Pasifika Early Learning Naenae

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

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

This is the first ERO review for Pasifika Early Learning Naenae under current ownership. It is one of four centres that operates under the leadership of Solve Education Ltd. Governance is provided by three directors. Staff include a centre manager, a registered teacher, and two support staff.  The majority of the children attending are of Samoan heritage, with a small number that whakapapa to Māori.

Summary of Review Findings

Faiaoga (teachers) providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. The provision of a language-rich environment supports children’s learning. Children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour is supported throughout the curriculum.

Consistent implementation of health and safety practices by staff is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• Build teachers’ knowledge about the theories and research that underpin the early childhood curriculum, Te Whāriki (2017).
• Increase the visibility of how kaiako are responding to children’s interests and dispositions, and to parents’ aspirations, in assessment, planning and evaluation information.

Actions for Compliance

During and since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• Having designated assembly areas for evacuation purposes outside the building to keep children safe from further risk (HS5).
• Ensuring heavy furniture that could fall or topple and cause serious injury is secured (HS6).
• Carrying out a review of the emergency management plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices (HS8).
• Having a record of emergency drills carried out, and evidence of how evaluation of these drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).
• Having a daily hazard check that include consideration of cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, and other hazardous materials (HS12).
• Having a procedure outlining the service’s response to injury, illness, and incident, including the review and implementation of practices as required (HS29).
• Ensuring every children’s worker is safety checked every three years in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).

Next ERO Review 

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

Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

14 February 2024 

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.