36 Victoria Street, Carterton
View on mapERO’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 | Not meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
The service is privately owned. A centre manager/co-owner leads the team of seven teachers. Children learn and play in a mixed-age environment. Almost a fifth of enrolled children identify as Māori. Several actions for compliance from the June 2022 ERO report are noted again in this report.
The service’s curriculum is responsive to children. 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 appropriate to the ages and abilities of the children attending.
Consistent implementation and monitoring of health and safety practices is a priority to meet and maintain regulatory compliance. Effective governance and management systems, and ongoing review that supports improvement, have not yet been established.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS6, HS8, HS22, GMA6, GMA7A, GMA8.
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, Regulation 46 (1).
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
6 May 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Just Us Kids |
| Profile Number | 55379 |
| Location | Carterton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 34 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 41 |
| Review team on site | March 2024 |
| Date of this report | 6 May 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, June 2022; Education Review, November 2018 |
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 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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 | Not meeting |
| Governance, management, and administration | Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Just Us Kids is a privately owned early childhood service. It provides education and care for children from birth to school age in a mixed-age setting. Most staff, including the owner, are qualified early childhood education teachers. The owner is responsible for the day-to-day operation of the centre.
Teachers providing education and care engage in positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The play-based curriculum offers children a range of experiences to support their learning and development. The outdoor area provides a number of physical challenges and opportunities to explore.
The philosophy expresses the service’s beliefs and values about the provision of early childhood education and care. Governance and management practices, and systems require strengthening. Ongoing monitoring of aspects of health and safety is required.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS7, HS8, HS12, HS17, HS28, GMA7.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
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
23 June 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Just Us Kids |
| Profile Number | 55379 |
| Location | Carterton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 34 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 43 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 10, NZ European/Pākehā 30, other ethnic groups 3 |
| Review team on site | May 2022 |
| Date of this report | 23 June 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, November 2018; Education Review, October 2015 |
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.
Just Us Kids is a privately owned early learning service centrally located in Carterton. It is licensed for a maximum of 34 children up to five years of age, including 10 up to the age of two.
The centre manager is also a teacher who manages centre operation and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the centre. Since the October 2015 ERO report, a new head teacher has been appointed.
Of the present teachers employed, five are qualified, and one is in training.
The service philosophy intentions are evident in the warm, welcoming environment. Teachers know children and their families well and friendships are promoted within a home-like atmosphere contributing to children's sense of belonging. Children confidently and competently engage in the programme. Flexible learning spaces are responsive to the needs of all children.
Children are able to lead their own learning. Teachers provide range of learning experiences and resources and work alongside children to support their independence, exploration, imagination and social competencies.
Teachers make the most of opportunities to extend children’s learning and foster language development. Literacy, mathematics and science are well integrated into learning experiences. Regular excursions into the community and engagement in community events provide further learning opportunities.
The recent implementation of an online assessment tool contributes to greater parent input and sharing of children's interests between home and the centre. Profile book information shows children's participation and engagement in the programme and emerging interests.
It is timely to review the centre's curriculum policy and procedures in line with current theory and practice, to promote a shared understanding and expectations of what effective assessment, planning and evaluation practices look like. This should include:
Teachers engage with families and external agencies to support children who require additional learning support. Learning spaces are carefully designed to minimise potential barriers to learning.
Te ao Māori is reflected through the authentic use of te reo Māori, resources and relationships with whānau. Strengthening te ao in the environment is the focus of an ongoing review. Teachers express a commitment to building their cultural competencies.
The teaching team is committed to the development of the bicultural programme. Staff are beginning to consider how the curriculum can reflect a Māori world view.
Positive relationships between the centre staff and local schools supports older children’s transition. Parents are encouraged to be a part of the process.
Regular reviews inform decision making. A next step is shifting the focus from what they are doing, to evaluating how well teaching and learning practices strengthen outcomes for children. Developing a shared understanding of internal evaluation is an agreed next step.
Leadership is focused on building teacher capability and collaborative ways of working. There is a clear commitment to developing staff knowledge and skills through ongoing professional learning and the sharing of good practice.
Some aspects of governance and management require strengthening. There is a useful framework for strategic planning. This should be further developed to clearly identify the service's priorities and actions to progress these. Leaders are aware of the need to establish a more systematic cycle of policy review to ensure the service is responsive to meeting its legislative obligations. This includes reviewing the current appraisal process to ensure it aligns to the Education Council guidelines.
The centre owners with support of the recently appointed head teacher are responsible for the centre operation, curriculum and teaching practices. Clearly identifying the roles and responsibilities of each member of the leadership team, should support them to progress the changes and improvements required.
It is timely for teachers to review the philosophy in relation to the intended outcomes for children. This would support them to evaluate its effectiveness in promoting these outcomes.
ERO and the centre leaders agree that the priorities for Just Us Kids are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Just Us Kids 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 Just Us Kids will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
14 November 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 | Carterton | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55379 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 34 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 41 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 22, Boys 19 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 3 30 8 | |
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 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | September 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 14 November 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | October 2015 | |
| Education Review | January 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.