11a Kakamutu Road, Otorohanga
View on mapHappy Sprouts Educare Ltd
Happy Sprouts Educare Ltd
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 |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Background
Happy Sprouts Educare Ltd is a privately-owned education and care service formerly known as Learning Adventures. The centre owner leads a team of three qualified, and one unqualified teachers. This is the centre’s first review after the change of ownership in 2021.
Summary of Review Findings
Meaningful positive interactions enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Assessment, planning and evaluation informs the curriculum and demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning and interests. Positive steps are taken to respond to parent aspirations for their children. There is provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences appropriate to the ages and abilities of children attending.
Internal evaluation helps the service maintain the quality of education and care. Systems and procedures are in place to guide centre operations.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include:
-
strengthening the extent to which information documented about all children’s learning reflects their identities, languages, and cultures
-
continuing to explore ways to involve whānau Māori in the design and implementation of the service’s local curriculum.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
26 July 2022
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Happy Sprouts Educare Ltd |
Profile Number |
30024 |
Location |
Otorohanga |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
39 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
29 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 10, other ethnic groups 4 |
Review team on site |
May 2022 |
Date of this report |
26 July 2022 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, June 2020 as Learning Adventures; Education Review, June 2018 as Learning Adventures |
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.
Learning Adventures - 18/06/2020
ERO’s Judgement
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
Curriculum |
Meeting |
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Background
Learning Adventures is a privately owned, all-day, education and care service. It caters for children from infants to school age in a mixed aged setting. The qualified owner/managing director leads a team of three qualified teachers and two unqualified staff.
Summary of Review Findings
The service is not meeting the regularity standards in a number of areas.
Children experience positive relationships with teachers and their peers. Children’s developing social and emotional competence is supported by teachers. The curriculum is informed by assessment and planning that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning and interests. Teachers seek information and guidance from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs.
A philosophy statement guides centre operations. Professional learning and ongoing development is contributing to internal evaluation that is helping staff monitor aspects of centre operations.
Actions for Compliance
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
- implementing all aspects of the Fire Evacuation Scheme
- reviewing the emergency plan annually and implementing improved practices as required
- evaluating all emergency drills and evaluations informing the annual review of the emergency plan
- prior parental approval for the proposed ratios for excursions
- there is written parental acknowledgement of administration of medication.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS4, HS6, HS8, HS12, HS17.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
- fostering children’s independence during nappy changing
- displaying a current procedure for the changing of nappies near the nappy changing facilities
- the building having a current Fire Evacuation Scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
- securing heavy furniture and equipment that could topple and cause serious injury or damage
- ensuring sufficient emergency supplies and resources for the age and number of children and adults at the service
- a sleep procedure that ensures children are checked for breathing, warmth and general well-being, and implementation of these checks
- analysis of accidents and incidents to identify hazards
- monitoring and maintaining rooms used by children at a comfortable temperature
- written authority from parents for the administration of medicine in accordance with the requirements for category (i) and (iii).
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF25, HS3, HS4, HS6, HS7, HS9, HS12, HS24, HS28.
Recommendation to Ministry of Education
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review of Learning Adventures will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Darcy Te Hau
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
18 June 2020
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Learning Adventures |
Profile Number |
30024 |
Location |
Otorohanga |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
39 children, including up to 10 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Reported ratio of staff to children under 2 |
1-5 - Meets regulatory standards. |
Reported ratio of staff to children over 2 |
1-10 - Meets regulatory standards. |
Service roll |
22 |
Gender composition |
Male 12 Female 10 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 6 |
Review team on site |
February 2020 |
Date of this report |
18 June 2020 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 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 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 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 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 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.