Explore & Flourish

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 identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

This is the first ERO review of Explore and Flourish, which opened in 2020. Children play and learn in two aged-based buildings. A leadership team support daily operations. Some new teachers have recently joined the team. A small number of enrolled children are identified as Māori.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum provides children with a range of experiences to enhance and extend their learning. Teacher practices demonstrate knowledge of relevant education theories and understanding of children’s learning. Children are engaged in positive and meaningful interactions. The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation. It acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua.

Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. Information and guidance are sought from agencies to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents.

Active monitoring of compliance requires strengthening to ensure ongoing maintenance of regulatory standards.

Actions for Compliance

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

• ensuring each type of relevant emergency drill is carried out on at least a three-monthly basis.
  Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8

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

• Having written parent approval of adult:child ratios for special excursions prior to the excursion taking place (HS17).

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 is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation. 

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

30 October 2023

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 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.