66 Springhill Road, Mornington, Dunedin
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 |
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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.
This is a small, privately owned service for children over two years-to-school age. The owner is the centre manager. All teachers have Montessori qualifications or are registered teachers. The roll is multicultural.
The centre’s curriculum is consistent with Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum and the Montessori approach. It is also informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that show an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and wellbeing and to nurture reciprocal relationships.
At the onsite stage of the review, some health and safety, and some governance, management and administration licencing criteria had not been adequately implemented. Since the onsite stage of the review these areas have been addressed.
During the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008: PF 17; HS 6.
Since the onsite stage of the review, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008: PF 7; HS 8; HS 9; HS 12; HS 19; HS 28; HS 29; GMA 4; GMA7; GMA7A.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
24 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Mighty Minds Montessori House of Children |
| Profile Number | 46644 |
| Location | Dunedin |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
24 children over two years. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
24 |
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Ethnic composition |
NZ European/Pākehā 9, Indian 7, Sri Lanka 4, other ethnicities 4. |
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Review team on site |
April 2021 |
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Date of this report |
24 June 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018. |
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:
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Mighty Minds Montessori House of Children is licensed to provide education and care for up to 24 children from two years to school age. The centre opened in February 2015. This is its first education review.
Of the five teachers, three are Montessori trained and four are qualified and registered early childhood teachers. The owner/centre manager is strongly committed to the Montessori philosophy and recognises the importance of integrating Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, with the Montessori approach to teaching and learning.
The centre seeks to provide quality education and care in a safe, secure and loving, child-oriented environment.
Children learn in a rich learning environment where language, culture and identity are valued. The responsive curriculum supports children's needs, strengths and interests. Interactions between adults and children are respectful. Children are first and foremost valued, celebrated and affirmed for who they are and what they bring to their learning. Children are empowered to take responsibility for their wellbeing, themselves and the group, and their immediate and wider environment. Children have opportunities to learn and practice an authentic range of print and numerical experiences with specialised Montessori materials.
There are strong ako-based relationships with parents and whānau. Aspirations of parents and whānau are valued and reflected in the prepared learning environment. Teachers understand the child in the context of family/whānau and the wider community. There is a clear and intentional focus on building meaningful bicultural practices at all levels of the service.
Leaders and teachers have developed nurturing and respectful relationships with children. They foster language development through authentic and meaningful dialogue and context. All children are supported in their learning and are given opportunities to lead their own learning interests. Children experience a range of sustained, shared teaching periods that extend their thinking, problem solving and experimentation.
Teachers have a developing understanding of the goals, dispositions and learning outcomes of both Te Whāriki and the Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) method. This supports their capability and ability to plan effectively for individuals and groups of children. Teachers ensure the regularity of self-review/internal-evaluation practices are collaborative and well documented. Teachers prioritise and focus teaching and learning opportunities to maximise equitable outcomes for children.
Thoughtful planning, organisation and consideration has been given to the indoor and outdoor environments. This has helped to encourage critical thought, wondering and creativity for all children. Children and families experience a well-managed and thoughtful transition process that supports their successful entry into, through and beyond the centre.
Leaders and teachers acknowledge the importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. This bicultural commitment is visible within their partnerships, policies and practices. Teachers encourage the use of te reo Māori across all learning areas.
The centre owner and ERO agree, that the key next steps to improve outcomes for children are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Mighty Minds Montessori House of Children 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 Mighty Minds Montessori House of Children will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
13 March 2018
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 |
Dunedin |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46644 |
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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 |
24 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
22 |
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Gender composition |
Girls: 9 Boys: 13 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
December 2017 |
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Date of this report |
13 March 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
No previous reports |
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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.