Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany

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

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

Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany is one of three services that operates under the organisation. The regional manager leads a team of nine qualified teachers, nine support staff, two admin and a cook. The centre serves an ethnically diverse community. A small number of children enrolled are of Māori or Pacific heritages.

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 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 heritage of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Children are provided with a range of opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. A sufficient quantity and variety of furniture, equipment, and materials are provided appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending.

Compliance

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

• A written procedure for safety checking all children’s workers before they have access to children that meets the safety checking requirements of the Children’s Act 2014, and
• a record of all safety checks and the results (GMA7A).
• Heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
• A record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time (HS9).
• Equipment, premises, and facilities are checked on every day of operation for hazards to children (HS12).
• Water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60˚c (HS14).
• All indoor and outdoor items and surfaces, furniture, equipment, and materials are safe and suitable for their intended use, and a moveable unit should be secured (PF5).
• There are sufficient spaces for equipment and material to be stored safely (PF8).
• A tempering valve or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature is installed (PF24).
• Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on have covers made of a non-porous material (PF30).

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

4 August 2021 

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 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.

1 Evaluation of Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany

How well placed is Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany is licensed for 135 children with a maximum of 25 up to two years of age. The centre is divided into age-related rooms. Each room has its own teaching team, routine, outdoor play area and age-appropriate resources. The site provides for a school holiday and before/after school programme.

The centre serves a culturally diverse community. Many children speak languages other than English. Most children are of Indian heritage with smaller numbers of children who are Asian, Pākehā, Māori or Pacific. The centre philosophy fosters an inclusive teaching approach within a nurturing environment. It promotes high quality education and a strong foundation for children's learning and development.

This is one of three Kiwi Supertots centres owned by the director and consultant. The regional manager is supported by an area manager and a centre supervisor. The centre employs 12 teachers, seven are fully registered and five are provisionally registered.

The 2014 ERO report noted that leaders provided good support for teachers to develop assessment, curriculum planning and evaluation. Self-review, parent partnership and the appraisal process were identified as improvement priorities. Good progress has been made in these areas.

The Review Findings

The centre is a welcoming place and supports children's sense of belonging. Children engage in a range of play experiences, and a programme that includes literacy, numeracy, science and projects where children's individual interests are extended. The environment is well resourced, attractive and encourages children's independent choice, curiosity and exploration.

Provision for children under two years of age, is guided by caring, nurturing teacher interactions with each child. Teachers document children's individual milestones, care routines and rituals. They are increasingly aware of implementing a curriculum that is based on their observations of children's development and play.

Parents have contributed to consultation processes and aspirations for their children. They appreciate the good quality care and learning their children receive. Leaders and teachers engage respectfully with parents and their community, and seek their contribution to children's learning. This contributes to a more responsive programme and meaningful setting for children, parents and the wider community.

A commitment to the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand, and the inclusiveness of multicultural values, guide the centre's direction and culture. Leaders promote equity and social justice for children and families. Children and parents have opportunities to share their cultural knowledge and home languages. Aspects of Māori and Pacific cultures are evident through the learning programmes and environment. Teachers are continuing to strengthen their knowledge of te ao Māori.

Managers work collaboratively with leaders and teachers to improve teaching practice through professional development. They have a strong commitment to continual improvement, and to their leadership responsibilities to contribute to positive outcomes for children and staff.

Teachers are open to learning. Very good processes are followed to guide and support teachers. There are clear links to Te Whāriki in the centre's curriculum planning. Teachers should continue to encourage child-led learning through an emergent curriculum. Planning and assessments could more clearly focus on enhancing children's dispositions and age appropriate emergent play.

There are good processes for children to transition into and across the different learning rooms of the centre. Leaders are keen to participate in a kāhui ako (community of learning) to further support their transition to the school programme.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps include:

• strengthening internal evaluation through deeper evaluative critique
• engaging in professional development to improve learning outcomes for infants and toddlers
• strengthening the emergent curriculum processes so that teachers can support children's interests.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany 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 Kiwi Supertots Learning Centre, Botany will be in three years.

Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

1 March 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 

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.