Westpark Early Learning

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

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

Background

Westpark Early Learning is a privately owned early childhood service. A centre director oversees a team, including team leaders in two age-based classrooms. Most staff are qualified and certificated teachers.  A small number of Māori children attend this service. This is its first ERO review since opening in 2021.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum provides children with a variety of experiences to extend their learning and development. It aligns with the principles and strands of Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum. A sufficient range of equipment and materials is provided, appropriate to the age and abilities of the children attending. Planning for learning includes acknowledgement of children’s interests and shows their progress in relation to identified learning goals.

A philosophy and an annual plan guide the operations. A process for internal evaluation has been established and is used to make improvements within the service. There are suitable procedures and practices in place to maintain the health and safety of staff and children in attendance.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• increase the opportunities children have to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts

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

Compliance

During the review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it addressed the following non-compliance:

• securing heavy equipment which can fall and cause serious injury or damage.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008: HS6.

Next ERO Review

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

Kathy Lye
Director Review and Improvement Services (Acting, Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

7 March 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 license 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.