1 A Campbell Lane, Oxford
View on mapOxford Kindy
Oxford Kindy
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
Oxford Kindy is a privately-owned education and care service, previously known as Bright Horizons Oxford. Since the September 2021 ERO report, there have been staffing changes and significant progress made in addressing the non-compliance areas identified in that report. A small number of children with Māori heritage and those of Pacific heritage attend the service.
Summary of Review Findings
Children are supported to have meaningful and positive interactions with teachers. The curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.
The design and layout of the premises provides for different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. There is space for a range of individual and group learning experiences appropriate to the children attending.
A philosophy statement guides the service’s operation. Long-term and annual planning identify key tasks to enable the smooth running and future direction of the service. Suitable human resource management systems are in place.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include:
-
making more visible in the curriculum and documentation children’s cultures, languages, and identities
-
finding ways for children to independently access learning portfolios to revisit their learning and progress over time.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
28 June 2023
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Oxford Kindy |
Profile Number |
45303 |
Location |
Oxford |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
29 children over the age of 2 |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
Service roll |
40 |
Review team on site |
April 2023 |
Date of this report |
28 June 2023 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance review, September 2021. Education Review, February 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 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 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:
-
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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
-
relevant evacuation procedures and practices.
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.
Oxford Kindy
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 |
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.
Background
Oxford Kindy is a privately owned education and care service. The owner is supported by a team leader and qualified teachers. Previously known as Bright Horizons Oxford, it has been re-licensed and under new ownership since January 2019. This is the centre’s first ERO review as Oxford Kindy.
Summary of Review Findings
The curriculum is based on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and influenced by the Enviroschools programme. It is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation, that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults foster respectful relationships with children to enhance their learning. Children are encouraged to be confident in their own culture. They are given opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. Aspects of health and safety and government management and administration practices do not meet regulatory standards.
Actions for Compliance
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
- completing documentation required for excursions, including the signature of person responsible and defined adult: child ratios
- ensuring food provided by the service is prepared in accordance with Ministry of Health guidance
- the safety checking of staff in accordance with the Childrens Act 2014.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS17, HS19, GMA7A.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
- parental acknowledgement has been included in records of medicine given to children attending the service.
- a current Fire Evacuation scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
- the review and implementation of the written emergency plan has occurred
- evidence of how evaluation of drills has informed the annual review of the emergency plan
- sleep policy now ensures children are checked for warmth, breathing and general well-being whilst sleeping
- maintaining a record of training and/or information provided when administering medication.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS4, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS28, HS29.
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 will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
6 September 2021
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Oxford Kindy |
Profile Number |
45303 |
Location |
Oxford |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
29 children over two years of age. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Service roll |
41 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 5, NZ European/Pākehā 29, Other ethnicities 7 |
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
Date of this report |
6 September 2021 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2018; Education Review, October 2014 |
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.