89 Fairburn Road, Otahuhu, Auckland
View on mapERO’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.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Akoteu Kenani is one of seven full immersion Tongan services governed by the Va’a Fonua Methodist Church Early Childhood Group Trust. The acting centre manager oversees the operation and administration of the service. The church minister assists with administration. Three registered teachers, four support staff and a cook make up the staff team.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to nurture reciprocal relationships. A philosophy statement guides the service’s operation and expresses their beliefs and values.
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 and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. The curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
(HS14).The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
21 December 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Akoteu Kenani |
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Profile Number |
10269 |
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Location |
Otahuhu, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers (delete if not applicable) |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
33 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 6, Tongan 17, other Pacific 5, other ethnic groups 5 |
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Review team on site |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
21 December 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2019 |
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.
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO assesses whether the regulated 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Akoteu Kenani requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
The programme for children should be based on the goals and strands of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teaching and the learning environment need to be developed to provide opportunities for curiosity and creativity. Effective management systems are yet to be developed to prioritise children's learning, implement appraisal processes, ensure effective policy review and internal evaluation.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Akoteu Kenani is a Tongan language centre located in Otahuhu. The centre is sited on the church property and is licensed to provide a full day education and care service for 38 children including up to 10 under two years of age. Children attending the centre have Tongan heritage. The centre’s philosophy promotes fakatonga and the Christian faith.
Children are grouped according to age in separate spaces in the centre. For periods during the day, children are able to play together as a mixed age group in the outdoor area. The centre manager plays an active role in the programme. Four of the teachers are qualified and one teacher is being supported to become fully registered. All teachers are fluent in the Tongan language.
Akoteu Kenani operates under the auspices of the New Zealand Methodist Church in a two-tiered management system. The centre is one of six centres in the Va'a Fonua, the Methodist Church early childhood group. Akoteu Kenani is managed by a management committee made up of the minister, church members, teachers and parents. As the contact person for the centre, the minister has a significant role in monitoring and supporting the centre. The minister and most of the qualified staff are new to the centre.
In 2015, ERO identified teaching and learning, management and health and safety as key areas to develop. There has been minimal progress in these areas and it remains a challenge for teachers and leaders to attain and sustain high quality practices.
Children engage in activities, some with persistence, and are keen to learn through play. They are physically confident and have a strong sense of belonging within the centre. Displays in the centre celebrate and affirm Tongan culture. Teachers are welcoming in a family friendly environment.
The programme for children is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Values such as Tauhi Va (Healthy relationships), Faka'apa'apa (respect), Loto To (Humility), and Mamahi'i Me'a (Commitment) are promoted well.
Children are familiar with centre routines, and actively participate in them. Children choose from a range of activities set up by teachers and from resources that are readily accessible. Teachers’ interactions with children are positive and supportive. Children with additional needs are supported well.
Infants and toddlers benefit from nurturing, sensitive and individualised care. They are respected and encouraged to develop independence. Care interactions are warm and unhurried. Infants and toddlers are supported to acquire Tongan language.
Centre managers and teachers need to develop a shared vision and a culture of high expectations so that a curriculum that engages children in their learning is established and sustained. Teachers have identified the need for professional development to develop effective teaching practices that will impact positively on children's learning. Teachers could improve the programme by gaining deeper understandings of theories about children’s learning in early childhood, particularly in purposeful learning and developing children's social and emotional competence.
Teachers are developing a focus on dispositional learning. They now need to focus their planning on effective teaching strategies rather than resources and activities. Teachers should provide greater opportunities for wonder, curiosity and creativity in the programme to increase children's learning. They should take on responsibility and develop leadership roles that will promote sustainable practices.
Some teachers have developed assessment practices with a focus on individual children. They provide fanau with regular information about their child's learning. Teachers should now aim for consistency of these good practices for all children.
Management systems are developing. Centre managers should participate in governance training, and review the management structure to ensure staffing and resourcing prioritise children's learning.
The centre should develop a strategic plan aligned to an annual plan that is regularly evaluated. Policy review should be established to ensure that practices are kept current with legislative changes.
Performance management systems that offer good feedback for teachers in relation to Teaching Council standards are yet to be established. Processes for internal evaluation are in place and could be improved by the use of indicators of effective practice in significant aspects of the programme.
Centre leaders agree next steps to improve centre practices include:
promoting children’s exploration, creativity and social competence within a high quality learning environment with challenging resources
participating in professional development programmes that meet teachers’ and leaders' learning needs
implementing performance management processes to guide teachers to consistently meet all the Standards for the Teaching Profession
developing internal evaluation processes to improve the quality of learning programmes and children's learning outcomes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Akoteu Kenani 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:
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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to health and safety. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
ensuring the provision of a quality curriculum
policies are kept current with legislative changes particularly the Children's Act
all non-registered staff are police vetted every three years.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, Reg 43, HS31, GMA6, GMA7A
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
14 June 2019
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.
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Location |
Otahuhu, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10269 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
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Number licensed for |
38 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
37 |
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Gender composition |
Girls 22 Boys 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
March 2019 |
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Date of this report |
14 June 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
July 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
March 2010 |
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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.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.