Just Kidz Kelston

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 found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Just Kidz Kelston is privately owned and operated and is part of the Just Kidz franchise. A qualified centre manager oversees operations and is supported by a qualified assistant manager, operations manager and the owner. The service provides education and care for an ethnically diverse community. This is the first ERO review of the service.

Summary of Review Findings

Children benefit from adults who engage with them using meaningful, positive interactions to enhance their learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Teachers provide a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. The curriculum respects the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures.

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau, and life.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• kaiako further supporting children’s sustained exploration through a range of learning opportunities to extend the complexity of older children’s play

• increasing opportunities for children to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts

• encouraging parents and whānau to contribute more actively to their child’s learning, and kaiako seeking and responding to the aspirations parents have for their child.

Next ERO Review

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

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

11 July 2022 

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 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.