254 St Hill Street, Whanganui
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Funhouse Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakawhanake Sustaining Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Funhouse Learning Centre provides education and care within two separate aged-based houses. At the time of the evaluation over a quarter of children enrolled are Māori. The service’s historical ERO reports indicate sustained high-quality practices, and there has been successful implementation of improvement actions since the last report.
Children experience a highly engaging curriculum that promotes strong relationships with people, places and things. Infants and toddlers are provided with the opportunity and environment necessary for fostering emotional regulation and physical growth. They are nurtured through caring teacher interactions. Older children take on leadership roles, advancing their learning through continuous and collaborative play, effectively guided by intentional teaching.
Te ao Māori continues to be meaningfully reflected through positive whānau relationships, the environment, daily curriculum and centre tikanga. Oral language and literacy opportunities have been strengthened, including te reo Māori. Children frequently engage in authentic exploration to connect with local places that hold significance for them and their community.
Partnership with parents and whānau is the foundation of individual assessment, planning and evaluation. Children are well known within the context of their whānau. The learning outcomes outlined in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are used to clearly illustrate significant progression in children’s learning over time.
Adaptive teaching, combined with deliberate teaching strategies, promotes equity and removes barriers to children's participation in the curriculum. Children with additional learning needs are well supported to experience success in an environment that fosters inclusion.
Teachers use the advancement of children's learning to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching. This has resulted in positive outcomes for children due to changes in teaching methods. The curriculum has continued to evolve to better reflect the priorities of children's learning.
Distributed leadership is implemented to recognise and utilise the strengths of teachers, and there is a high level of trust among the staff. Well embedded systems and processes collectively promote and sustain ongoing improvement. Leaders’ role model professional expectations for the learning and well-being of all children.
Funhouse Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Funhouse Learning Centre completed an ERO 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
ERO identified the following areas of non-compliance:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, GMA7A.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
3 September 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Funhouse Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 50021 |
| Location | Whanganui |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 65 |
| Review team on site | June 2024 |
| Date of this report | 3 September 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, October 2021; Education Review, May 2018 |
Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Funhouse Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators | ERO’s judgement |
| What the service knows about outcomes for learners | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | ERO’s judgement |
He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement | Whakawhanake Sustaining |
Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management | Whakaū Embedding |
Funhouse Learning Centre is a privately owned service located in the Whanganui CBD. Managers and team leaders guide day-to-day operations and the programme. The service philosophy highlights and reflects whanaungatanga and relationships at the heart of care and education of children. Key next steps from the 2017 ERO report have been progressed.
Children’s emotional wellbeing and social confidence is upheld through respectful and reciprocal relationships that underpin children, parent and community interactions. Leaders and teachers collaborate to develop and progress the service’s philosophy, vision, goals and priorities. Children are confident, capable learners.
Children’s communication and exploration is purposefully enhanced through the indoor and outdoor, natural and well-resourced setting. Learners’ experiences encourage respect for themselves, others and their environment. Teachers intentionally and effectively work alongside children to progress their thinking and ideas. Children lead their own learning, demonstrating their rangatiratanga and independence in engaged, sustained play.
Te ao Māori is meaningfully woven through relationships, the environment, centre practices and programme. Authentic learning experiences include te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. Language interactions offer children conversations about ngā atua, Whanganui narratives, waiata, native plants and rakau within a holistic learning environment. Equity for all children is supported.
Assessment of children’s progress effectively acknowledges their individual learning journeys, enhances their mana and their learner identities. The learning outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and the service priorities are the foundation for celebrating and acknowledging children’s learning progression over time.
Leaders’ and teachers’ cohesive, collaborative approach promotes positive learning outcomes for children. Professional knowledge and learning are modelled and implemented to ensure children experience ways of knowing, doing and being that resonate manaakitanga, whanaungatanga, taha tinana and taha hinengaro.
A range of internal evaluation approaches by leaders and teachers is resulting in positive learning outcomes for children. Relational trust between teachers supports purposeful engagement to sustain and improve this quality of service provision. The curriculum focus is deepening leaders’ and teachers’ practices. Children experience sustained learning in an improvement focused environment.
Funhouse Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Funhouse Learning Centre 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non -compliance:
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
4 October 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Funhouse Learning Centre |
| Profile Number | 50021 |
| Location | Whanganui |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 64 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 16, NZ European/Pākehā 43, Other ethnic groups 5. |
| Review team on site | June 2021 |
| Date of this report | 4 October 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, May 2018; Education Review, February 2016. |
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Funhouse Learning Centre is a privately owned early childhood education and care facility close to the Whanganui business centre. It is licensed to cater for up to 50 children, including 20 children up to two years. Day-to-day management of education and care is the responsibility of the centre manager.
The philosophy is underpinned by the centre's mission to provide ‘your child’s home away from home’.
The February 2016 ERO report identified key next steps that included: appraisal, leadership and internal evaluation. The centre has received targeted support through a Ministry of Education programme, Strengthening Early Learning Opportunities (SELO). The centre has made significant progress in addressing these areas, and continues to strengthen the key next steps identified in the previous ERO report.
Teachers know children and their families well. They use this knowledge to provide appropriate support to assist and extend children’s learning.
Children confidently participate in a curriculum that is increasingly responsive to their interests and ideas. They benefit from positive interactions with respectful and attentive teachers. Children are well supported to lead their own learning through a wide range of opportunities and activities.
Significant progress has been made in assessment, planning and evaluation for children's ongoing learning. Parent and whānau aspirations are actively sought and inform planning for children. Individual planning contributes to consistent teaching practice.
Assessment, through profiles, appropriately records children's learning experiences, progress and extension of children's learning over time. Learning stories show clear links to individual plans.
Infants and toddlers are very well supported through consistent, responsive teaching. They have easy access to resources and freely explore learning spaces according to their preferences. Teachers respect children's rights and inform them about decisions that affect them.
Well considered, flexible processes support children and their families' transition into and through the centre. This promotes a sense of belonging for children.
Roles and responsibilities have been established that define clear direction for operation. Managers work collaboratively with teachers and support growing emergent leadership.
Professional learning has supported leaders and teachers to continue to develop and increase their understanding and use of internal evaluation for improvement.
Managers have determined strategic priorities and goals, linked to the centre philosophy. The annual plan outlines ongoing actions over the year for centre practice and operation.
The reviewed appraisal process has been well implemented and is a sound framework to support teachers and managers to develop their practice. The process has been recently reviewed to reflect the Standards for the Teaching Profession.
Centre managers have identified, and ERO's evaluation confirms, that appropriate next steps are to continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Funhouse Learning Centre 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Funhouse Learning Centre will be in three years.
Patricia Davey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
23 May 2018
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
| Location | Whanganui | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 50021 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 50 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 68 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 34, Boys 34 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 20 43 5 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | March 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 23 May 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2016 | |
| Education Review | February 2013 | ||
| Education Review | October 2009 | ||
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.