Galaxy Childcare - Mahia

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

Galaxy Childcare - Mahia is one of three centres owned by Essential Education Solutions Ltd. The centre manager oversees daily activity with support from the owner, who provides oversight for organisational operations. Many of the children attending the service are of Pacific heritage, and a quarter are identified as Māori. This is the first ERO review of the service since it opened in July 2020.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and children are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Teachers providing education and care engage in positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor learning experiences appropriate to the number, ages, and abilities of children attending.

Informal and formal opportunities are provided for parents to communicate with adults providing education and care about their child. They are involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• continuing to develop the team’s shared understanding of assessment, planning and evaluation processes that include consistent use of the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

Next ERO Review

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

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

5 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.