Waatea Early Childhood Centre

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

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.

Background

Waatea Early Childhood Centre is governed by Te Whare Wānanga o Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA). It is one of several not-for-profit, community-based services located at Waatea Marae. The centre provides a bilingual Māori curriculum. All children enrolled are Māori or have Pacific heritages.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The design and layout of the premises supports the provision of a range of experiences both inside and outside. They include quiet spaces, areas of physical active play and space for individual and group learning experiences.

The service provider must ensure that licensing requirements are implemented and monitored. Once regular emergency drills are implemented, the service should complete an annual review of the emergency plan.

Compliance

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• ensuring a record of emergency drills carried out is documented (HS8)
• documenting a risk management system to eliminate, isolate or minimise hazards to the safety of children (HS12)
• monitoring that the temperature of warm water delivered from taps accessible to children is no higher than 40°C, and comfortable for children at the centre to use (HS13)
• monitoring that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14)
• ensuring a tempering valve or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature is installed (PF24)
• providing safe and stable nappy changing facilities that can be kept hygienically cleaned, are safe, appropriate for the age/weight and number of children needing to use them, and children’s independence can be fostered as appropriate (PF25)
• maintaining a first aid kit that complies with requirements of the licensing criteria (PF28)
• ensuring that stretchers used over time for more than one child are securely covered with, or made of, non-porous material (PF30)
• implementing suitable human resource management practices that include procedures for induction of staff (GMA7)
• ensuring all workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014, and there is a written procedure for safety checking that meets the requirements of the Act (GMA7A)
• maintaining enrolment records for each child who has attended in the previous seven years (GMA10)
• maintaining attendance records for each child attending that are kept for seven years (GMA11).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

13 July 2021 

Information About the Service

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.

1 Evaluation of Waatea Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Waatea Early Childhood Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Waatea Early Childhood Centre opened in 2015 under the organisational umbrella of Te Whare Wānanga o Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA). It is one of several not-for-profit, community-based services located at Waatea Marae.

The centre provides bilingual Māori education and care for up to 30 tamariki over two years of age. The purpose-built premises are attractive and spacious. The board is in the process of extending the centre's licence to provide for more tamariki.

The MUMA board of trustees provides governance, management and administration support for the centre. The board has recently appointed some new staff, including a head teacher. The teaching team consists of four qualified and two unqualified teachers. Centre governors, leaders and whānau share aspirations for high quality education for their tamariki. The board and managers generously support teachers to meet this goal.

MUMA has a clear vision to realise the potential of Māori tamariki and their whānau in a culturally responsive context. Tamariki are supported to transition to the onsite kura. The centre's philosophy endorses kaupapa Māori through aroha, manaakitanga, rangatiratanga and whanaungatanga. The marae setting provides a nurturing and welcoming environment for whānau to access free or low-cost support services and te reo Māori classes.

This is the first ERO review of Waatea Early Childhood Centre.

The Review Findings

Tamariki experience a calm, settled environment that promotes whanaungatanga and tuakana/teina relationships. They confidently interact with their peers, teachers and visitors and often enjoy times during the day with whānau, in the marae setting. Tamariki have good opportunities for free play and access to high quality resources and equipment. They are encouraged to develop self-management skills and take on leadership roles through whakatau, waiata, mihimihi and karakia. Tamariki confidently use te reo in these occasions and activities. Teachers' next steps are to further support children's sense of belonging through a more integrated approach to developing their skills in te reo Māori.

Aspects of the philosophy are strongly evident in teachers' practice, the programme and learning environment. This is particularly so in the kaupapa Māori values. Many whānau express confidence in the holistic education and care that staff provide for their tamariki. The teaching team should now review the philosophy and what it means for their daily practice.

Some staff capably model te reo Māori in their interactions and teaching practice. Staff access MUMA's free te reo Māori classes to support their delivery of a bilingual programme. Leaders agree that bilingual provision and children's second language acquisition are ongoing priorities for teachers' professional learning and development. Teachers have asked whānau to contribute to the review of the bilingual programme.

Good curriculum leadership continues to progress the shift in teachers' practice to better align with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers have begun to implement consistent programme planning and assessment through learning stories. They are learning to intentionally respond to the interests, dispositions and learning goals of individual tamariki. This has resulted in teachers reviewing the learning environment to create play areas and engage tamariki in more meaningful learning. Leaders agree that teachers will benefit from external professional development in curriculum planning, assessment and evaluation to support this move.

The head teacher is managing changes in teachers' practice. Teachers are establishing shared understanding and responsibility for centre operations and improvements. The team is developing awareness of evidenced-based practice and teachers have recently begun to document a process for internal evaluation. Teachers should continue to develop and deepen their evaluative practice to enhance outcomes for tamariki.

The tumuaki has implemented a robust appraisal system. She agrees that the head teacher should take a lead role in staff appraisals. This should support the head teacher's leadership through coaching and mentoring staff. To ensure that appraisals are meaningful for all staff, they should be personalised and monitored on an ongoing basis. Professional development should help to establish more consistent understandings about expectations for teaching and reflective practice.

The board has made good progress towards its vision and long term goals for the centre. The board should continue to refine, develop and monitor progress towards strategic and annual goals to prioritise improved outcomes for tamariki. A sound policy framework is in place and a next step is to establish a regular cycle of internal evaluation that includes strategic policy review.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders agree that the priorities to improve outcomes for tamariki and centre sustainability include ongoing, external professional support to:

• embed teaching and learning practices that are consistent with Te Whāriki and current theories about best practice in early childhood education
• continue enhancing the learning environment to provide more challenging, complex play
• establish robust internal evaluation at all levels of centre operations
• develop teachers' reflective practice and implement meaningful appraisals that include the competencies of Tātaiako: cultural competencies for teachers of Māori learners
• refine strategic and annual planning in consultation with whānau and regularly monitor progress towards strategic goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Waatea Early Childhood 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:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

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:

• 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 registration; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

To improve practice, the board and centre leaders should:

• complete risk analysis management systems for local excursions and centre transport
• ensure that the complaints policy includes Ministry of Education contact details and a clause that complainants may take complaints directly to the Ministry of Education
• ensure that staff follow centre policies and procedures when administering medication to tamariki.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Waatea Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

2 October 2017

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.