2 St Albans Grove, Lower Hutt CBD, Lower Hutt
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 Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Lower Hutt City Childcare is a charitable trust which is governed by a board of trustees. A centre manager, supported by a head teacher, runs the day-to-day operations of the service. Two learning spaces provide education and care for children. A small number of the children enrolled are Māori or from Pacific heritages.
A responsive curriculum provides well considered opportunities for children to challenge themselves and extend their learning. Children are seen as capable, and teachers support them to develop their social and emotional skills, as well as their growing independence. This enables them to take responsibility for their own needs. Teachers intentionally provide regular opportunities for older and younger children to play with and alongside each other. As a result, children demonstrate an emerging sense of belonging and confidence.
Infants and toddlers are well supported by teachers attuned to their abilities, needs, verbal and non-verbal communication cues. A calm, predictable environment enables these children to learn at their own pace and build trusting relationships.
Assessment and planning for children’s learning requires further development. Refinement of guidelines which support teachers’ practice, and the strengthening of individual children’s documentation is required to better enable teachers to more intentionally:
Some aspects of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are evident. Purposefully seeking the views of children and parents about the diverse languages, cultures and identities of families is yet to be undertaken or utilised to inform a more culturally responsive curriculum. Integrating these perspectives through the curriculum and assessment documentation is required.
Improvement focused leadership and governance is committed to developing a positive team culture and providing a curriculum which is responsive to the developmental needs of all children. Relevant professional learning and ongoing self-review support this. Building leadership capability in internal evaluation is required to identify the impact of strategies and new learning more clearly relating to outcomes for specific children.
Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lower Hutt City Childcare 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.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
16 July 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 60225 |
| Location | Lower Hutt, Wellington |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 47 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 50 |
| Review team on site | May 2024 |
| Date of this report | 16 July 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, March 2022; Education Review, February 2018 |
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
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.
Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre is a community-based early childhood service supported by a charitable trust. A recently appointed centre manager runs the day-to-day operations of the service, supported by two head teachers. The service regained its full licence in June 2021 after addressing areas of non-compliance in governance and management, health and safety, and premises and facilities.
The service curriculum is inclusive and informed by assessment, planning and evaluation aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to support their interests and needs.
The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. Governance and management implement suitable human resource practices, teacher appraisal and internal evaluation. They promote opportunities to collaborate with parents and whānau about the service operations. An increased level of monitoring of health and safety practices is required.
Next steps include strengthening the quality of planning and assessment for learning, particularly in relation to:
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008; HS4, HS6, HS12, HS29.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
23 March 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 60225 |
| Location | Lower Hutt |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 47 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 56 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 3, NZ European/Pākehā 39, Pacific heritages 4, Other ethnic groups 10 |
| Review team on site | January 2022 |
| Date of this report | 23 March 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review February 2018, Education Review June 2014 |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre is a long-established, community-based early childhood service. It operates as a not-for-profit centre supported by a charitable trust.
A management committee made up of families and the supervisor undertakes a governance role. The supervisor is also responsible for daily operation. The service is licensed for a maximum of 47 children, including 15 children aged up to two years. Renovations to the inside and outside areas have recently been completed.
The centre philosophy reflects the values of members and families. It supports new teachers to the service to know the teaching team beliefs.
In the 2014 ERO report, next steps included improving teaching and learning, considering success for Māori children as Māori, and developing programme planning. There has been improvement in these areas.
Children show a strong sense of belonging. They are empowered to take ownership of their learning by making decisions and choices. Children and adults are respectful of each other. A positive tone prevails. Children are seen as competent and confident learners. They are given space to develop their learning and time to play at their own pace.
Assessment, planning and evaluation processes have been revised since 2014. Clear expectations have been developed to guide teacher practice. An improved focus on outcomes for children and how teachers notice, recognise and respond to learning is evident. Children's interests are central to the planning and implementation of the service's curriculum.
A wide selection of numeracy and literacy experiences is available. Children engage independently and with teachers to enjoy these opportunities. Routines are flexible to respond to individual needs. Group times are well-considered.
The newly renovated area for up to 2 year olds promotes an environment that is responsive to the needs and attributes of the youngest learners. Teachers deliberately support children's learning and well-being through taking time to learn about their home routines and family expectations.
The service's response to cultural inclusion is ongoing and well considered. Teachers establish a culture in which children are valued, celebrated and affirmed. Significant improvement in the bicultural curriculum is evident and supports all children to grow as New Zealanders in Aotearoa. Leaders agree continuing to develop a shared understanding of a programme that focuses on te ao Māori and reflects the local community is a next step.
Teachers' strengths are acknowledged and they are encouraged to use their expertise for the benefit of the service. A next step is for leaders to further promote and provide opportunities for leadership to be built, shared and distributed.
The centre manager seeks opportunities to professionally interact with other early learning service providers. A priority for the governance team is to review the appraisal system to support teacher development and to meet the Education Council requirements.
Understanding and use of self review and internal evaluation should be strengthened to further promote high quality outcomes for children.
ERO has identified through its external evaluation that the service manager and trustees should continue to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Lower Hutt City Childcare 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.
ERO found an area of non-compliance in the service related to governance and management. The service provider must ensure:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA 7].
The next ERO review of Lower Hutt City Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
15 February 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 | Lower Hutt | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 60225 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 47 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 46 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 25, Girls 21 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnicities | 9 27 10 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:6 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | December 2017 | ||
| Date of this report | 15 February 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | June 2014 | |
| Supplementary Review | April 2011 | ||
| Supplementary Review | February 2010 | ||
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.