Early Connections Childcare Centre

Education institution number:
47184
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
51
Telephone:
Address:

66 Seventh View Ave, Beachlands, Auckland

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Early Connections Childcare 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

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

CurriculumMeeting
Premises and facilitiesMeeting
Health and safetyMeeting
Governance, management and administrationMeeting

 

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Early Connections Childcare Centre is privately owned and operated by three owners. Two of the owners are registered teachers, and they lead a team of four qualified teachers, five unqualified teachers, a cook and an administrator. A small number of children enrolled are of Māori or Pacific heritages. This is the service’s first review under new ownership.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. 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. The curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The premises and facilities are resourced to provide for the learning and abilities of the children attending. Health and safety procedures are monitored, and changes are made when required.

Key Next Steps 

Next steps include:

  • improving the extent to which assessment information shows children’s progress and learning over time
  • increasing the opportunities children have to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts. 

Next ERO Review 

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

29 January 2024

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NameEarly Connections Childcare Centre
Profile Number 47184
LocationBeachlands, Auckland
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll64
Review team on siteNovember 2023
Date of this report29 January 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Akanuku | Assurance Review, April 2019

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 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. 

Early Connections Childcare Centre - 11/04/2019

ERO’s judgement

Regulatory standards

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.

Background

Early Connections Childcare Centre in Beachlands received a full licence in June 2018. The two centre owners hold early childhood teaching qualifications. They manage and lead a team of 14 staff, including eight registered teachers. Five children are identified as Māori, and approximately one-third of the children on the roll are from diverse cultural backgrounds. This is the centre’s first ERO review.

Summary of review findings

Children experience positive, respectful interactions with adults. The curriculum is responsive and supports children’s learning and development. Children have opportunities to develop an understanding of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.

A policy framework and an annual plan guide centre operations. Teacher appraisal and internal evaluation processes support ongoing improvement. Health and safety procedures are monitored and followed-up when required. Premises and facilities support children’s learning experiences.The service is effectively governed and managed.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

11 April 2019

Information about the service

Early Childhood Service Name

Early Connections Childcare

Profile Number

47184

Location

Beachlands, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4 – Better than regulatory standards

Over 2

1:8 – Better than regulatory standards

Service roll

71

Gender composition

Boys 38

Girls 33

Ethnic composition

Māori 6

Pākehā 55

South African 4

other ethnic groups 6

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

11 April 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

First ERO review of 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:

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 Assurance Review process in any 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 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 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 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.