Avalon Childcare Centre

Education institution number:
47279
Service type:
Education & Care Service
Total roll:
42
Address:

30 Avalon Drive, Nawton, Hamilton

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Avalon Childcare Centre

1 ERO’s Judgements

Akarangi | 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 Avalon Childcare Centre are as follows:

Outcome Indicators

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners)

Whakatō Emerging

Ngā Akatoro Domains

 
Learning Conditions
Organisational Conditions

Whakatō Emerging

Whakatō Emerging

2 Context of the Service

This centre’s philosophy is based on the aspiration that children develop independence and are caring towards others. A centre owner and centre leader manage operations and provide support for a team of qualified and non-qualified teachers. Significant staff changes and absence of the owner have impacted on the progress made against key next steps identified in ERO’s 2022 report. 

3 Summary of findings

Teachers have established relationships with parents and whānau. They use these to seek information about children’s cultures and identity. Despite significant staff change there is evidence that for some children, their cultural and learner identity is acknowledged. Children’s needs are mostly responded to through the curriculum, by supporting their wellbeing and fostering social skills.

Children’s learning and development are enhanced by deliberate improvement processes that the centre leader is putting in place. These processes are in the early stages of being implemented. They include the development of internal evaluation practices and a framework to support teacher’s professional growth. 

Assessment practices are being strengthened and are beginning to make children’s learning evident. Through this work, the centre leader is growing teachers’ capability to assess children’s learning in relation to the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. As many of these elements are developing, the impact of shifts in teacher practice on outcomes for children is not known. 

There is limited progress in strengthening organisational conditions of the centre. Priorities for improvement and decisions from governance are not strategically focused. Leaders are yet to clearly consider children’s learning and development or the ongoing sustainability of the centre’s staffing. Limited collaboration and communication from centre management to support growing capability in leadership, is hindering the key drivers of continuous improvement. These factors are therefore having a limited impact on progressing equitable learning outcomes for groups of children.  

4 Improvement actions

Avalon Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:

  • Develop learning priorities that are based on positive outcomes for children, are related to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki and that form the basis of the centre’s local curriculum. 
  • For the owner and manager to establish key priorities for improvement in relation to the centre’s vision. 
  • Clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of governance and leadership to ensure systems and practices continue to improve in the areas of:
    • assessment, planning and evaluation of children’s learning
    • a professional growth cycle
    • internal evaluation.

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Avalon Childcare Centre 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:

  • 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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

6 Actions for Compliance 

ERO identified the following area of non-compliance:

  • Keeping a record of earthquake drills carried out and evidence of how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8.

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

  • Ensuring safety checks of management, including a dated and signed risk assessment as required by the Children’s Act 2014, are carried out by another person or organisation acting on their behalf (GMA7A).

7 Recommendation to Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure a non-compliance identified in this report is addressed.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

16 July 2024 

8 About the Early Childhood Service 

Early Childhood Service NameAvalon Childcare Centre
Profile Number47279
Location Nawton, Hamilton
Service type Education and care service
Number licensed for 45 children, including up to 15 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 100%
Service roll34
Review team on siteApril 2024 
Date of this report16 July 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Akanuku | Assurance Review, January 2023; Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2020

Avalon 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

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

Avalon Childcare Centre is led by the owner, alongside a team of qualified teachers. The service philosophy highlights love of learning and independence. Among the ethnicities of children attending, are small groups of Māori, of Pacific heritage and Indian learners. The centre has addressed non-compliances identified in ERO’s 2020 Akanuku Review.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Teachers’ positive interactions enhance children’s learning. They support children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. A language-rich environment provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to extend their growth and development.

The quantity and variety of equipment are appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending. A philosophy statement guides operation. The service takes all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of children attending.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • developing the local curriculum to reflect the things that are important to children, their families and teachers

  • increasing the involvement of families in the implementation and evaluation of the local curriculum

  • strengthening the extent to which the environment, curriculum and assessment of children’s learning reflects their identity, language and culture.

Next ERO Review

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 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Avalon Childcare Centre
Profile Number 47279
Location Nawton, Hamilton

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

45 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

100%

Service roll

40

Review team on site

November 2022

Date of this report

18 January 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2020

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.

Avalon Childcare Centre 28/10/2020

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 safetyNot meeting
Governance, management and administrationMeeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

Avalon Childcare provides all-day education and care for children from birth to six years of age. The purpose-built facility has three age-based learning areas. The centre owner is responsible for centre operation and leadership. This is the centre’s first ERO review since a change of ownership.

Summary of Review Findings

Positive and meaningful relationships were observed among children and teachers. The service curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. A range of opportunities supports children’s learning and development, individually and in groups across all play areas. Parents are involved in decision-making concerning their child’s learning. The programme is inclusive of the individual needs of toddlers and young children.

Ongoing external professional development supports the centre’s evaluation and is helping staff to maintain and improve aspects of the centre.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • recording parental acknowledgement that medicine has been administered for category (ii) medication.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS28].

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

  • an annual plan specifying the ‘who, what’, and ‘when’ in relation to specific tasks and goals (GMA8)
  • the hygienic storage of food and the assurance of keeping perishable food at temperature at or below 4 degrees (PF16).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review of Avalon Childcare will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

28 October 2020

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NameAvalon Childcare Centre
Profile Number47279
LocationHamilton
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for45 children, including up to 15 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers80%+
Service roll27
Gender compositionFemale 15, Male 12
Ethnic compositionMāori 9
NZ European/Pākehā 4
Indian 4
Afgani 4
Other ethnic groups 6
Review team on siteOctober 2020
Date of this report28 October 2020

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 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.