83 Fourth Avenue, Whangarei CBD, Whangarei
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 |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Avenues EduCare is a community based, non-profit centre in Whangarei. Governance is provided by a committee, and the service is led by a manager who is a qualified teacher. There are six qualified teachers as well as an administrator and a cook. Two separate areas provide for children from infants to school age. A quarter of the children enrolled are of Māori heritage.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions with children. There are a range of experiences and opportunities provided to enhance and extend children’s learning and development, both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning and their developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour.
A philosophy statement guides the service’s operation. Consistent implementation and monitoring of licensing requirements is needed to maintain regulatory standards.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
documenting a procedure for monitoring children's sleep that includes children being checked for warmth, breathing, and general wellbeing
ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Funding Handbook.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS9, GMA7A, GMA11.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring that kitchen and cooking facilities or appliances are designed, located, or fitted with safety devices to ensure that children cannot access them without adult assistance or supervision (PF17).
Maintaining a first aid kit that complies with the requirements of Appendix 1 (PF28).
Having a current fire evacuation scheme approved by Fire and Emergency New Zealand (HS4).
Having a written emergency plan that includes the details of the roles and responsibilities that will apply during an emergency situation (HS7).
Ensuring that relevant emergency drills are carried out with children (as appropriate) on at least a three-monthly basis (HS8).
Ensuring that equipment, premises and facilities are checked on every day of operation, for hazards to children as required by this criterion (HS12).
Ensuring documentation when children leave the premises on a regular or special excursion, includes the signature of the person responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place (HS17).
Ensuring if children travel in a motor vehicle while in the care of the service, each child is restrained as required by Land Transport legislation (HS18).
Maintaining a record of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service that includes the date and time medicine was administered and evidence of parental acknowledgement they have been advised medicine was given to their child (HS28).
Providing information to parents about the amount and details of the expenditure of any MoE funding received by the service (GMA3).
Having an annual plan identifying ‘who’ in relation to key tasks the service intends to undertake each year (GMA8).
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.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
27 January 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Avenues EduCare |
|
Profile Number |
11511 |
|
Location |
Whangarei |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
56 |
|
Review team on site |
November 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
27 January 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2019; Education Review, April 2015 |
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.
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.
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Avenues EduCare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Avenues EduCare is a community based, non-profit centre in Whangarei. The centre is based in an historic building, having been the first childcare centre in Whangarei. It is currently licensed for 40 children, including up to 16 children under two years of age. The centre operates daily from 7 am to 5:30 pm.
The majority of children attending the centre are of Pākehā or Māori heritage. The philosophy is based on establishing relationships with children and whānau. Its aim is for teachers to recognise all children as individuals, and empower them to grow to their full potential.
ERO's 2015 report noted positive aspects, including a purposeful vision and good quality interactions between children and teachers. Suggested improvements included programme planning, bicultural practice, and aligning teacher appraisal goals with strategic goals. Some progress has been made in these areas.
The teaching team includes employees who have been at the centre for more than 10 years. The centre provides high teacher-to-child ratios. The manager, team leaders and registered teachers are supported by unqualified teachers, an administrator and a cook. A parent committee manages the governance of the centre.
Children are supported well to settle at the centre, and to communicate confidently with others. They understand that their ideas are valued, and develop a sense of themselves as capable learners. They freely explore both the inside and outdoor environments.
Leaders have intentionally created conditions that enable teachers to enact the centre's philosophy. Mutually trusting relationships among children and with teachers are evident. Teachers engage in meaningful conversations with children, supporting their wellbeing. Children have opportunities to participate in tuakana/teina interactions and play cooperatively with each other.
Teachers are inclusive and follow an individualised approach to accommodate the diverse learning needs of children from different backgrounds, and those with additional learning or language needs. Teachers use te reo Māori in the context of play and in documentation.
The environment at the centre reflects the current interests of children and teachers. Attractive and relevant wall displays and accessible information are available for children, parents and teachers. Children have opportunities to revisit their learning in both the under and over two year old environments.
Teachers develop trusting relationships with parents. They have established strong connections with families and the professional community. Teachers have a good knowledge and understanding of children's different backgrounds. Parents appreciate the thoughtful management of transitions into and within the centre, and on to school.
Leaders and teachers are developing a shared understanding about working with the 2017 revised Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers are trialling a new planning approach with the aim to gather better parent and child input into designing the programme. Assessments are regular and some portfolios show children's continuity of learning. It would be worthwhile for teachers to document all children's progress over time.
Teachers use a relevant framework for internal evaluation. The organisational culture at the centre supports collaboration, and internal evaluation leads to improved outcomes for children. They access relevant professional learning and development to strengthen their teaching practice. Teachers plan to review the philosophy to better align with Te Whāriki, the revised early childhood curriculum.
The well-developed strategic plan provides direction for centre operations. Aligning the annual planning with this plan, and setting specific indicators or measures, would support leaders and teachers to evaluate their progress in achieving the centre's strategic goals.
The manager and teachers provide detailed reports on centre operations to the committee. Some policies are being rewritten to ensure that they meet all current requirements and legislation. Health and safety practices related to excursions, sleep recording, medication administration, and emergency drills are being revised to provide better guidance for teachers.
Key next steps include:
strengthening programme planning by making visible the teaching role in children's learning, and evaluating the impact of teachers' practice on outcomes for children
further developing the centre's bicultural practice
making children's individual cultures more visible in centre documentation
strengthening internal evaluation to monitor progress against strategic centre goals.
Before the review, the staff and management of Avenues EduCare 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
18 February 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.
|
Location |
Whangarei |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
11511 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
60 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 35 Girls 25 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
14 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:5 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
18 February 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
April 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
||
|
Education Review |
May 2010 |
||
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:
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 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:
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Avenues Educare in the Woodhill area of Whangarei has a long history as an early childhood service. It is the oldest community-based centre in Whangarei and operates as an incorporated society, formerly known as Northland Residential Nursery and Creche. The service provides education and care for up to 40 children, including a maximum of 16 less than two years of age.
A committee of elected parents is responsible for the governance of the centre. The committee appoints a centre manager who is the professional leader as well as the person responsible for the running of daily operations and systems.
The 2014 ERO report recommended a plan be put in place, with consultation from the Ministry of Education, to address key steps and actions for improvement, outlined in that report.
ERO’s findings in this report confirm that over the past year, rapid and substantial progress has been made with this action plan. Leaders and teachers’ professional practice has been strengthened from the external expertise used during 2014 in the areas of self review, strategic planning and appraisal processes.
The development of the centre’s vision and philosophy is purposeful. The vision and philosophy are now more visible in the centre’s strategic planning. The philosophy will continue to be evaluated annually. Leaders, teachers, staff, the parent committee and parents are involved in this review process. This is contributing to the good quality of connections established between teachers and families.
Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging and are benefitting from the friendly, trusting relationships they have with staff. Children are highly engaged in their learning activities. They are learning social competencies and work cooperatively together for sustained periods of time. Routines do not interrupt the flow of their play.
Good quality interactions between children and teachers are evident. Care routines foster positive attachments between children and adults. The ratio of children to teachers is very generous. The environment in the babies’ and toddlers’ room has been modified to create a quiet and settled atmosphere. Children who need additional help with their learning are sensitively supported.
The centre is very well resourced. Children are able to access their own choice of play materials and equipment from an abundance of sources. Creative and dramatic play scenarios are encouraged. The outside area is spacious and offers good physical challenge. Natural shade is provided by mature trees.
The centre’s curriculum follows the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Programmes are based on children’s interests, strengths and abilities. Bicultural approaches to the curriculum continue to be developed. The Kowhai Room curriculum supports children’s readiness for school.
Connections between assessment and planning are supporting individual children’s learning and interests. Teachers use their observations of children’s play to guide programme planning and evaluation. Parents contribute their aspirations and ideas to programme planning. These learning partnerships with parents are valued by the centre.
Assessment records for individual children are presented in portfolios. There are concise, insightful stories about children’s individual learning journeys, supported by visual records. Children’s next learning steps are well documented and their learning progress over time is shown.
Compliance actions relating to children’s safety, together with governance, management and administration issues from 2014, have been appropriately addressed. For example, teaching staff are now appraised against statements from The Registered Teachers Criteria.
Teachers are working with self review processes to improve outcomes for children. ERO and centre leaders agree that next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Avenues EduCare 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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
In order to improve centre practice, a hazards register should be used to record relevant issues in the centre’s environment and actions taken to avoid potential harm.
The next ERO review of Avenues EduCare will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
13 April 2015
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.
|
Location |
Woodhill, Whangarei |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
11511 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 16 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
49 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 27 Girls 22 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā British other |
7 36 3 3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
February 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
13 April 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2014 |
|
|
Education Review |
May 2010 |
||
|
Education Review |
April 2007 |
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:
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 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:
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.