301 Lincoln Road, 1, Henderson, Auckland
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has 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 are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Co Kids are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Co Kids is one of three privately owned services under the shared governance of four directors. A qualified centre manager is responsible for daily operations. She is supported by a second in charge, a curriculum leader and three room leaders. The service’s roll is ethnically diverse. Twenty percent of children attending have Māori heritage.
Children are well supported to develop their confidence and social competence. They include others in their play and relate well to their peers. Teachers are responsive to children’s needs, recognising both the verbal and non-verbal cues of infants. As a result, children develop a sense of belonging within a calm and unhurried environment.
Children are provided with some opportunities to engage with te reo Māori and tikanga Māori in meaningful contexts. A centre-wide internal evaluation, which focuses on strengthening teaching practice to support Māori learners, is currently enabling the team to further develop their bicultural practices. Leaders acknowledge that they now need to strengthen the monitoring of change to know how actions are leading to improvement.
Service leaders and teachers have established relationships with parents and whānau. The information shared has been used to inform the set-up of the learning environment and children’s assessment documentation. These are reflective of individual children’s home languages and cultures. Service leaders work well with parents and external agencies to support children with additional learning needs.
A new system for curriculum planning has recently been developed which focuses on the individual learner. Leaders acknowledge the need to further strengthen this through a more intentional use of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Leaders support teachers with some opportunities to engage in ongoing professional development. They now recognise that this could be further strengthened to increase the collective capabilities within the team through links to the professional growth cycle.
Co Kids will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Co Kids completed an ERO 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.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
7 March 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Co Kids |
| Profile Number | 47031 |
| Location | Henderson, Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 98 children, including up to 30 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 81 |
| Review team on site | December 2023 |
| Date of this report | 7 March 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, December 2021; Education Review, April 2018 |
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.
Co Kids opened in 2016. It is licensed for 98 children, including 30 children under two years of age. The centre provides a full-day programme in a purpose-built facility. Children are grouped according to age. The centre’s community includes small groups of Māori and Pacific children and an increasing number of children from other diverse cultural backgrounds.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Regular opportunities both formal and informal are provided for parents to be involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning.
The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. It is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, interests, whānau and life contexts.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
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
7 December 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Co Kids |
| Profile Number | 47031 |
| Location | Henderson, West Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 98 children, including up to 30 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 76 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 7, NZ European/Pākehā 23, Asian 31, Pacific 11, other ethnic groups 4 |
| Review team on site | May 2021 |
| Date of this report | 7 December 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, April 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:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Co Kids in Henderson opened in 2016. It is licensed for 98 children, including 30 children under 2 years of age. The centre provides a full-day programme in a purpose-built facility. Children learn in two age-related areas. The older children's space has recently been established. The centre's community includes small groups of Māori and Pacific children, and an increasing number from diverse ethnic backgrounds.
The centre's philosophy and vision promote a welcoming learning environment, and focus on respectful education and care practices. The philosophy is closely aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, the Reggio philosophy, and the RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers).
The centre manager works with a head teacher and a team of teachers, most of whom are qualified teachers. The centre also employs a cook.
Infants and toddlers play in a calm, well-resourced and attractive environment. There is a warm, inclusive culture in the centre. Teachers' caring interactions promote children's wellbeing and foster a sense of belonging. Transitions and routines are unhurried. Teachers' respectful care nurtures toddlers' self-help skills, fosters their independence, and reflects the RIE philosophy. Teachers respond to infants' communication cues. They model oral language and give children time to respond.
The older children are supported to be confident learners. They are articulate and social, playing independently or joining small groups. Teachers engage children in conversation and encourage them to make their own choices. Landscaped outdoor spaces offer opportunities for exploration and play. They benefit from opportunities to learn about literacy and numeracy. Teachers could now consider ways to promote challenge and inquiry for older children.
Parents have good opportunities to communicate with teachers, and be informed about what is happening in the centre. Transitions between home and centre and within the centre are flexible and responsive to the needs of each child. Teachers acknowledge children's cultures. They respond well to the challenge of establishing effective communications with the increasingly diverse community.
Bicultural perspectives are respected, integrated into learning experiences, and evident in the environment. Teachers are building their knowledge and understanding of te ao Māori and te reo me ōna tikanga Māori. They include words and phrases in te reo Māori with the children.
Programme planning and assessment practices focus on children's individual and group interests. Portfolios provide an attractive record of learning and children's milestones. An online tool records and informs parents about their children's learning progress. Parents can access and contribute to these records to share with the wider family. This practice could now be established for older children.
Internal evaluation has been effective in promoting change. There is a clear focus on ongoing improvement. Continuing to focus evaluation questions on teaching practice and outcomes for children will help to build teachers' reflective and evaluative thinking.
The leadership team has high expectations of staff as professionals. These expectations include a commitment by staff to their own professional learning. A strong team culture is being established. The centre continues to strengthen its appraisal system, which encourages teachers to reflect on their teaching practice.
The team of experienced directors guides centre operations. The directors have a clear vision and have established a sound strategic direction. Their focus is to ensure the sustainability of the centre in a growing early childhood community. Comprehensive policies and procedures guide professional practice in the centre.
Managers agree that next steps include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Co Kids 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 Co Kids will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
6 April 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.
| Location | Henderson, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 47031 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 98 children, including up to 30 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 72 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 44 Girls 28 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Pākehā Chinese Indian Samoan other | 37 12 6 3 14 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 6 April 2018 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | No previous ERO reports | ||
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.