Footprints Preschool - 04/12/2020

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

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

Footprints Preschool provides all-day education and care for children from birth to six years of age. The purpose-built facility has two age-based learning areas. This is the centre’s first ERO review since the change of ownership.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience meaningful and respectful relationships with their teachers. The centre philosophy is evident in teaching practices. Their social and emotional competencies are supported through the curriculum. Learning experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend children’s learning and development are provided indoors and outdoors. Parents are regularly involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning. Teachers seek information and guidance from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs.

Actions for Compliance

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

securing heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could topple and cause serious injury or damage(HS6)
providing children with a range of resources and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development(C9).

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

4 December 2020

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name	Footprints Preschool
Profile Number	45259
Location	Waihi
Service type	Education and care service
Number licensed for	33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers	80%
Service roll	29
Gender composition	Female 15, Male 14
Ethnic composition	Māori 8, NZ European/Pākehā 12, Other ethnic groups 9
Review team on site	November 2020
Date of this report	4 December 2020
Most recent ERO report(s)	Education Review, September 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.