Awesome Kiwis Childcare 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

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

Awesome Kiwis Childcare Ltd is a privately owned service. The two owners are also the centre managers and have oversight of the daily operation. They are supported by two team leaders who are responsible for the curriculum. There is cultural diversity in the teaching team and the service roll. Over half of the children are of Pacific heritages, and a small number of Māori learners attend. This is the first ERO review of this service.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience reciprocal relationships with their teachers who engage in meaningful positive interactions with them. The service is inclusive, and teachers are responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Teachers support children’s developing social competence through a range of strategies. The service's curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own cultures.

Leaders and teachers acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. Parents of the children attending the service have opportunities to contribute to the service’s operational documents. The operation philosophy and annual plan guide the operation of the service.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• showing children’s learning progression in relation to the learning outcomes of Te Whāriki in children’s assessment documentation

• use the iwi information gathered for tamariki Māori to inform planning for their learning and their assessment documentation.

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

• Excursion records include dates and the adult:child ratios (HS17).

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

16 June 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.