Footsteps Adventist 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

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.

Background

Footsteps Adventist Early Learning Centre is governed by the Seventh Day Adventist Church and enacts a Christian based philosophy. This is the first review of the centre in its new, purpose-built premise. Children learn in two separate age-appropriate environments. A small number of children are Māori or of Pacific heritages. 

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience a curriculum that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions. Children are viewed as competent and confident learners. Their preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.

The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. There are regular opportunities for parents to be involved in decision-making concerning their child’s learning.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps include:

• continuing to build on the extent to which the evaluation component of assessment, planning and evaluation is intentionally documented and monitored.

Action for Compliance 

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

• Having records of all illnesses that occur at the service which include all required aspects of the licensing criterion.
  [Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education Services 2008; HS27]

Next ERO Review 

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

 27 November 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.