Angels Childcare - Takapuna

Education institution number:
20256
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
52
Telephone:
Address:

31 Anzac St, Takapuna, Auckland

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Angels Childcare - Takapuna

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 

Regulatory standards 

ERO’s judgement 

Curriculum 

​​Meeting​ 

Premises and facilities 

​​Meeting​ 

Health and safety 

​​Meeting​ 

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.​ 

Background 

Angels Childcare - Takapuna is one of two services under the same ownership. A qualified centre manager oversees compliance and the curriculum. She leads a team of 10 qualified teachers and 9 unqualified staff. This is ERO’s second Akanuku | Assurance Review of this service. 

Summary of Review Findings 

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children.  

The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Leaders and teachers respect and support the right of each child to be confident in their own cultures, and they encourage children to understand and respect other cultures. 

Consistent implementation of health and safety practices and governance systems is required to maintain regulatory standards.  

Key Next Step 

A key next steps is to:  

  • increase the opportunities children have to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts. 

Actions for Compliance  

The service has provided ERO with evidence to show the following non-compliances have been addressed:  

  • Ensuring adults providing education and care carry out each type of emergency drill with children on at least a three-monthly basis (HS8). 

  • Ensuring hazard management systems include consideration of hazards relating to poisons, hazardous materials, dangerous objects and foreign materials (HS12). 

  • Maintaining a record of all medicine given to children attending the service that includes the name of medicine given, and evidence of parental acknowledgement they have been advised medication was administered to their child (HS28).  

  • Ensuring all children’s workers are police vetted and a risk assessment undertaken before employment or engagement of the worker commences, and a record of these is maintained (GMA7A).  

  • Maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook for children currently attending (GMA11).  

Next ERO Review  

​​The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation. ​ 

Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) 

​​5 October 2023​  

Information About the Service 

Early Childhood Service Name  Angels Childcare - Takapuna 
Profile Number  20256
Location  Takapuna, Auckland 

Service type 

​​Education and care service​ 

Number licensed for 

70 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 

Percentage of qualified teachers  

​​80-99%​ 

Service roll 

60 

Review team on site 

August 2023 

Date of this report 

​​5 October 2023​ 

Most recent ERO report(s) 

 ​Akanuku | Assurance Review​, ​July 2021​  
​ Education Review​, ​August 2018​ 

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.  

Angels Childcare - Takapuna

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

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

Curriculum

Meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

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.

Background

Angels Childcare Takapuna is a privately owned and operated education and care service. It is one of two services under the same ownership. The service provider has employed a qualified centre manager to lead a team of seven qualified teachers and 11 unqualified staff. The service philosophy is based on Christian values. Children and families have diverse ethnic heritages. A small number of children are Māori or Samoan.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.

The design and layout of the service supports the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences that are appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending.

Compliance

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

  • having at least one toilet for use by children designed to provide them with a sense of privacy (PF22)
  • ensuring furniture and items intended for children to sleep on are covered with or made of a non-porous material (PF30)
  • a written emergency plan that includes 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 (HS7)
  • checking equipment, premises and facilities daily for hazards to the children and implementing a documented risk management system (HS12)
  • ensuring the water delivered from taps accessible to children is no higher than 40°C (HS13)
  • having evidence that the water stored in the hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14)
  • ensuring safe and hygienic handling practices implemented with regard to any animals at the service (HS16)
  • documenting a record of excursions that includes the adult:child ratio for regular excursions, evidence of parental permission for ratio and assessment and management of risk (HS17)
  • ensuring medication records include evidence of parental acknowledgement that medication has been administered (HS28)
  • ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 and there is a written procedure for safety checking that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

6 July 2021 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Angels Childcare - Takapuna
Profile Number 20256
Location Takapuna, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

70 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

67

Ethnic composition

Māori  3
NZ European/Pākehā 18
Indian 9

South African 5
Arabic 4
Chinese 4
Latin American 4
other European 10
other Asian 7
other ethnic groups 3

Review team on site

May 2021

Date of this report

6 July 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2018
Education Review, August 2014

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 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:

  • 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 certification; ratios)
  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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.

Angels Childcare - Takapuna - 13/08/2018

1 Evaluation of Angels Childcare - Takapuna

How well placed is Angels Childcare - Takapuna to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Angels Childcare -Takapuna, located on the North Shore in Auckland, provides education and care for infants, toddlers and children up to school age. It is licensed for up to 70 children, including 25 up to the age of two years.

Children play and learn in four learning areas that cater for children's developmental ages and stages. The teaching and learning teams are led by a team leader. In the last few years, all outside learning areas and playgrounds have been either significantly enhanced or replaced.

The teaching team reflects the cultural diversity of children and their families. The centre's vision promotes a family environment and supportive relationships with children, whānau and staff. Christian values underpin the philosophy.

The centre was relicensed in November 2017. The owners work in partnership with the centre manager. Since the 2014 ERO report, the centre has had several changes to staff. At that time, ERO noted that further development was required in the quality of the programme, leadership capability, and governance and management. Significant external support from the Ministry of Education (MOE) has supported staff to improve in these areas. Staff and owners have shown a strong commitment to improving the centre.

The Review Findings

Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the centre. They form trusting relationships with staff. Culturally respectful, responsive relationships and interactions between staff, children and whānau underpin the centre's welcoming tone. Teachers use good teaching strategies and practices to respond to children's cultures and languages. Bicultural practices and the implementation of te reo and tikanga Māori are an integral part of the centre.

Children up to the age of two benefit from caring teachers who provide a calm and peaceful environment. The use of natural resources is a key feature of the two rooms. Teachers' interactions with children are respectful and affectionate. They build on children's understanding of the world around them in meaningful ways.

The centre philosophy guides teaching practice. Some teachers work alongside children and they notice, recognise and respond to children's interests. This approach could be more consistent across all teaching and learning rooms. It would be useful to review and adapt the philosophy placing the child as a learner at the heart of the philosophy.

Children benefit from the attractive centre environments that invite their involvement in the programme. They have access to good resources to support their play. Children choose activities based on their individual interests and preferences. Outdoor learning spaces provide many opportunities for children to explore and challenge themselves.

Children who require extra learning assistance are well supported. Staff sensitively support children to develop social skills and a love of learning. Children transition between rooms within the centre when they are developmentally ready. Strong relationships with the local school supports children transitioning into school.

Teachers who participated in external professional development relating to planning, have strengthened their curriculum documentation. They record intentional teaching that focuses on how they have challenged children to think more creatively. This effective practice now needs to be consistent across the centre.

Portfolios capture children's learning based on their interests and participation in the programme. The centre manager acknowledges that teachers could include more examples of how children's learning is extended over time.

Teachers and staff have had significant professional learning in response to centre priorities. The strengthened performance management system supports teachers to reflect more critically on their teaching practice. Further work is required to continue to build a performance management system to support all staff to fulfil their roles and responsibilities.

The centre manager provides leadership opportunities for teachers to develop their areas of interest. The owners value and generously support ongoing professional development for all staff.

Governance and management have been strengthened through support from the MOE. Strategic and annual plans are in place. ERO recommends further refinement, and alignment to key documents such as appraisal and centre philosophy, in order to help to guide the centre's future direction.

Key Next Steps

The centre owners, centre manager and leaders agree that key next steps include:

  • continuing to build a shared understanding of robust internal evaluation, and developing regular cycles of internal evaluation

  • aligning strategic and annual planning that include timeframes and indicators, which can be reviewed to show progress over time

  • adapting appraisal documents to reflect job descriptions and responsibilities for all staff.

Recommendation

ERO recommends the centre continues to work with external providers to build leadership capability, and to embed recent initiatives and effective practices.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Angels Childcare - Takapuna 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 Angels Childcare - Takapuna will be in three years.

Julie Foley

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

13 August 2018

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

Location

Takapuna, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

20256

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

70 children, including up to 25 aged under 2

Service roll

48

Gender composition

Boys 24 Girls 24

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Indian
Chinese
other Asian
other European
other

3
19
7
5
5
5
4

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2018

Date of this report

13 August 2018

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review under the previous licence

August 2014

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.