Rhyme and Reason - Early Learning Centre

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 

Rhyme and Reason - Early Learning Centre caters for children from birth to 6 years old. It opened in June 2022. The philosophy is unpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and Montessori approaches. The owner/manager is a qualified early childhood teacher, and she works alongside a qualified teaching team. 

Summary of Review Findings 

The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, interests, whānau, and life contexts. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, 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 experiences  
• include quiet spaces, areas for physically active play, and space for a range of individual and group learning experiences.    

The service is effectively governed and managed in accordance with good management practices. Policies and procedures promote the health and safety of children.   

Key Next Steps 

Key next steps include leaders and teachers:   

• increasing their understanding and use of children’s languages and cultures to inform a culturally responsive curriculum.   

Next ERO Review  

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

​​Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)​  

21 December 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.