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.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
Curriculum |
Meeting |
Premises and facilities |
Not meeting |
Health and safety |
Not meeting |
Governance, management and administration |
Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Te Aroha o te Ngakau opened in April 2019 and this is the service’s first ERO review. The centre is on the grounds of Murupara Area School. Governance is provided by the director who is also the service provider. A qualified centre manager leads a team of four kaiako.
The service is not meeting regulatory standards in several areas.
Children experience meaningful and positive interactions with teachers, enhancing their learning and nurturing reciprocal relationships. Teachers provide a language-rich environment that supports children’s literacy learning. The service’s curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua and children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi. Teachers support children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children make decisions about their learning and their choices are respected.
A philosophy statement guides centre operation.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to: premises and facilities, health and safety, and governance, management and administration.
To meet the Premises and Facilities Standard the service must ensure:
sufficient quality and variety of (indoor and outdoor) equipment and materials is provided, appropriate for the learning and ability of children attending
a safe and effective means of maintaining a room temperature of no lower than 16 degrees celsius
provision and maintenance of a compliant first aid kit
the sleep space is located and designed to minimise fluctuations in temperature, noise and lighting levels.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF4, PF12, PF28, PF37]
To meet the Health and Safety Standard the service must ensure:
staff are familiar with, carry out and evaluate relevant emergency drills with children on an at least three-monthly basis
a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that ensures children are checked for warmth and breathing
sleeps records are fully completed by staff
a procedure outlining the service’s response to injury, illness and incident including the review and implementation of practices as required
recording parental acknowledgement that medicine has been administered for category (ii) medication
a record of training for the administering of medications is developed and maintained
all practicable steps taken to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material
no persons on the premises uses, or is under the influence of, alcohol or any other substance that has a detrimental effect on their functioning or behaviour during the hours of operation.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS4, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS27 HS28, HS29, HS32, HS33]
In addition, the service must:
[Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, 47 (1) (a)]
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence of Te Aroha o Te Ngakau. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
The next ERO review of Te Aroha o te Ngakau will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
2 December 2020
Early Childhood Service Name |
Te Aroha o te Ngakau |
Profile Number |
47647 |
Location |
Murupara |
Service type |
Education and care service |
Number licensed for |
25 children, including up to 5 aged under 2. |
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% |
Service roll |
24 |
Gender composition |
Female 15, Male 9. |
Ethnic composition |
Māori 24. |
Review team on site |
October 2020 |
Date of this report |
2 December 2020 |
Most recent ERO report(s) |
First ERO review of the service |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through: