Future Stars 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

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Future Stars is a privately owned service. A qualified centre owner is responsible for daily operations. She leads a team of four qualified teachers and five unqualified staff members. Half of the children enrolled are Māori or have Pacific heritage.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s curriculum is inclusive. It respects and supports the rights of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decision making about their own learning.

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children.

Information and guidance are sought, when necessary, from agencies and services to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• ensuring that relevant emergency drills are carried out on, at least a three-monthly basis

• having a written child protection policy which contains provisions for the service’s identification and reporting of child abuse and neglect, and a procedure which sets out how the service will identify and respond to suspected child abuse and/or neglect.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS8, HS31.

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

• Having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that states that children are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing at least every five to ten minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs (HS9). Having excursion records that include the full documentation requirements of this criterion and ensuring that excursions undertaken include parental permission and approval of the adult:child ratios (HS17).

• Having written information letting parents know how to access the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service (GMA3).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

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.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

31 May 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.