58 Kupe Drive, Whitianga
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Whitianga Explorers Ltd t-a Mercury Bay Preschool are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Whitianga Explorers Ltd, trading as Mercury Bay Preschool, is one of two services operating under the same ownership. There have been significant and ongoing staff changes since the change of management in 2022 and ERO’s last report. The service’s philosophy values aroha, kindness and respect. Almost half of the roll are Māori.
Children are provided with a range of opportunities which encourage them to lead their own learning. Teachers consider children’s diverse learning needs. This enables all children to participate in the curriculum. Through these experiences children’s social and emotional needs are fostered and supported.
Younger children experience a calm, unhurried environment where the interactions of teachers are respectful and responsive to their needs. Intentional teaching strategies support children’s dispositional and emergent learning in a play-based context. Māori children have some opportunities to hear te reo Māori and experience aspects of tikanga Māori within the daily curriculum. Teachers are working towards a shared understanding of how to use the valued learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Individualised assessment and planning processes are in place. These are not yet consistently implemented over time or by the whole team. Assessment and planning is beginning to consider children’s cultures, languages, and identity. This is supported by positive relationships with parents and whānau which provide opportunities for them to be involved in their child’s learning. Pacific children’s culture, language and identity is yet to be intentionally responded to within individual planning or the curriculum.
Collaboration among the new teaching team is being established. New processes for professional growth have been developed and are now in the implementation stage. They do not yet consistently focus on building teachers’ knowledge and their capabilities to positively impact children’s learning.
Leaders have identified the need to refine established systems that evaluate practices to build professional knowledge. These systems are yet to effectively reflect the benefits of changes and monitor the outcomes for individual and groups of children.
Whitianga Explorers Ltd t-a Mercury Bay Preschool will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Whitianga Explorers Ltd t-a Mercury Bay Preschool completed an ERO 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.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008, HS12
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
18 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Whitianga Explorers Ltd t-a Mercury Bay Preschool |
| Profile Number | 30303 |
| Location | Whitianga |
| 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 | 37 |
| Review team on site | April 2024 |
| Date of this report | 18 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2022; Akanuku | Assurance Review, December 2020 |
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management, and administration | Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Whitianga Explorers Ltd trading as Mercury Bay Preschool is one of two services operating under Whitianga Explorers Ltd. There has been a recent change of service ownership and there have also been significant staff changes. Nearly a quarter of the roll identify as Māori, and a small number as Pacific. The areas of non-compliance identified in the 2020 ERO report remain non-compliant.
Tamariki learning is supported within a language-rich curriculum. Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua. Positive steps are taken to respect parent aspirations. Kaiako support tamariki learning through positive interactions and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The layout of the premises supports different types of indoor and outdoor experiences for tamariki. They have access to a sufficient quantity and variety of learning equipment suitable to their ages and stages.
Practices and policies are in place to maintain health and safety requirements. Aspects of governance, management and administration are yet to be consistently implemented.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008, GMA6, GMA7]
During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
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
11 October 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Whitianga Explorers Ltd t-a Mercury Bay Preschool |
| Profile Number | 30303 |
| Location | Whitianga |
| 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 | 45 |
| Review team on site | September 2022 |
| Date of this report | 11 October 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, December 2020; Akanuku | Assurance Review, July 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 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Mercury Bay Preschool (2018) Ltd is a privately owned service. Since the July 2019 ERO Akunuku | Assurance Review, there have been changes in leadership and teachers. ERO identified areas of non-compliance in the July 2019 report relating to teacher appraisals, excursion records and emergency drill records. Some progress is evident.
Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. They are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions that nurture reciprocal relationships.
The quantity and variety of resources provided are appropriate for the learning and abilities of children attending.
Procedures are in place to manage health and safety requirements including excursions and emergencies.
Processes for reviewing and evaluating teaching and learning practices require strengthening. Appraisals of the centre manager and teachers are yet to be implemented.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA6, GMA7]
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
4 December 2020
| Early Childhood Service Name | Mercury Bay Preschool (2018) Ltd |
| Profile Number | 30303 |
| Location | Whitianga |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 39 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 44 |
| Gender composition | Female 24, Male 20. |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 14, NZ European/Pākehā 21, Pacific 3, Other ethnic groups 6. |
| Review team on site | November 2020 |
| Date of this report | 4 December 2020 |
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Akanuku | Assurance Review, July 2019; Education Review, December 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.
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: