Active Explorers Helensville

Education institution number:
47607
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
40
Telephone:
Address:

14 Commercial Road, Helensville

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Active Explorers Helensville

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

Active Explorers Helensville is a recently established centre that is part of the Evolve Education Group. The centre offers all-day care for up to 60 children, including 20 children under two years of age. The largest groups on the roll are Māori and NZ European/Pākehā. The centre manager leads a team of qualified teachers.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers provide a programme consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The programme acknowledges the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Children’s learning is supported by positive, respectful interactions with adults. Infants and toddlers enjoy a comfortable space in a language-rich environment. The curriculum promotes independence and supports children’s learning and development. A variety of resources are available for children’s learning and abilities.

The service is well managed. Leaders and teachers regularly communicate with parents. They share information about children’s learning and encourage their involvement in decision making.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include continuing to:

  • strengthen internal evaluation and include evaluation of the programme
  • build partnerships with parents by making evident parents’ aspirations for their children in learning stories
  • enhance teacher capability to strengthen curriculum design and programme planning.

Next ERO Review

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

Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

16 December 2020 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Active Explorers Helensville

Profile Number

47607

Location

Helensville, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

60 children, including up to 20 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

43

Ethnic composition

Māori 12
NZ European/Pākehā 19
other ethnic groups 12

Review team on site

November 2020

Date of this report

16 December 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.