25 Hinemoa Street, Whakatane
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluations evaluate the extent to which early childhood services have 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 and Early Childhood Education (ECE) Improvement Framework (teacher led services) are the basis for making judgements about the quality of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Evaluations for improvement | Ngā Aronga Whai Hua is integrated across all of the above domains.
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.
The Tree House in Whakatane is a privately owned and operated service. The staff work across two Montessori inspired, age-based spaces. The service was placed on a provisional license in November 2019 by the Ministry of Education and has now returned to a full licence.
The service is not meeting the regulatory standards in health and safety, premises and facilities, and governance, management, and administration. Consistent implementation of practices in these areas is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.
The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. It provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend learning and development.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS4, HS7, HS9, HS16, HS17, HS27, HS28, PF7, GMA7A]
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)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
20 January 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | The Tree House |
| Profile Number | 45094 |
| Location | Whakatane |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 47 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 years. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 40 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 33 NZ European/Pākehā 5 Other ethnic groups 2 |
| Review team on site | December 2020 |
| Date of this report | 20 January 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2015; Education Review March 2012. |
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.
The Tree House is a privately owned centre and is located in Whakatane. It has been operating since 2009 and is licensed for 27 tamariki including eight under the age of two. At the time of this review, 24 of the 27 enrolled were Māori.
Mātauranga Māori, Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and Montessori are clearly reflected in the programme. The centre’s integrated philosophy is enacted in both indoor and outdoor areas and learning activities. The vision of The Tree House is ‘to provide an environment that is supportive, responsive and challenging to explore the genius within each child’. Tamariki direct their own learning in a structured, prepared and well-resourced environment. Leaders and kaiako acknowledge the place of Māori as tangata whenua and are committed to normalising and revitalising te reo and tikanga Māori practices.
The centre has a positive reporting history with ERO. Since the 2012 ERO report an under two area has been established within the centre and five babies and toddlers were enrolled at the time of this review. The experienced and knowledgeable centre owner and manager provides effective governance and leadership for tamariki, kaiako and whānau. There have been some changes in the teaching team. An experienced, specialist Montessori teacher, and a bilingual kaiako were appointed in 2014 to work with babies. There are three fully qualified ECE teachers and two who are currently in training. Three of the staff team are also trained Montessori teachers.
The Montessori philosophy is strongly enacted in all areas of the learning environment. On arrival, tamariki and whānau are warmly welcomed into the pre-school. Respectful relationships are a feature of the centre and tamariki demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. They are encouraged to follow their interests and lead their learning. They engage in sustained play, show high levels of concentration and develop their problem solving and thinking skills. Each child’s independence is encouraged and they are extended to develop practical life skills that promote self-regulation and personal empowerment. Tamariki have specific daily tasks such as caring for animals, gardening, harvesting, preparing and serving kai, and clean up duties.
Whānau appreciate the nurturing of their children and the many opportunities they have to contribute their aspirations and stories about their tamariki. Productive partnerships are formed and wā whānau, encourages parents and families to come in and share their expertise with tamariki. Some examples of this include: poi, kapa haka, waiata video, cooking rēwena bread, collecting shells and eating pipi and sharing whakapapa. Sharing these experiences builds a strong sense of pride and community for all those associated with the centre.
Tamariki have extensive opportunities to investigate the natural world and kaiako naturally integrate te reo Māori, literacy and mathematics within the Montessori framework. Kaiako observe and record what tamariki are interested in, and support and challenge each child to achieve their potential.
Kaiako demonstrate a strong commitment to implementing practices that affirm Māori ways of being. Te reo Māori, tikanga and cultural identity is well integrated, valued and celebrated in everyday routines and conversations. A strong emphasis is placed on the principles of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, kaitiakitanga and ako. These are clearly fostered in tamariki by kaiako and whānau. Tamariki have multiple opportunities to experience success, and ‘explore their genius' in a Te Ao Māori context’.
A special feature of the centre is the under two’s area, where kaiako provide a calm, creative and bilingual learning environment. Whānau expressed to ERO their appreciation that babies are able to ‘unfold and flourish in their own time’. Tamariki experience a strong sense of aroha with their kaiako and whānau value the close partnership created. This contributes to each child’s positive sense of well being and belonging.
In the Montessori programme, kaiako are highly skilled in recognising the developmental stages of tamariki and use a variety of strategies to extend learning and maximise their learning potential. Assessment portfolios reflect and respond to success in learning for each child. Kaiako identify and record a wide range of varied and complex learning experiences and learning progressions are documented. The next step is to continue to develop consistency in writing the learning stories, and the tracking of individual progress over time across the teaching team.
The centre benefits from highly capable leadership that is solution focused. Leaders have developed a strategic plan, clearly aligned to the Montessori philosophy and bilingual aspirations of the centre. They have prioritised goals for continuing growth and development. Leaders provide useful professional development and support that utilise the expertise and specialist knowledge of their staff.
Kaiako are supported to take on leadership roles. Their individual strengths are valued and contribute to the high quality programme of education and care. The owner has established highly effective self-review processes and practices involving kaiako, whānau contribution and tamariki voice. These processes are focussed on improving outcomes for tamariki. The appraisal process invites kaiako to reflect on their practice and set goals. The centre is continuing to strengthen the appraisal process to include formal documented observations of kaiako and tamariki interactions, discussions and the monitoring of individual and centre goals.
Before the review, the staff and management of The Tree House 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.
The next ERO review of The Tree House will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
2 March 2015
| Location | Whakatane, Bay of Plenty | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 45094 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 27 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 27 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 14 Girls 13 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā | 24 3 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates | 50-79% | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2015 | ||
| Date of this report | 2 March 2015 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review (as Te Whare Totara) | March 2012 |
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:
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.