Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool

ERO’s Akanuku | Assurance Review reports provide information about whether a service meets and maintains regulatory standards. Further information about Akanuku | Assurance Reviews is included at the end of this report.

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool is a total immersion Tongan centre. It is located at the back of the Lalanga Fonua site. The curriculum is embedded in Tongan culture, language, and Christian beliefs. Most of the children enrolled are of Tongan heritage.

A board of trustees governs and manages centre operations. Since ERO’s previous report in 2016, the service has worked with the Ministry of Education to meet licensing requirements.

Summary of Review Findings

Faiako engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. A range of experiences are provided to enhance children’s learning and development.

The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children have opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture.

The service continues to not meet regulatory standards. Governance and management systems to monitor and maintain licensing requirements have not been established.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• having a current fire evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand
• ensuring records of excursions include the mode of travel, adult: child ratios, evidence of parental permission and approval of adult: child ratios for special excursions and the signature of the person responsible for giving approval for the excursion to take place
• providing written information to parents about the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service, and about any planned reviews and consultation
• having evidence of opportunities provided for parents and adults providing education and care to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents
• having a process for reviewing and evaluating the service’s operations, that includes evaluation of different areas of service operations and recorded outcomes from the review and evaluation process
• having an annual plan identifying ‘who’ and ‘what’ in relation to key tasks undertaken each year
• having an annual budget setting out estimated revenue and expenses that include staff costs including leave entitlements, professional development costs and equipment/material costs for the ongoing purchase of new equipment and consumable materials, and maintenance of the premises.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS4, HS17, GMA3, GMA4, GMA6, GMA8, GMA9.

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following
non-compliances:

• Ensuring windows and areas of glass accessible to children are made of safety glass (PF7).
• Securely covering cots and stretcher beds used by more than one child over time, with a non-porous material to protect children from becoming soiled, that allows for easy cleaning (or is disposable) and does not present a suffocation hazard to children (PF30).
• Ensuring heavy furniture, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
• Having a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults at the service and details of how these will be maintained and accessed in an emergency. Including in the emergency plan, details of the roles and responsibilities that will apply during an emergency situation. Having evidence of review of the emergency plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).
• Maintaining written records of relevant emergency drills carried out every three months, and evidence of how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).
• Maintaining a record of daily hazard checks that includes all considerations required by this criterion (HS12).
• Having evidence that the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40°C (HS13).
• Having evidence that water stored in the hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).
• Having a process for human resource management that includes a definition of serious misconduct (GMA7).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

28 June 2023 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

All services are licensed under the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. The legal requirements for early childhood services also include the Licensing Criteria for Education and Care Services 2008.

Services must meet the standards in the regulations and the requirements of the licensing criteria to gain and maintain a licence to operate.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• having its first ERO review – including if it is part of a governing organisation
• previously identified as ‘not well placed’ or ‘requiring further development’
• that has moved from a provisional to a full licence
• that have been re-licenced due to a change of ownership
• where an Akanuku | Assurance Review process is determined to be appropriate.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

All early childhood services are required to promote children’s health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. Before the review, the staff and management of a service completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulatory standards are being met. In particular, ERO looks at a service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
• relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:

• discussions with those involved in the service
• consideration of relevant documentation, including the implementation of health and safety systems
• observations of the environment/premises, curriculum implementation and teaching practice.

1 Evaluation of Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool

How well placed is Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool is a total immersion Tongan centre. It provides culturally appropriate care and education for up to 20 children including five children under two years. The centre is located at the back of the Lalanga Fonua site, an organisation providing social services for Tongan peoples in the Glen Innes community. The curriculum is embedded in Tongan culture, language and the Christian ethos.

A board of trustees governs and manages centre operations. A parent committee supports the teachers and the supervisor with fundraising. They meet regularly to discuss events and ways to contribute to the centre's programme. The newly appointed centre supervisor oversees the daily operations, manages the curriculum and mentors staff. A contact person oversees the administrative aspects of the centre.

Since the 2012 ERO report the centre has been relicensed under the Early Childhood Regulations 2008. The board has accomplished a lot of work related to the development priorities identified in the ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children settle easily into the centre, are familiar with the centre's routines, and actively participate in the programme. Children are friendly and they play well with their peers. They converse enthusiastically in the Tongan language with adults and other children. Children are confident, independent and they happily engage in activities. Toddlers confidently explore the environment.

Teachers are respectful of children and they have positive relationships with parents, whānau and the board. Parents contribute to their children’s learning through the informal talanoa they have with teachers during drop off and pick up times. Some parents involve themselves in the daily programme by sharing their skills and experience.

The supervisor has made improvements to the centre’s learning programme. She guides the teaching team using Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum. The programme is flexible and is culturally appropriate. Teachers model Tongan ways of being, thinking, and behaving. Regular meetings help teachers to develop curriculum planning and assessment practices. Teachers could extend their knowledge and understanding of current theories of children’s learning and development.

Teachers are committed to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Children use te reo Māori during mat times and can sing a variety of Māori waiata. Teachers value and promote Māori children's identity in the centre.

The centre environment is attractive, with displays that give children affirmation of their identity, culture and language. The mixed age setting gives children a sense of family. Teachers could further review and extend resources and equipment in both the indoor and outdoor environments. The centre could provide a greater variety of good quality resources that challenge children in their learning.

Teachers are developing their understanding of internal evaluation for positive outcomes of children. They could work with an external adviser to help them to develop robust evaluation processes. Improved use of evaluation would help to strengthen the learning programme and curriculum management. Greater understanding of evaluation would help teachers to reflect more deeply on how well teaching practices and programmes are promoting positive outcomes for children.

The centre has addressed the development areas identified in the 2012 ERO report and the new board has the capacity to sustain these developments. The board and licensee continue to develop more robust and transparent management practices.

External professional development for teachers and the board is making an impact on positive outcomes for children. The board and teachers welcome external feedback and they are committed to continually improving. This attitude is well modelled and lead by the dedicated licensee.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps for the board and licensee are to develop:

• clear governance and management role and responsibilities
• and implement robust appraisal processes for teachers
• an annual action plan and formally document key actions to meet the centre’s strategic goals
• and review policies and procedures so that they are aligned to current legal requirements.

Key next steps for teachers are to:

• increase their curriculum knowledge so that they can enhance the quality of the programme
• develop a systematic approach to assessing children’s progress and learning over time
• provide further resources to increase the level of challenge and choice for children in the programme.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool completed an ERO Centre Assurance Statement and Self-Audit Checklist. In these documents they attested that they have taken all reasonable steps to meet their legal obligations related to:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:

• emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
• physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
• suitable staffing (including qualification levels; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Tongan Tamaki Fe'ofa'aki Preschool will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

21 September 2016

The Purpose of ERO Reports

The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:

Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children

Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children

Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children

Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.

ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.

A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.

For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.