Tamariki Station Ainslie Ltd

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

Tamariki Station Ainslie Ltd is one of two centres that shares governance and organisational systems under the same ownership. The service provides education and care to a large number of Māori and a small number of Pacific learners in a culturally diverse community. This is the service’s first ERO review.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience positive and respectful interactions with teachers to enhance their learning. The service curriculum is informed by assessment and planning. Children are responded to as competent and confident learners. The design and layout of the premises support children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development - both indoors and outdoors. A language-rich environment supports their learning and social competence.

Parents have regular opportunities to contribute to the development of the service. Information and guidance from agencies enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents. The service’s systems and processes guide day-to-day operations.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• Take a more consistent and systematic approach to seeking and responding to parent and whānau aspirations for their child’s learning.

• Increase the range of opportunities children and their families have to share aspects of their culture with others in the service.

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

15 September 2022

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.