2D Brooklyn Road, Claudelands, Hamilton
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 |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
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.
Fountain City Montessori is one of two privately owned services. It provides education and care to a multicultural community and a small number of Māori learners. The centre’s vision is to provide a structured learning environment that develops children’s independence and recognises their individuality and learning.
The service curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Parents and whānau are provided with opportunities to be involved in decision making about their children’s learning.
The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation. Information and guidance is sought from external agencies and services to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions that enhance children’s learning and support social and emotional competence.
A process of internal evaluation helps the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care for children.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7A]
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
18 January 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Fountain City Montessori |
|
Profile Number |
46977 |
|
Location |
Claudelands, Hamilton |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
95 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
52 |
|
Review team on site |
December 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
18 January 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, June 2021; 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.
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 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.
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 |
Not meeting |
|
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
|
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Fountain City Montessori is one of two privately owned services. It operates out of three age-based rooms. The centre’s curriculum is based on the teachings of Maria Montessori. A centre supervisor and team leader work with a teaching of team of eight qualified and two unqualified teachers.
Teachers seek information and guidance from agencies to work effectively with children with additional needs. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of bicultural and multi-cultural heritages. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau.
Annual and strategic planning guide centre operations. Ongoing internal evaluation processes support the centre to improve the quality of education and care for children. Teaching practice does not consistently demonstrate an understanding of theories relevant to the centre’s philosophy. Consistent implementation of health and safety practices is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS22, HS23, C4].
During and after the onsite visit the service provided ERO with evidence that showed it addressed the following non-compliances:
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
15 June 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Fountain City Montessori |
| Profile Number | 46977 |
| Location | Claudelands, Hamilton |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
95 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
56 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 11, NZ European/Pākehā 13, Indian 11, Chinese 9, Other ethnic groups 12 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2021 |
|
Date of this report |
15 June 2021 |
|
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: