Parry Street, Huntly
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 Whanui Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Whanui Early Learning Centre is part of the Wahi Whaanui Trust, an iwi service provider located in Huntly. Education and care for young tamariki, and social, health and environmental services are provided onsite for the wider community. All children enrolled are of Maaori heritage.
Tamariki Maaori experience an environment where their culture, language and identity is positively embraced and celebrated. Maaori ways of knowing, being and doing are effectively integrated into the curriculum through pepeha, purakau, whakapapa, Kiingitanga, and te reo me oona tikanga Māori. As a result, tamariki have a strong sense of identity and belonging. The mana and mauri of tamariki are preserved and upheld.
Kaiako provide a curriculum that supports inclusion of all tamariki. Tamariki with additional learning needs play and learn alongside their peers. Tuakana-teina relationships support whanaungatanga and whakaako for older and younger tamariki. A play-based learning environment promotes active exploration. Leaders agree that the curriculum is yet to provide rich opportunities for complex play and learning for all tamariki.
Assessment records show learning and progress over time that reflect the ways tamariki learn. External professional support is guiding teacher practices to respond to the learning of tamariki and to work toward consistent ways of documenting this. As a result, the teaching team are beginning to align learning experiences with the learning outcomes of Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum.
Whanaungatanga and positive relationships are in place between parents, whaanau and kaiako. Waanau have opportunities to engage in discussions with kaiako about the learning and development of their tamariki. Celebrations and events promote parent and wider whaanau participation. Whaanau goals and priorities for the learning of their tamariki are included in recent individual learning plans.
The service’s evaluative processes have supported them to maintain regulatory compliance. The governing organisation provides oversight of centre operations. It agrees to the need to develop clear and strategic processes that ensures the ongoing provision for funding of suitable centre resources and teacher professional development to support equitable outcomes for all tamariki.
Whanui Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
With support from Wahi Whaanui Trust:
Before the review, the staff and management of Whanui Early Learning Centre 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
7 August 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Whanui Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 34118 |
| Location | Huntly |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 20 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 18 |
| Review team on site | June 2024 |
| Date of this report | 7 August 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, July 2022; Education Review, March 2017 |
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 | Not 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.
Whanui Early Learning Centre operates under the umbrella of the Waahi Whaanui Trust, which is an iwi service provider located in Huntly. Education and care for young children, social, health and environmental services are provided on site for the wider community.
Children are responded to as confident and competent learners. Their choices are respected within a language rich environment. A range of experiences enhances learning for children, both indoors and outdoors. Positive interactions between kaiako and children nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Steps are taken to acknowledge aspirations held by parents. Documented assessment and planning inform the curriculum. A philosophy statement guides the service’s operation.
The service is not meeting licensing requirements in a significant number of areas.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF26, HS4, HS8, HS12, HS17, HS27, HS28, GMA4, GMA6, GMA7, GMA7A, GMA11]
During and since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
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.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
14 July 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Whanui Early Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 34118 |
| Location | Huntly |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 50-79% |
| Service roll | 17 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 17 |
| Review team on site | May 2022 |
| Date of this report | 14 July 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2017; Education Review, October 2013 |
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:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Whānui Early Learning Centre is one of many services under the umbrella of the Waahi Whaanui Trust, (Trust) that is an iwi service provider that operates under the auspices of te iwi o Tainui. It provides social, health and environmental services for six marae in the wider Huntly area. The centre is located on the western side of the Waikato river in Huntly. Strategic direction, vision and philosophy is set by the Trust.
The centre is licensed for 30 children including up to five under the age of two. At the time of the ERO review it operated a six hour service from 8.30am to 2.30pm daily. In line with the concepts of tuakana/teina and whanaungatanga, babies, toddlers and young children learn and play together. All children are Māori and most whakapapa to one of the six marae served by the trust.
The centre is closely aligned with the Kīngitanga and clearly supports Kīngitanga kaupapa. Ensuring te reo and tikanga Māori, language, culture and identity is valued, practised and passed on to future generations. The centre also supports the vision of its umbrella organisation, 'Manaakitia te iwi, To serve the people'. The centre philosophy is clearly stated and well supported by staff and whānau. It promotes respect for individual children within a kaupapa Māori framework.
The all-embracing concept of whanaungatanga underpins the way this centre operates. Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira clearly identifies the centralised roles of Mana Atua (spiritual and emotional connections), Mana Tangata (potential and power of the child), Mana Whenua (connections between the child and the land), Mana Reo (power of language and confident communicator) and Mana Aoturoa (relationships and connections with the environment).
Most teachers are fully qualified and registered. Others have expert knowledge and experience, and bring useful skills and expertise to the kaupapa of whanaungatanga. The centre continues to be led by an experienced team leader.
The 2013 ERO report recognised the centre’s strengths in engaging parents and whānau and in developing children’s social competence, confidence, and their strong sense of belonging in the centre. Key next steps related to programme planning, curriculum and self review are developing. Appraisal for the team leader has been established under the guidelines of the Trust.
Children and whānau benefit from the holistic approach that supports the development of whānau, hapū and iwi. They are warmly greeted into an inclusive environment, and whanaungatanga is strongly reflected through children's interactions with adults, their peers and the environment. Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. This is supported by the respectful, caring relationships they experience with staff and their peers. Māori culture, language and identity are valued through positive and affirming interactions.
Tamariki are capable and confident learners. They trust adults within the environment to be responsive to their needs, interests and strengths. Infants and toddlers are well catered for, free to explore, and learn in meaningful social and cultural contexts. The mixed-age group setting promotes tuakana-teina relationships and reciprocal learning (ako). These positive relationships empower children to share their knowledge and strengths with others and to successfully support learning.
Children enjoy a rich range of experiences through the use of community facilities such as the māra kai, river, bush walks and the outdoor environment. Kaitiakitanga skills and knowledge are promoted. An area for further review includes evaluating the quality of resourcing and equipment provided. This should ensure the diverse interests and ability levels are sufficiently catered for with infants, toddlers and young children.
Teachers are skilled at naturally including te ao Māori perspectives throughout the programme. They confidently interweave these perspectives across all aspects of the curriculum. They have good knowledge of waiata, haka, pūrakau, pakiwaitara, karakia and whānau. This supports them to build on children’s existing understandings, knowledge, and develop skills and dispositions that support lifelong learning.
Whanaungatanga values of respect, sharing and support underpin the way this centre operates. Concepts that underpin Māori children’s social competence include the processes and practices used to implement Ngā Taumata Whakahirahira throughout the environment. Children are affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning.
Teacher's involvement in appropriate professional learning and development has strengthened their interactions and relationships with children. They interact using a wide range of teaching strategies that affirm children's contributions and encourage oral language and communication skills.
Planning is responsive to children's interests and strengths. Teacher observe children, noticing and recognising the learning and respond to potential teaching and learning opportunities. Children's learning dispositions, skills and knowledge is identified and documented through the assessments (learning stories), and shared with children and their whānau to celebrate children's successes.
The centre effectively operates within the values and strategic direction of the trust. A major priority is the well being, health, and education of children and whānau within the centre, and Waahi whaanui. Leadership within the centre is inclusive and collaborative. It is based on respect, trust and reciprocity. Skills, expertise and knowledge of staff is recognised and used in the best interests of the programme, staff, tamariki and whānau. The centre community benefits from the 'wrap around' support provided by the trust who strongly promote an equitable provision of services and support for all.
Centre leaders and teachers should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Whanui Early Learning Centre 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 the current practice the Trust in consultation with teachers should clearly align the appraisal process with the Education Council’s Professional Teachers' Criteria.
The next ERO review of Whanui Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
6 March 2017
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 | Huntly | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 34118 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 25 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 20 Girls 5 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori | 25 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | November 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 6 March 2017 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | October 2013 | |
| Education Review | October 2010 | ||
| Education Review | October 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:
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.
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.