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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

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

Background

This is the first ERO review for Brightlands Childcare Centre that opened in January 2019. The owner/director, who is also the service provider, manages financial responsibilities and provides general oversight. A centre manager with two head teachers, lead a team of 13 teachers.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience meaningful and positive interactions with teachers, enhancing their learning and nurturing reciprocal relationships. Individual planning is responsive to children’s interests, strengths and the aspirations of parents. Teachers support children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children are able to make decisions about their learning and their choices are respected.

Ongoing self review helps the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care. Parent contributions are valued and they are encouraged to contribute to children’s learning. Both indoor and outdoor environments are effectively designed to promote adult supervision and are monitored for health, safety and cleanliness.

Key Next Steps

Leaders and teachers should continue to strengthen:

• visibility of all children’s language, culture and identity in assessment and planning
• individual planning, linked to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki, to enhance and extend children’s learning.

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

30 November 2020

Information About 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.