Galaxy Childcare - East Tamaki

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

Galaxy Childcare - East Tamaki opened in June 2021, and it is one of three privately owned and operated services under the same ownership. The centre is purpose built with separate areas for different age groups. The manager leads a team of seven qualified teachers and four support staff. The majority of children attending are of Pacific heritages, with a small number of Māori children.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge parent aspirations.

The curriculum reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and understand and respect each other.

The curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include, continuing to:

• develop the local curriculum to reflect priorities for children and their families, kaiako, and the wider community

• evaluate the effectiveness of assessment and planning documentation relating to learning outcomes for children.

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

28 June 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.