229 Ranzau Road, Nelson
View on mapLittle Kiwi Explorers
Little Kiwi Explorers
Akarangi | 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.
Little Kiwi Explorers
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 |
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
Little Kiwi Explorers is a purpose built, privately-owned service that caters for children from infants to two and a half years. It opened in September 2017. A sister centre for over two-year-olds is on a nearby property. Most teachers are qualified, and the day-to-day operation is the responsibility of the centre manager.
Summary of Review Findings
Children experience a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Adults promote positive, respectful interactions with children. Children have opportunities to develop an understanding of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The philosophy is reflected within the environment through appropriate resourcing and is visible within documentation. Suitable resources are available for the learning and abilities of children attending. Consistent practices are implemented that promote the health and wellbeing of children.
Key Next Steps
- continue to develop kaiako capability to use the learning outcomes in Te Whāriki to analyse and interpret significant learning from which to build a rich and relevant curriculum for every child
- strengthen the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their identity, language and culture.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
- a revised child protection policy which includes a clear process for safety checking.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008: GMA7A.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
3 May 2021
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name | Little Kiwi Explorers |
Profile Number | 47314 |
Location | Nelson |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Service roll |
31 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 9, NZ European/Pākehā 22 |
Review team on site |
January 2021 |
Date of this report |
3 May 2021 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 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 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.
Little Kiwi Explorers - 25/10/2019
ERO’s Judgement
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 non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Background
Little Kiwi Explorers is a privately-owned centre which opened in September 2017. A separate centre for over two year-olds is on an adjacent property. Most teachers are qualified and the day-to-day operation is the responsibility of the centre manager.
The centre provides education and care for up to 20 children aged from six weeks to two years of age. This is the first review of Little Kiwi Explorers.
Summary of Review Findings
Children have easy access to the outdoors where exploration of the environment is encouraged. Useful information is available to parents and whānau about how the centre operates and how they can be involved. Teachers’ should continue to develop their confidence and competence in the use of te reo Māori in everyday practice. Leaders should increase the level of monitoring of documentation related to health and safety practices.
Actions for Compliance
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
- monitoring the implementation of health and safety practices related to centre hygiene, daily hazard checks and administering of medication
- administering medication not provided by the parent and with no written authority prior to administering
- evidence of parental acknowledgment that the medication has been administered
- te reo Māori being spoken and heard in everyday practice.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS1, HS12, HS28, C5.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
- providing information to parents about the amount and details of expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service
- having an annual plan that identifies who, what and when in relation to the key tasks that guides the services practice
- securing heavy furniture and equipment that could fall and topple and cause serious injury or damage
- identifying what safety and emergency supplies and resources are available and how these will be maintained
- excursion information that clearly shows the signature of the Person Responsible for giving prior approval for the excursion to take place
- stating explicitly that no person on the premises uses or is under the influence of alcohol or any other substance that has a detrimental effect on their functioning or behaviour during the service’s hours of operation.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA3, GMA8, HS6, HS7, HS17, HS33.
Recommendation to Ministry of Education
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review of Little Kiwi Explorers will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
25 October 2019
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Little Kiwi Explorers |
Profile Number |
47314 |
Location |
Nelson |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
20 children, including up to 15 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Reported ratio of staff to children under 2 |
1-5 Meets regulatory standards. |
Service roll |
25 |
Gender composition |
Male 15, Female 10 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 9 |
Review team on site |
September 2019 |
Date of this report |
25 October 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 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 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 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.