In addition to our colleagues at the locations, Partou has a Quality, Pedagogy & Innovation department at the service office. This department consists of a large group of professionals, ranging from pedagogical specialists to quality managers, from pedagogical coaches to pre-school education managers and coaches, and of course, the activity team. Together, we ensure that our pedagogical story is told, we keep up with legislative developments, and we assist our locations in moving forward.
Our pedagogical policy
All our locations work according to the Partou Pedagogy, which consists of a general part applicable to all locations and the location guide specific to your location.
Internal documents
In our location handbook for employees, all associated policy documents can be found in a special library. We explain our methods to our childcare workers therein, which also helps pedagogical coaches support employees in their pedagogical practices.
Annual inspection by the GGD
All our locations meet the quality requirements of the Childcare Act. Every year, a GGD inspector visits our locations on behalf of the municipality to verify this. You can find the most recent inspection report on your location's website. Additionally, the location manager shares the report with the parent committee.
Annual rhythm
Each year, the KP&I department creates a central annual calendar, distributing the components of the Partou Pedagogy throughout the year. Consequently, location managers and colleagues receive a quarterly newsletter with important information. We also outline activities scheduled for the upcoming period on the activity calendar in the quarterly newsletters. Furthermore, we inspire our colleagues with in-depth pedagogical information, for example, through our own pedagogical blog "Om het Kind" or in our employee magazine "pm". This way, everyone understands why we do what we do.
At the locations
No location is the same. Therefore, each team makes its own choices regarding how they want to strengthen the pedagogical climate. At the end of the year, they assess and create a year-focus plan for the new year. This plan outlines what the team will focus on throughout the year. Our quality and pre-school education managers advise and support location managers in this process. They also keep a close eye on things by discussing the year-focus plan with location managers and visiting the location.
Policy in practice
It's not just important that our policy is well-documented; its execution is even more crucial. Various colleagues from the Quality, Pedagogy & Innovation (KP&I) department, as well as other departments, support colleagues in implementing policy at the locations. Below, you'll read who does what.
Location manager
Since no location is the same, each manager, together with the team, makes their own choices regarding how to strengthen the pedagogical climate. At the end of the year, they assess and create a year-focus plan for the new year, outlining the team's objectives. The location manager ensures that the content of the location guide is up-to-date and that the team works according to the Partou Pedagogy.
Quality managers
Our quality managers advise and support location and operational managers in implementing and securing pedagogical policies. They regularly visit the locations to keep a finger on the pulse and frequently discuss matters with pedagogical coaches.
Pedagogical coach
Each location has a pedagogical coach who supports childcare workers in their work. They provide coaching and advice on pedagogical practices and assist in their professional development.
Curious about how we calculate and distribute available coaching and policy hours across all locations? Click here.
For pre-school education (VE) locations, we calculate coaching hours based on the number of children with a VE indication, multiplied by 10 hours. You can find information on the number of hours allocated per location in the location guide.
Pre-school education (VE) coach
At some locations, we complement pedagogical coaching with coaching from a VE coach, an expert in pre-school education. Both coaches coordinate closely to reinforce each other's efforts.
Pedagogical specialists
Our pedagogical specialists coach colleagues from specific target groups, such as substitute employee, or provide support at locations where a little extra assistance is needed. They also assist pedagogical coaches with more complex issues and develop tools for them.
External pedagogical coaches
Sometimes, we work with external pedagogical coaches who, together with a team, address a theme aligned with our pedagogical policies.
Monitoring, science & advice department
This department closely monitors various aspects of our pedagogical quality and ensures up-to-date knowledge by collaborating with various universities in the Netherlands.
Learning & development department
This department develops inspiring work formats that location managers can use during team meetings or staff training days. Additionally, our own learning environment, the Partou Academy, offers training and learning pathways, ensuring all our colleagues operate in a consistently expert manner.