24 King George Avenue, Epsom, Auckland
View on mapERO’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 |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Red Kite Preschool is one of two services under the same ownership. One of the qualified owners provides curriculum and governance support to a team of five qualified teachers and two staff. There are two indoor and outdoor areas for different age groups of children to play and explore.
The service curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture, and encourages children to understand and respect each other. There is a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning.
Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development – both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children.
Service leaders need to regularly monitor and review systems and processes to ensure regulatory requirements are maintained.
During the onsite visit the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it had addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring there is a first aid kit that is easily recognisable and readily accessible to adults (PF28).
Having a record of special excursions that includes evidence of parental permission and approval of adult:child ratios (HS17).
Ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
Ensuring attendance records for 7 years meet the requirements of the ECE Funding Handbook, including having evidence that a parent/guardian of each child has regularly examined and confirmed the attendance record (GMA11).
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring the procedure for the changing of nappies is implemented safely (HS3).
Identifying designated assembly areas for evacuation purposes outside the building (HS5).
Having evidence of the review of the emergency plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).
Maintaining a record of how evaluation of emergency drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).
Maintaining a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep ensuring that children: do not have access to food or liquids while in bed; are checked for breathing; and recording the time each child attending the service sleeps and checks made by adults during that time (HS9).
Ensuring that equipment, premises and facilities are checked on every day of operation for hazards to children that meet the requirements of this criterion (HS12).
Verifying that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).
Maintaining a record of parent acknowledgement that they have been notified of serious injuries, illnesses and incidents that occur at the service (HS27).
Having a record of the written authority from parents for the administration of medicine that includes the name and amount of medicine given, date and time medicine was administered and by whom, and evidence of parental acknowledgement that medicine was administered (HS28).
Providing information to parents about any planned reviews and consultation (GMA3).
Having evidence that parents and kaiako contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents (GMA4).
Implementing processes for human resource management, specifically selection and appointment procedures (GMA7).
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
8 August 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Red Kite Preschool |
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Profile Number |
45454 |
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Location |
Epsom, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
37 children, including up to 6 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
36 |
|
Review team on site |
June 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
8 August 2022 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, September 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.
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.
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.
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.
Red Kite Preschool in Epsom offers all-day care and education for up to 35 infants and toddlers. The centre was bought by new owners in 2018. Two-thirds of the children attending are of Chinese descent. There are four qualified teachers, including the manager.
Teachers plan and implement a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The programme acknowledges the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. It encourages children to be confident in their own culture and develop respect for other cultures.
Children experience positive, respectful interactions with adults. The curriculum is responsive, promotes children’s independence, and supports their learning and development. Leaders and teachers regularly communicate with parents to share information about children’s learning and encourage their involvement in decision-making.
The service is effectively managed. An ongoing process of self review keeps the service focused on improving outcomes for children.
Next steps include:
reflecting children’s language and culture in their assessment portfolios
making responses to children’s interests and dispositions, and to parents’ aspirations, more visible in assessment, planning and evaluation.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
6 September 2019
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Red Kite Preschool |
|
Profile Number |
45454 |
|
Location |
Epsom, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 years |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Reported ratio of adults to children under 2 |
1:3 - Better than regulatory standards |
|
Reported ratio of adults to children over 2 |
1:8 - Better than regulatory standards. |
|
Service roll |
26 |
|
Gender composition |
Boys 14 Girls 12 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 2 |
|
Review team on site |
July 2019 |
|
Date of this report |
6 September 2019 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review August 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 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:
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
As part of an 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.
Morning Star Preschool is a privately owned centre in Epsom catering for up to 30 children over the age of two years. The service offers full day care and education. The majority of children attending are of New Zealand European or Chinese decent.
The centre maintains a stable staff. Its management committee employs a centre manager, two senior teachers and a team of three teaching staff. Four staff are qualified teachers and two are in training. Three teachers are also fully registered, and another is in the process of obtaining her provisional registration.
The centre’s philosophy emphasises the importance of play in children’s learning. It seeks to promote a positive learning environment that values people, caring and nurturing relationships, and strong connections between families and teachers as educators. Children’s development is viewed holistically, with strong focus on literacy and numeracy.
The teaching team has established sound relationships with parents. There is a clear commitment to supporting the Mandarin language and Chinese culture, while also affirming and promoting both the English and Māori language and culture.
Since the 2012 ERO review teachers have continued to work together to build teaching capability and to use self review to improve the environment. They continue to respond to a next step noted in the 2012 ERO report outlining the benefits of further working with parents to develop shared understandings of the intent of the centre’s curriculum and its connection to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Children are supported by teachers to play and explore in an orderly and attractive learning environment. Children show a sense of belonging and benefit from the positive way is which their language, culture, and identity is affirmed by teachers. A prominent feature is the use of the Mandarin language by both children and teachers, with children also provided with good opportunities to develop their literacy skills in English.
Teachers have good relationships with children and are available to provide for their interests and needs. Clear routines are evident within the daily programme. Teachers could now reflect further on how they facilitate learning. A focus on a more child-centred approach would extend authentic learning opportunities for children. The inclusion of more opportunities for uninterrupted, child initiated play would allow children to engage more deeply in sustained, focused play while promoting increasingly complex learning and social interactions.
Teachers’ planning is individualised to each child. It is a shared process that enables all teachers to contribute, and shows predicted next steps in learning for each child. Children’s individual portfolios attractively present their learning journey. These are available to parents to make comments on and to add further information about their children’s accomplishments.
The head teacher has purposefully built relationships with a local primary school, and there are opportunities for centre staff and children to visit and familiarise with the school. This is helping to foster a smooth transition to school process for children and their families.
Leaders encourage teachers to develop their strengths and capabilities. A new appraisal process to promote ongoing improvement in teaching and learning is under development in preparation for full implementation. Teachers could now be encouraged to develop more of a collaborative inquiry approach to enable them to reflect together on the effectiveness of their teaching practices. Shared professional development opportunities could also enhance the development of centre practices.
The centre leaders and ERO agree that the next steps are to continue:
Before the review, the staff and management of Morning Star Preschool 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 Morning Star Preschool will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
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.
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Location |
Epsom, Auckland |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45454 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 0 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
39 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 22 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
1 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Review team on site |
June 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
12 August 2015 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
September 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:
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.