12A Cross Street, Drury
View on mapERO’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 | 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.
Young Petals Early Learning Centre Drury is a privately owned and operated service. A qualified owner/centre manager oversees daily operations and supports a team of six staff including four registered teachers. The majority of children attending are New Zealand European with a small number of Māori or Pacific children.
The service’s curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning.
Consistent implementation of premises and facilities, health and safety and governance, management and administration practices is required to maintain compliance with the regulatory standards.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; PF13, HS1, HS6, HS14, GMA7a, GMA11].
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
26 February 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name: | Young Petals Early Learning Centre Drury |
| Profile Number | 25036 |
| Location | Drury |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 35 |
| Review team on site | December 2023 |
| Date of this report | 26 February 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, December 2019 |
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 license 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 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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.
Young Petals Early Learning Centre Drury Limited was relicensed under new ownership in 2018. The service was previously known as Scholar’s Preschool Drury Limited. Five of the eight staff, including the centre manager, are qualified teachers.
Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions that enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service’s curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning.
A philosophy statement and annual plan guide the centre’s operations. The design and layout of the premises support a range of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. Parents are provided with opportunities to be involved in decision-making about their child’s learning. Appropriate policies and procedures are in place to support health and safety and the provision of education in the centre.
Next steps include:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
17 December 2019
| Early Childhood Service Name | Young Petals Early Learning Centre Drury Limited |
| Profile Number | 25036 |
| Location | Drury, Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Reported ratio of staff to children under 2 | 1:3 - Better than regulatory standards |
| Reported ratio of staff to children over 2 | 1:6 - Better than regulatory standards |
| Service roll | 34 |
| Gender composition | Girls 18 Boys 16 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 6; NZ European/Pākehā 22; other ethnic groups 6 |
| Review team on site | November 2019 |
| Date of this report | 17 December 2019 |
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review, March 2016; Education Review, January 2013; Supplementary Review, November 2009 |
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 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 Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Scholars Preschool is a well-established centre in Drury, South Auckland. It provides education and care for up to 30 children including up to 10 children under the age of two. The centre is one of three managed collectively by the owner and the three centre managers. Together, they oversee the centres using a common set of policies and procedures that are adapted for each centre.
There are three play areas designed for each age group. These include an area for children under two, another for children between three and four years of age, and a third area for pre-schoolers. Children have many opportunities to play together indoors and outdoors. Teachers use the mixed aged play time to promote tuakana teina relationships as children grow and develop in the centre.
The centre's philosophy promotes opportunities for children to explore and discover through positive interactions with other children and adults. There are seven qualified teachers and this enables leaders to maintain low child/teacher ratios.
Centre leaders responded positively to the recommendations of the 2013 ERO report. They have made ongoing improvements to strengthen approaches to programme planning and assessment. In addition, the documentation of learning stories has been improved and te reo Māori is being integrated more frequently into the daily programme.
Indoor and outdoor play areas and staff amenities have been upgraded and there are further renovations, still to be completed. An after-school facility next to the centre provides ongoing links with some families once children have transitioned to school.
Children and their parents and whānau are warmly welcomed into the centre. Children greet teachers and settle quickly into activities. Teachers and parents regularly discuss children's experiences and learning interests and this helps to strengthen the partnerships between home and the centre.
Children have access to a large outdoor space for play. They are confident to explore this area and enjoy the many challenges it offers them. Children play and share with each other and talk confidently with adults. They make choices about their play and teachers ask questions to strengthen children's understanding.
Teachers plan learning experiences for individual and groups of children. Currently, teachers are focusing on giving children more opportunities to lead learning activities. Assessment portfolios are a good record of children's involvement and interests. Leaders agree that the inclusion of children's voices in learning stories continues to be an area for improvement. Leaders are investigating the potential of electronic portfolios to encourage contributions from families.
There is very good care and education for children under two years. Teachers encourage children's language growth and understanding of the world around them. They provide challenges for children's physical and social development. Teachers keep parents well informed as children move through important developmental stages.
Teachers are more confident in their use of te reo Maori. Leaders identified the value of the teacher-led professional learning programme and support from a local iwi group. This has helped to develop teachers' confidence and competence with te reo. Leaders plan to continue supporting ongoing teacher development in bicultural practices.
Centre leaders value the strengths that individual staff members bring to their roles and they meet regularly with teachers to reflect on teaching practice. They support and provide targeted professional learning for teachers. Leaders are currently working with an external provider to review the teacher appraisal policy and procedures.
The centre manager manages all aspects of centre operations. She is well supported by her teachers. Leaders agree that it is timely to rationalise aspects of the centre manager's workload. They also identified as an important next step a review of governance and management documents to ensure there are clear links between policies and procedures. Practices that support distributive leadership are already becoming evident.
In order to build on current good practices, the owner, and centre managers agree that key next steps are to consider further ways to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Scholars Preschool Drury Limited 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Scholars Preschool Drury Limited will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
31 March 2016
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
| Location | Drury, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25036 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 38 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 23 Boys 15 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Cook Island Māori Niue Indian | 8 25 2 2 1 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | January 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 31 March 2016 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | January 2013 | |
| Supplementary Review | November 2009 | ||
| Education Review | September 2008 | ||
ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.