Performance Indicators
(Pre-primary Institutions) Domain on
Support to Children and
School Culture
Second Edition
Content
Content Page
I. Foreword 1
II. A Framework of Performance Indicators for Pre-primary Institutions in Hong Kong 3 III. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture: Key Principles 5 IV. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture: Profile of Performance Indicators 6 V. Domain of Support to Children and School Culture
(Area: Caring and Supporting Services)
7
VI. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Links with Parents and External Organisations)
11
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture) 15
VIII. Source of Information 20
IX. References and Websites 21
(Except for commercial or advertising purposes, full or partial reproduction of this booklet with acknowledgement of the source is permitted.)
I. Foreword
Background
In its comprehensive review of the overall education system in Hong Kong in 1999, the Education Commission (EC) iterated the importance of early childhood education (ECE) as the foundation for life-long learning, and that the quality of ECE would have a far- reaching effect on the growth of the younger generation. To enhance the development of quality ECE, the EC recommended that pre- primary institutions should take various measures to build up a quality culture. To tie in with the aims of ECE, the Education Department (ED) published the document Performance Indicators (for Kindergartens) First Edition (the First Edition) in July 2000, which serves as reference for self-evaluation and external assessment.
To enhance the comprehensiveness and practicability of the Performance Indicators (PIs), ED started the refinement of the First Edition in phases, taking into account experience gained from pilot tests on the PIs, views collected from front-line ECE workers and current ECE developments. The first phase of improving the PIs in the Domain of Teaching and Learning had been completed, and the document Performance Indicators (Pre-primary institutions) Domain on Learning and Teaching, Second Edition (the Second Edition), was distributed to pre-primary institutions in September 2001. The refinement of the PIs in other Domains has also started.
In order to solicit as many views as possible from staff of pre- primary institutions (including kindergartens and child care centres), ED and Social Welfare Department (SWD), besides inviting stakeholders and experienced ECE workers to a working group on the development of PIs, have again launched a wide consultation through questionnaire surveys and seminars, so as to draw experiences and collect opinions on the development of PIs. In the light of the views collected, the refinement of the PIs, covering the Domain on Management and Organisation and Domain on Support to Children and School Culture has been completed. The Second Edition can serve all pre-primary institutions as reference to advance towards quality education.
Electronic versions of the PIs can be downloaded from:
http://www.edb.gov.hk/en/sch-admin/sch-quality-assurance/
performance-indicators/kg/domains/index.html
Key Features of Performance Indicators
Domain on Support to Children and School Culture Second Edition
Restructuring the ‘What to look for’ items
Overlapping and minor ‘What to look for’ items in the First Edition are removed and related components are integrated.
Hence, the Second Edition is more concise and precise.
Stating two levels of evidence of performance
The Second Edition provides, for each ‘What to look for’ item, substantial and specific evidence of performance as reference to assessing the performance of pre-primary institutions.
Elaboration of key principles and refinement of layout
In the Second Edition, an explicit account on the key principle of respective areas is given. The one for the Support to Children and School Culture Domain is on Page 5. The column “Evidence of performance” appears side by side with the ‘What to look for’
column, and the “Source of information” and “Reference and websites” are listed on Page 20 and Page 21 respectively.
Way Forward
The ultimate goal of ED is to formulate a set of comprehensive, practicable, reliable and valid PIs as a reference for evaluating the performance of pre-primary institution. We believe that continuous empirical application, consultation and research are the driving forces in improving and developing the PIs.
Enquiries, comments and suggestions on the Second Edition are welcome. They can be directed to the Kindergarten Inspection Section, Education Bureau:
Address : Room 1216, 12/F Wu Chung House,
213 Queen’s Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong Telephone : (852)2892 5458
Fax : (852)3104 0865
E-mail : kginspection@edb.gov.hk
II. A Framework of Performance Indicators for Pre-primary Institutions in Hong Kong Areas of Work to be Assessed
To enable a thorough assessment on the performance of a pre- primary institution, PIs are designed to cover the following areas of work under four major domains.
Diagram I
Inter-relationship of the Domains of PIs
The PIs in Domains I to III are collectively known as Process Indicators, reflecting pre-primary institution’s capacity in providing a desirable learning environment conducive to the development of quality education. Those in Domain IV are the Outcome Indicators, covering the progress of children in different aspects, to reveal the effectiveness of the pre-primary institution. The four Domains are equally important and of mutual influence to each other, and are closely related to the context of individual pre-primary institutions when assessing its performance.
Diagram II
AreaDomain
Caring and Supporting Services
Links with Parents and External Organisations School Culture
Cognitive Development
Physical Development Affective and Social
Development Aesthetic and Cultural
Development Planning and
Administration
Leadership
Staff Management Utilisation of
Resources
Self-evaluation
Curriculum Planning
Teaching and Caring for Children
Children’s Learning
Assessment of Learning Experiences
III Support to Children and School Culture I
Management and Organisation
II Learning and
Teaching
IV Children’s Development
(Process Indicators) (Outcome Indicators) Context of pre-primary
institution
III Support to Children and School Culture I
Management and Organisation
II Learning and
Teaching
IV Children’s Development
Points to Note
Starting from the four domains with a macro view, the framework of PIs has been categorized and proceeds orderly from “Area”, “PI”,
“Aspect”, “What to look for” to “Evidence of performance”.
The following points should be observed when using the PIs to assess the performance of pre-primary institutions:
No single PI should be used in isolation in judging the performance of a pre-primary institution. Neither should the statements in the columns of “Aspect” nor "What to look for" be taken as checklists, lest the overall performance of the pre-primary institution will be overlooked.
PIs can be used to identify the pre-primary institution’s strengths and areas for improvement. Assessors can, in accordance with the practical needs of the pre-primary institution, designate specific
“Domains”, “Areas” or “PIs” for collecting pieces of evidence to evaluate the pre-primary institution’s performance in these particular aspects.
Professional judgement and experience are essential in the application and interpretation of PIs. Thus, PIs should be used flexibly and sensibly, and with the context of the pre-primary institution fully addressed.
Evidence of Performance
In the course of pursuing quality ECE, PIs and their associated pieces of evidence of performance can be used as a tool to assess performance. They can also help reflect the stage of development of individual pre- primary institutions. All pieces of evidence of performance are provided at four levels (excellent, good, acceptable and unsatisfactory):
“Excellent” An exemplary level of performance which can be disseminated as good practices and regarded as a direction for the development of pre-primary institutions.
“Good” A good level of performance with major strengths identified in various aspects, but there is still some room for development.
“Acceptable” A generally satisfactory level of performance, but there is much room for improvement.
“Unsatisfactory” A generally unacceptable level of performance which requires immediate action for improvement.
To avoid being repetitious and fragmentary, and to enhance its flexibility in application, only the pieces of evidence for levels of
“excellent performance” and “acceptable performance” are provided in the Second Edition.
III. Domains on Support to Children and School Culture: Key Principles
Good school culture and effective support to children would help enhance learning and teaching effectiveness in pre-primary institutions. To enable pre-primary institutions to be more effective in enhancing school culture and support to children, actions can be taken in the following three areas: Caring and Supporting Services, Links with Parents and External Organisations as well as School Culture. It is necessary for the management of pre-primary institutions to work closely with staff, parents and the community, and to establish quality culture so as to cater for the developmental needs of children, and to provide suitable services for them. The key principles underpinning the performance indicators of this domain are as follows:
Caring and Supporting Services
The pre-primary institution formulates child-oriented policies and adopts a whole school approach for deliberate provision of activities and support services to children with diverse needs to help them develop self-understanding and positive values, build up confidence, enrich their life experience, as well as stretch their potential.
Links with Parents and External Organisations
Pre-primary institution and parents form partnership to maintain close ties with each other. Parental involvement in matters of the institution is encouraged. The institution keeps close links with external organisations and makes good use of community resources to facilitate its development and enable children to enrich themselves and develop their potential through participation in life-wide learning activities.
School Culture
The culture of pre-primary institution is established through interaction of the people, environment, history, traditions and mission of the institution. Harmonious interpersonal relationships as well as collaborative and pleasant atmosphere cultivate the team spirit and instil in all members of the institution a strong sense of belonging and commitment, whereby mutual acceptance and individuals’ potential can be stretched.
IV. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture: Profile of Performance Indicators
Area Code No. Performance Indicator Aspect
Caring and Supporting Services
3.1 Services for Children with Special Educational Needs
Provision of support to the gifted, disabled, and children with learning difficulties, emotional problems or chronic illness
3.2 Support to Children Provision of support to children with family problems
Provision of support to newly arrived children
Provision of support to newly admitted children
Provision of support to children within the institution
Links with Parents and External Organisations
3.3 Home-school Cooperation Communication channels
Home-school relationship 3.4 Links with External Organisations Links with other organisations
School Culture 3.5 Climate Vision and mission
Views towards pre-primary institution
Participation and collaboration 3.6 Interpersonal Relationship Staff relationship
Staff-children relationship
Peer relationship among children
V. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Caring and Supporting Services)
Performance Indicator 3.1: Services for Children with Special Educational Needs
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Provision of
support to the gifted, disabled, and children with
learning difficulties, emotional problems or chronic illness
How does the pre- primary institution identify the unusual behaviour of children?
There is a guideline to assist staff to report and record the irregularities of children from daily observation in the institution. There is also a system to monitor the children’s development and to assess the developmental needs of individuals, so as to provide relevant and timely assistance.
(Performance at a level between “Excellent” and “Acceptable”)
The institution records the irregularities of children with learning difficulties through daily observations.
(Performance at a level below “Acceptable”)
Do the staff accept children with special educational needs and help them integrate into the school life?
With the principle of education for all, the institution accepts children with diverse special educational needs and provides them with a congenial school life. The staff understand the differences among the children, respect and give due recognition to the uniqueness and performance of individuals, and provide opportunities for children to develop healthily according to their needs and abilities.
The staff generally accept children with special educational needs.
They are willing to give assistance.
How does the pre- primary institution render support to children with special educational needs?
The institution maintains a close link with parents and relevant organisations to work out effective remedial support for the children. Whenever necessary, prompt arrangement is made for
If necessary, professional bodies will be contacted to render support to children with special educational needs.
V. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Caring and Supporting Services)
Performance Indicator 3.2: Support to Children
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Provision of
support to children with family problems
How does the pre- primary institution support children with family problems?
Through various means, the staff are aware of and record the family conditions of the children with family problems. They accept and sympathise the emotional disturbance of these children.
They are able to provide them with relevant counselling and support services.
The staff are encouraged to contact parents so as to understand the family conditions of the children.
In general, the staff accept and sympathise these children.
Provision of support to newly arrived children
How does the pre- primary institution help the newly arrived children adapt to school life?
The institution maintains a close link with parents to foster better communication and understanding.
Relevant supports are rendered in accordance with these children’s living conditions in Hong Kong.
There are communication channels with parents to understand the children’s living conditions in Hong Kong.
Taking into account children’s difference in abilities, the pre- primary educators are able to adapt the curriculum and adapt flexible time arrangement to facilitate learning. Caring and support are extended to those of individual needs so as to boost up their confidence and strengthen their sense of security.
The pre-primary educators care about the adaptation of the newly arrived children and are willing to help.
V. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Caring and Supporting Services)
Performance Indicator 3.2: Support to Children (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Provision of
support to newly admitted children
How does the pre- primary institution help newly admitted children adapt to school life?
The institution cares about the responses of newly admitted children and the need of their parents to counsel them.
Systematic plans are imposed to appropriately and effectively help these children adapt to the new learning environment.
The institution has prepared newly admitted children for school life and is willing to assist parents counsel their children.
Relevant strategies are adapted to effectively help children adapt to the new environment.
In general, pre-primary educators can help children adapt to school life.
How does the pre- primary institution help halfway-admitted
children adapt to school life?
The staff are friendly and keep close contacts with these children so as to understand their social life and assist them to adapt to school life.
The staff are friendly. They are willing to assist these children to adapt to school life.
V. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Caring and Supporting Services)
Performance Indicator 3.2: Support to Children (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Provision of
support to children within the institution
How does the pre- primary institution help children adapt to school life?
The institution can effectively help children adapt to school life and deal with emotions aroused from life changes by adopting appropriate strategies, allocating better human resources and organising diversified activities.
The institution is concerned about the school life of its children.
Activities are organised to help children understand their emotions.
What kind of assistance is provided for children likely to be promoted to primary one to prepare for primary school life?
The institution is able to introduce systematically lives in primary schools, so as to increase children’s knowledge on schooling. The institution is concerned about the weariness of these children and takes measures to psychologically prepare them for primary school life.
There are activities to prepare children likely to be promoted to primary one to understand primary school life.
VI. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Links with Parents and External Organisations)
Performance Indicator 3.3: Home-school Cooperation
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Communication
channels
How do the pre-primary institution and parents communicate with each other?
The institution provides diversified channels to have timely communication with parents on the performance of their children.
Parents are encouraged to make use of these channels to increase home-school cooperation and to strengthen mutual respect and support.
The institution communicates with parents through various channels and regularly informs parents of their children’s progress.
VI. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Links with Parents and External Organisations)
Performance Indicator 3.3: Home-school Cooperation (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Home-school
relationship
How does the pre- primary institution render support to parents?
The institution values parental education. Diversified activities are organised to help parents have a better understanding of the institution’s vision and aims as well as the growth patterns of children so as to foster their development.
The institution encourages parents to participate in its activities so as to foster the growth of their children.
How does the pre- primary institution encourage parents to participate in its activities? Do parents support the activities?
The institution accepts and
acknowledges parents’
participation in devising, planning and implementing its activities.
Parents trust and support the institution. They are enthusiastic in participating in the activities and willing to give opinions.
The institution encourages parents to take part in its activities through different channels. Parents are willing to participate.
VI. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Links with Parents and External Organisations)
Performance Indicator 3.3: Home-school Cooperation (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Home-school
relationship (cont’d)
How do families and the institution co-operate with each other?
The institution maintains a close link with the families so that they can understand children’s home life and their misbehaviours. Good rapport with positive attitude and appropriate guidance is sustained to facilitate children growth.
The institution is willing to cooperate with the families so as to understand children’s home life.
How does the pre- primary institution foster home-school cooperation?
Diversified supporting network is established to pool parents’ efforts in organising various activities and sharing experiences of nurturing the young. The institution systematically collects parents’
opinions so as to improve its work.
The institution encourages parents to assist in organising activities.
VI. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: Links with Parents and External Organisations)
Performance Indicator 3.4: Links with External Organisations
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Links with other
organisations
How does the pre- primary institution maintain its links with different organisations?
The institution maintains a close link with professional bodies so that timely referrals that require special care could be made whenever necessary.
The institution maintains a list of organisations that can render support services.
The institution maintains a close link with associated organisations and communities in the district.
Resources of the organisations and communities are fully utilised to give effective support for the activities and services organised so as to broaden the horizons of children and foster their development.
The institution maintains its links with the community and other schools. External resources are utilised to render support to the activities and services organised by the institution.
The institution systematically stores up community information that serves as references for pre- primary educators to plan life-wide learning activities.
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture)
Performance Indicator 3.5: Climate
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Vision and
mission
What is the attitude of the staff towards the vision and mission of
the pre-primary institution?
The staff fully understand and consent to the vision and mission of the institution. They show their support by actively participate in activities organised by the institution.
The staff are aware of and agree to the vision and mission of the institution.
What is the attitude of the parents towards the vision and mission of the pre-primary institution?
The parents fully understand and consent to the mission of the institution. They show their support by actions.
The parents understand the education visions of the institution.
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture)
Performance Indicator 3.5: Climate (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Views towards
pre-primary institution
How do the staff perceive the institution?
The staff are very satisfied with the working environment of the institution. They consider their work meaningful and have developed a strong sense of belonging towards the institution.
The staff are generally satisfied with the working environment of the institution.
How do the children perceive the institution?
The children like going to the kindergarten/ child-care centre.
They have a strong sense of belonging.
The children like going to the kindergarten/child care centre.
They adore the staff.
How do the parents perceive the institution?
The parents appreciate the
institution’s outstanding performance, the enthusiasm of its
staff and its culture.
The parents are satisfied with the performance of the institution.
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture)
Performance Indicator 3.5: Climate (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Participation and
collaboration
To what extent do the staff participate and collaborate in the affairs and activities of the pre-primary institution?
The staff value team collaboration.
They promote experience sharing and classroom observation among themselves. They are dedicated and active in taking part in the institution affairs and activities, thereby demonstrating the spirit of collaboration in the institution.
The staff take up their roles conscientiously. They are cooperative.
To what extent do the children participate in the activities of the pre- primary institution?
The children participate in activities actively and enthusiastically. The learning atmosphere is cheerful.
The children are willing to participate in the activities of the institution.
To what extent do the parents participate and collaborate in the affairs and activities of the pre-primary institution?
The parents are supportive to the institution. They are keen to voice their opinions and participate in the affairs and activities of the institution, thereby, helping the institution further develop.
The parents are concerned about the affairs and activities of the institution.
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture)
Performance Indicator 3.6: Interpersonal Relationship
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Staff relationship How do the staff of the
pre-primary institution get along with one another? How is their inter-relationship?
Mutual trust, respect and acceptance are apparent among the staff of the institution. Amicable relationship is maintained.
The staff are unified and cooperative. There are frequent exchanges among the staff so that they can learn from and support one another.
The staff of the institution respect and cooperate with one another.
They work harmoniously.
Staff-child relationship
How do the staff and children get along with one another? How is their inter-relationship?
The staff love and care the children, and the children respect them. They get along well with one another. The staff are approachable and friendly. They accept children’s ideas and listen to their experience and feelings patiently. Encouragement and recognition are often given. The children perceive the staff as their role models, and are willing to share feelings with them.
The staff get along well with the children. They are amicable and care about the children’s needs.
The children respect the staff and are willing to join activities with them.
VII. Domain on Support to Children and School Culture (Area: School Culture)
Performance Indicator 3.6: Interpersonal Relationship (cont’d)
Aspect What to look for
Evidence of Performance
Excellent Good Acceptable Unsatis-
factory Peer relationship
among children
How do the children get along with one another?
How is their inter- relationship?
The children maintain harmonious relationship. There is mutual care, respect and acceptance among children. Children enjoy participating in social lives and are good learning partners to one another.
The children get along well and cooperate with one another.
VIII. Source of Information
In conducting self-evaluation or quality assurance inspection, the following methods can be used to collect data, which is to be verified by various perspectives in order to come up with a more accurate assessment:
Observations : Observations of the environment and facilities of the pre-primary institution: observations conducted both inside and outside the classrooms.
Discussions and Interviews : Discussions and interviews with parents, ECE workers, principals/centre supervisors and other staff.
Questionnaire Surveys : Questionnaires to parents, ECE workers and other staff of the pre-primary institution.
Scrutiny of Documents : Policy paper, handbooks/code of practice
e.g.: documents related to administrative procedures and regulations, case referrals, curriculum and teaching guidelines, booklets on safety measures, teacher handbooks, children handbooks, and policies and handbooks of work procedures on child support measures.
Plans
e.g.: curriculum plans, institution plans, staff development plans, programmes of work concerning support to children, and types and schedules of activities organised.
Records
e.g.: minutes of meetings of various child support measures working groups, financial statements and records of utilisation of resources, child activities records, qualifications of staff and training provided, and statistics and records of referrals.
Reports
e.g.: various annual reports on child support measures, and evaluation reports.
Documents related to links with external organizations
e.g.: documents, records and correspondence related to the links with parent-teacher associations/ parental groups/ other pre-primary institutions/ educational bodies/ agencies.
Others
e.g.: documents and school magazines detailing the mission, goals and constitution of the pre-primary institution.
IX. References and Websites References
Hong Kong Curriculum Development Institute (1996). Guide to the Pre-primary Curriculum. Education Department, Hong Kong.
OMEP-Hong Kong (1999). The Criteria for High Quality Programmes of Early Childhood Education and Care in Hong Kong, Second Edition.
Hong Kong.
Bredekamp, S. & Copple, C. (1997). Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.
Websites
Performance Indicators ( for Pre-primary institution) (First Edition)
Basic Education (Curriculum Development Institute, Education Department)
Profile of Kindergartens (2001-2002)
Social Welfare Department Family and Child welfare Services http://www.swd.gov.hk/en/index/site_pubsvc/page_family/
