure that they?re able?tvgeliyer the best outcomes for chiidren. J?s-t ?20? But we are also working that. .x try has been helping iift quality in early childhood education .5 Since mid?2013, th by offering profe?2hi?earning and development to early childhood education . - servrces. fan so . . So far about Disorvices have received professional learning and development'A total of is spent on professional learning and deveiopment. to. . a. ?s We yyjihfie?ontacting all early childhood education providers this month, bringing this tsport to their attention. We?ll be reminding them they need to activeiy promote not; learning outcomes for infants and toddlers, and providing guidance for them regional staff will also taik to early childhood education services when they visit services to make sure they?re aware of the report and are identifying any areas they need to?focus on. Specific Key Messages 1. ERO is recommending that early childhood services: a Note the good practice examples of highly responsive services in this repon? Use this report, including the sel?-review questions in Appendix 2, to evaluate and improve, Where necessary, their curriculum and practice for infants and toddlers - 9 Speci?cally focus on communication and exploration for infants and toddlers when reviewing planning, assessment, appraisal goals and evaluation processes Review their processes to ensure that toddlers are well supported during transitions Within the service. 2. The Ministry welcomes the report and will use the recommendations to ensurg\ ECE services improve the edUCation-provision they provide for this age grg?ubbg children. We will communicate with at! services about the findings of integretg? its and what they can learn from it. - "it 3. The Ministry has, since July 2013, been offering a number of support to improve their provision of early learning opportunity fo 2' toddlers through its ECE professional development progra Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities, or SELO). at, 4. report found that services were providing a arm \nd nurturing environment for infants and toddlers, but that uld focus on extending the learnin ofthis a rou . - i3 5. Teachers in over half the services had {a - loan PLD regated to infants and toddlers. -. 6. ERO monitors the quality of curri?rlt??elivery Ministry is responsible for prescribing the curriculum. delivery is the of the EOE provider. ECE providers al?eg?gaesponsible for the provision of professional development for their the case with any employer. 7. Services, as part ptijgheir licensing requirements, are required to provide professional lei; development (PLD) for their staff. 8. The Mini fson'le PLD for teachers of infants and toddlers through its ECE professjaggi?d 'velopment programme (SELO) to ensure children in areas where part?cl ?tigni'ls low receive quality education and care that helps them to develop and tag}. ?3 . Tragic/ls the Ministry is providing approximately half a million dollars @475900) available for infant and toddler PLD through SELO to an estimated jl?lEi providers. pf" 10. Ali services are required to keep records of children's learning and their progress. Parents should use these to discuss their child?s learning with the service. Communications tactics Media enquiries will be directed to ERO in the first instance. ERO will lead the reopense. ERO wilt use the joint messaging to focus responses for implementation of the report?s recommendations on to the providers. ERO will use our messaging around what we are doing in their responses if required. We will use our messaging to reinforce if we receive any queries. Roles and responsibilities for this Plan 9 Responsible for Overall Comms Plan: Michael Parker (Ministry) and Saily - Aitken (ERO) 9 Ministry Spokesperson: Karin Dalgleish ERO Spokesperson: Stephanie Greaney. a Ministry Media Contact: Ruth Laugesen a ERO Media Contact: Sally Aitken Risks and Responses Risk Response is. Variable or The Ministry is responsible for pre' the national ECE limited teachers curriculum framework, Te is is acknowledged as'worid knowledge of leading and cutting edge. curriculum As part of licensing I ECE service the Ministry spends considerable time delivera ourricuiu- 0 all ages of children. This includes the implementatng fp?r?rammes that support learning of infants and toddlers. waiuegcome back and visit the service a year tater to ensure . 'ervice has established a sound curriculum before issuin ?the rvice with a full licence to operate. Th__ deveid?pment and implementation of each individual ECE fife-P?s curriculum is the responsibility of that provider. When i-jt?a?ff isit ECE services they will discuss the findings of the report, how the service is catering for this age group in terms of their i. i/r" .. ?jaearnin The Ministry will contact all providers this month as part of the Early Learning Bulietin, reminding them that they need to actively promote positive learning outcomes for infants and toddlers, and . particularly 2?3 year olds. We will provide guidance for them to do this. ERO alerts the Ministry in ail cases where services receive a rating of ?not Well placed" or "needing development". following an ERO review. Ministry staff then work with the service to ensure that improvements are made to the operation TRisk Response Lack of PLD for Teachers in over half the services had undertaken PLD reiated to infants and infants and toddlers. toddlers PLD is the responsibility of individual providers. The Ministry funds some PLD for teachers of infants and toddlers through its ECE professional deveiopment programme (SELO). This is to support services in areas of low participation to improve the quality of their provision for this age group. in 2015/16 the Ministry is providing approximately half a miliion dollars ($475,000) available for infant and toddler PLD through SELO to an estimated 116 providers Following the report, the Ministry will contact all EOE providers via the Early Learning Builetin, reminding them that they need to actively promote positive learning outcomes for infants and to do this that SELO funding is certain cases and (ii) NB ELB is scheduled for release 17?" August, 2015 education and care networks and kindergartens Risk Response - Lack of There isan expectation as part of services? licensin transition implementation of the curriculum includes supper Ts," iidren?s support for transitions, both for infants and toddlers and emigrate and infants and toddlers to school. \s?r jisk Response More Both kindergartens and homestgfas?g?etducation and care networks home?based are ?h under-represented in oursegjil/lost kindergartens do not have children under the ag enrolled. Those that do need to make sure they pla c? rriculum to be responsive to this group. There were only 3" based education and care networks in (E I childhood eservices. are in the our sample. h'sasfince developed and trialled a new ?limited methodolog ear/"reviews of home-based education and care responsiveness? network - or ?nct responsive? \e categories. Risk Besponse :23 Leadership, a highly reflective cuiture and whole staff professional and a learning and development about working with infants and toddlers were particularly important for promoting positive learning gas I outcomes for these children. Appendix 4 of the report includes ?xi?g?int for detail about the spread of ratios, group sizes and qualifications -- across different categories of responsiveness. Background information toddlers, and together with ERO provide guidance to support them in Terms 1 and 2 2014, ERO investigated how a service?s curriculum supported infants and toddlers to be competent and confident communicators and explorers. This report investigates whether early childhood centres provided a curriculum that promoted positive learning outcomes for infants and toddlers and enabled them to ?as, become competent and confident communicators and explorers. The review of 235 early childhood services, undertaken in 2014. was prompted by recent reports that highlighted the need to focus on how infants and toddlers are supported in New Zealand?s early childhood sector. ERO concluded that early childhood services generally foouesed on establishing warm and nurturing relationships with infants and toddlers and put less empga - supporting children to be communicators and explorers. . that supported infants and toddiers to become competent and co file communicators and explorers. i g? . . If?; I. Help Just over half of the services in the review (54 percent) had a respo ,ageicerriculum Just under half of the services (46 percent) provided less for infants and toddlers to do so. This latter group comprises 30 perce of ices who have been classified as ?Limited responsiveness? and 16 perce tag? Ken/ices classified as ?Not responsive?. x5 From: Sent: Thursday, 12 Feruary 2015 8:50 am. To: Karl Le Quesne Co: - Andrew McLoughlin; and oral Subject: Re: ERO report infants and todd ere Ok thanks Kari. i?ll let Stephanie know, when I talk to her next. Sent from my iPhone 'We get the job done Ke off i a metou nga? mabi .- ?95? way to them? at" and and sax-nun) oral Hi Yes we?ve been collating feedback and will provide it shortly. Karl Le Quesne Group Manager EOE DDI +64 4 463 8090 1 Ext 48090 45-47 Pipitea St, Weliington {5515-} '13 Ministry of Education I To Tahuhu te Metauranga .. We are res pectfui, we iisten, we learn He rope re?ned fine rope whakarongo, he reps aka metou We back ourselves and others to win Ka aw a maiou me eta-hi eke kr'a wikitoria We work together for maximum impact ngaiahr? mo ie iukinga nur? tonu hematite weir-gem 0W 212015x?z41 am. From: Sent: Thursday, 12 Febru To: Karl Le Quesne i Subject: ERO report, Importa e: Hi lat/4% gar-- no .. ~59. Hi Kari, - 5 -.. he below email from ERO about an ERO report (infants and toddlers), which they 4 I ived feedback for. know about this report? Did your team meet with ERO about it, and is there any feedback on I?ve been doing some work with the office and ERO to co me up with a proposal for responding to ERO requests for feedback on their reports, which i think is why Stephanie has contacted me about this particular report. and om Chief Adviser Student chievement (2)18) and OW (.0 my. lyre; 64-4474 1230 From: Stephanie Greaney and sex-nun) oral report Infants and toddlers Good afternoo I. .. We sent the infants an toddlers report to the Ministry on Dec 15 with a deliberately long response time (Feb 5). I omitted to specifically send it to you though. As yet we haven?t had any feedback from the Ministry and wondered if you could find out when we might receive it. and OlAl Thank you for your help with this. Stephanie Greaney From: Stephanie Greaney - Sent: Monday, 15 December 2014 10:08 am. To: Zoe Griffiths; 'Lesley Hosk' ?Karl Le Quesne?; ?Grahathoop?gpiig Uieovtnz'; 'Lisa Rodgers?,? ?Katrina Casey'; .3 pg old V?s?Ff Morena Attached is a confidential draft of report about infants a tod rs for your comment and feedback. We recognised that some key members ofyour te - on leave over the next couple of months and are therefore giving additional timg rid?" eedback. We would like any comments by Thursday 5 February {just before Waitan remind others, you may share this report with, that this is a confidential draft. {and his team before the February date so we can Qy 3e messages or risks to consider as part of the ,r talking with Ministry comms to plan our 'We will try to arrange to meet with Karl Le discuss the report?s recommendations and communication strategy. ERO comms