Heretaunga Park 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 identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre is a privately-owned, all-day service. The owner, who is the director and contact person of the centre, works collaboratively with the centre manager to support the day-to-day centre operations. ERO’s 2018 report identified appraisal procedures, the quality of conversations with children, group planning and a review of the transitioning groups as areas for improvement.

Summary of Review Findings

The premises and facilities are resourced to provide for the learning and abilities of the children attending. During the onsite visit ERO sound a significant number of items that did not meet the requirements of the licensing criteria, many of these have now been addressed. There is still a need for service leaders to improve the quality of teacher communication with children to extend their learning and take all reasonable steps to manage health and safety. Teacher appraisal needs to be more consistently implemented.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• the provision of a rich oral language environment that supports children’s learning 
• the evidence of how the evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan
• a record of time each child attending sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time
• the daily hazard register does not include all specified hazards as outlined in the licensing criteria. Where hazards are identified, they are not consistently responded to.
• having an ample supply of water that is available to children at all times and older children are able to access the water independently
• all human resource management practices are implemented including a system of regular appraisal.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008, C8, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS21, GMA7.

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

• the service 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 
• a hygienic place for very young children to sit at while eating in the under two room
• heavy furniture, fixtures or equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage has been secured
• stretchers intended for children to sleep on are arranged and spaced when in use so that adults have access to at least one side of the stretcher
• developing a policy that promotes safe and hygienic handling practices with regard to any animals at the service 
• when going on an excursion assessment and management of risks is undertaken, parents are given prior written approval to their child’s participation and the proposed ratios, and approved by the person responsible is given
• rooms used by children are monitored to ensure they are kept at a comfortable temperature no lower than eighteen degrees Celsius (at 500mm above the floor)
• written authority of a parent must be provided prior to administering medication and evidence of parental acknowledgement when medication has been administered
• a record of training and/or information is provided to adults or administer medication to children
• children’s workers who have access to children are consistently safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care 2008, C6, PF15, HS6. HS10, HS16, HS17, HS24, HS28, HS29, GMA7A.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

11 October 2021 

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 regulated 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; police vetting; teacher certification; ratios)
• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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.

1 Evaluation of Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre is a privately owned all-day service catering for a maximum of 50 children. Of the 37 children on the roll, four identify as Māori. The majority of children are enrolled full time.

The owner, who is the director and contact person of the centre, is on site and oversees day-to-day operation with support from the centre manager.

The centre philosophy expresses commitment to recognising children as individuals, providing a rich programme, promoting reciprocal relationships and acknowledging the importance of the Treaty of Waitangi. The vision is to ‘nurture the leaders of tomorrow’.

Since the February 2015 ERO report, the centre has received two consecutive Pā-Harakeke (Gold) Healthy Heart Awards based on promoting healthy messages and providing a menu to meet the standard.

A before and after-school care facility on site supports working families' children. Many of these children are graduates from the centre.

The previous ERO report identified planning and teaching strategies as areas for improvement. Progress has been made.

The Review Findings

Children enjoy a positive learning environment where there is a commitment to quality care and education. They get on well with each other and are well cared for by teachers. They are active learners and engage in spontaneous free-play experiences according to their interests. They happily play independently or in groups.

Respectful relationships is an integral aspect of the services curriculum and this is evident within the centre and with families and whānau. The basis of the curriculum is Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It is focused on children’s interests. Teachers observe each child regularly and record progress towards learning goals. Partnerships with parents are continually fostered through formal and informal communication and consultation. Planning responds to parents’ aspirations that are formally sought annually. Teachers should strengthen group planning to more effectively share goals with all teachers.

Children are well supported by teachers to take responsibility for themselves and others. They respond appropriately to children's efforts and provide consistent strategies for positive guidance. Routines are well understood by children and used effectively to foster children’s social and self-management skills and to develop a sense of belonging.

There is a range of opportunities for children to develop good literacy skills. Teachers need to consider ways to further develop their conversations with children so that the complexity of children’s thinking and learning are further extended.

The centre’s bicultural curriculum is very evident in practice. The environment effectively provides for Māori learners and promotes their culture. Regular practices including waiata, karakia and the use of te reo Māori acknowledges the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa. Children are provided with opportunities to develop their mihi/pepeha.

There is thoughtful and planned transition for children beginning at the centre and moving between rooms. Focus groups have been established to support transitioning children into and out of the centre. It is timely to review the purpose and evaluate the outcomes of these two groups. The centre has well developed processes to support parents and their children as they prepare for the transition school.

Children with additional needs are very well supported in the centre. Teachers research and attend professional development opportunities to understand best practice for quality provision.

Children up to the age of two have a designated room with primary caregivers providing a nurturing, balanced and caring environment. Teachers actively look for ways to respond to the individual cues and rhythms of children. Their preferences and interests form the basis of the curriculum offered.

There is a considered approach to professional development for teachers. They learn about specialist areas of support for behaviour management, leadership, and centre-wide themes. There are expectations of quality teacher practice in the appraisal process. The next step is to review the documented appraisal procedure to be consistent with Education Council requirements.

Teachers follow a useful process to inquire into an aspect of practice and determine whether this meets the desired outcomes for children. Continuing to build teachers' capability to inquire deeply into aspects of practice is an area for ongoing development and understanding, to assess what is and is not working and who for, to determine what changes are needed.

Key Next Steps:

Management and staff should:

• review the documented appraisal procedure to be consistent with Education Council requirements

• give priority to teachers' deliberate conversations with children so that complexity of children’s thinking and learning is further extended

• review and evaluate the purpose and outcomes for the two transitioning groups

• more effectively share and evaluate learning goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Heretaunga Park Early 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:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

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:

• 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; police vetting; teacher registration; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Heretaunga Park Early Learning Centre will be in three years.

Patricia Davey

Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)

Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region

17 May 2018

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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:

• Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
• Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
• Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
• Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.

Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whānaungatanga – 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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.