708 Te Kowhai Road, Te Kowhai
View on mapGumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning 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 Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) |
Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
|
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions |
Whāngai Establishing Whakaū Embedding |
2 Context of the Service
This service is one of two under the same ownership. Two owners provided governance support. A centre manager oversees daily operations and leads the curriculum. There are three rooms for different age groups of children. Of the children enrolled, a small number are Māori or have Pacific heritages.
3 Summary of findings
Children engage in a responsive curriculum that fosters their ongoing learning. They have good opportunities to explore the natural world and to grow their physical skills when accessing the large outdoor space. Children show a sense of belonging and demonstrate social skills in their interactions with others.
Infants experience a calm and responsive environment. Children with additional needs are included, with external support sought to promote their active participation in the curriculum. During play-based experiences, teachers facilitate children’s learning of aspects of tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and New Zealand Sign Language. Children benefit from some parents sharing their home cultures as part of the curriculum. Cultural events such as Matariki, Chinese New Year, Holli and Diwali are celebrated.
Individual and group curriculum planning is evident. Seeking and responding to the aspirations of whānau for their children’s learning is yet to be embedded to inform assessment and planning practices. Leaders have identified that consistent inclusion of children’s cultures and languages in the environment and in assessment documentation is an area for development.
Children and their whānau benefit from the sound organisational conditions that have been built. Relational trust and professional learning opportunities help leaders and teachers to collaborate and adapt their practice. Internal evaluation processes are leading to positive improvements. Owners are committed to supporting staff wellbeing, lower teacher to child ratios and smaller group sizes. These conditions are contributing to ongoing improvement and positive outcomes for children at this service.
4 Improvement actions
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
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For leaders to grow their pedagogy and knowledge to build teachers’ shared understanding of the valued learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
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To recognise and celebrate all children's home languages, cultures and identity in the environment and through curriculum documentation.
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To consistently gather and respond to parents’ aspirations for their child’s learning in assessment and planning practices.
5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements
Before the review, the staff and management of Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning 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:
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curriculum
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premises and facilities
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health and safety practices
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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:
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emotional safety (including positive guidance and child protection)
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physical safety (including supervision; sleep procedures; accidents; medication; hygiene; excursion policies and procedures)
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suitable staffing (including qualification levels; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios)
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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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
30 October 2023
6 About the Early Childhood Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre |
Profile Number |
47515 |
Location |
Te Kowhai |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
98 children, including up to 24 aged under 2 |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
92 |
Review team on site |
September 2023 |
Date of this report |
30 October 2023 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2020 |
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre - 23/10/2020
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 |
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
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre is a privately owned and operated service. It was established in 2018. The centre owners are responsible for the management of operations and leadership. It is a purpose-built centre with three age-based learning areas. This is the centre’s first ERO review.
Summary of Review Findings
Children are viewed as competent and confident learners, who are empowered to make their own decisions. Teachers are responsive to children’s needs through positive and reciprocal interactions. Planning, assessment and evaluation are based on the curriculum Te Whāriki. Teachers actively seek knowledge from families and respond to information about their aspirations for their children.
The service is effectively governed and managed. The centre philosophy guides the service’s operation. Parents and whānau are consulted about service operation. An ongoing process of self-review supports teachers to improve the quality of education and care for children attending the service.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include for the centre to:
- strengthen and acknowledge the unique place of tangata whenua
- provide infants with a range of experiences and resources to enhance and extend their learning and development.
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
23 October 2020
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
Gumboots & Grasshoppers Childcare & Learning Centre |
Profile Number |
47515 |
Location |
Te Kowhai |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
98 children, including up to 24 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Service roll |
93 |
Gender composition |
Female 52, Male 41. |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 14, NZ European/Pākehā 60, Samoan 5, |
Review team on site |
September 2020 |
Date of this report |
23 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.