BestStart Napier Central
BestStart Napier Central
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
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
Curriculum |
Meeting |
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
Health and safety |
Meeting |
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Background
BestStart Napier Central is an all-day education and care service governed and managed by Best Start Educare Ltd. Children play and learn in two adjacent, age-based buildings. Since the June 2020 ERO review, the service has strengthened systems and processes to guide its operation.
Summary of Review Findings
Infants, toddlers, and older children experience positive, respectful interactions with adults. They have opportunities to develop an understanding of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa / New Zealand. Children’s cultures are respected and supported using their home languages and cultural events.
A policy framework and an annual plan guide centre operation. Teacher appraisal and internal evaluation processes are established. The premises and facilities are resourced to provide for the learning of all the children attending. Health and safety procedures are established and monitored.
Key Next Steps
Next steps include:
- continuing to develop the local curriculum to reflect the things that are important to children, their families and to the wider community.
Next ERO Review
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
12 January 2022
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
BestStart Napier Central |
Profile Number |
55321 |
Location |
Napier |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 16 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
Service roll |
44 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 12, NZ European/Pākehā 19, Indian 5, Other ethnic groups 8. |
Review team on site |
November 2021 |
Date of this report |
12 January 2022 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, June 2020; Education Review, June 2018. |
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.
BestStart Napier Central - 10/06/2020
ERO’s Judgement
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
Curriculum |
Meeting |
Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
Background
BestStart Napier Central offers all day early childhood education and care for up to 45 children, from birth to school age, in two adjacent buildings. The service continues to respond to the areas for development identified in the June 2018 ERO report.
Summary of Review Findings
The curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities, individually and in groups, to enhance their learning and development. Assessment and planning for children’s learning are guided by Te Whāriki. These processes demonstrate an understanding of Māori learners’ interests, whānau and life contexts. Whānau aspirations for children’s learning are gathered and inform planning for children. Internal evaluation is helping the service to maintain aspects of the centre operation.
The service does not have in place sufficiently robust systems for the identification of unsafe materials, equipment and fittings to ensure these are safe, hygienic and maintained in good condition at all times.
Actions for Compliance
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to the:
- sufficiently robust systems for the identification of material equipment and fittings to be kept safe, hygienic and maintained in good condition at all times.
[Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS1]
Since the onsite visit, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the non-compliances related to; handwashing/drying facilitates; the design of the premises for children’s learning experiences and supporting effective adult supervision; and furniture that could topple and cause injury or damage is secured.
[Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF20, PF1, PF2, PF12, PF13, HS6]
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 of will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Darcy Te Hau
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
10 June 2020
Information About the Service
Early Childhood Service Name |
BestStart Napier Central |
Profile Number |
55321 |
Location |
Napier |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
45 children, including up to 16 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
Reported ratio of adults to children under 2 |
1-4 - Better than regulatory standards. |
Reported ratio of staff |
1-8 - Better than regulatory standards. |
Service roll |
53 |
Gender composition |
Female 27, Male 26 |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 12 |
Review team on site |
February 2020 |
Date of this report |
10 June 2020 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018 |
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 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 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 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 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.