Newbies Birkdale 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

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

This is the first ERO review of Newbies Birkdale Early Learning Centre since it opened in November 2020. It is one of two services owned and managed by a qualified teacher. The team of 13 staff includes seven qualified teachers and two cooks. A small number of children attending are of Māori heritage.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is inclusive, and children experience positive respectful interactions with adults. They have opportunities to develop an understanding of the dual cultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand. Teachers provide a language-rich environment where children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.

The curriculum is informed by systems for assessment and planning that align with the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Parents have regular opportunities (formal and informal) to communicate with adults providing education and care about their child and to share specific evidence of the child’s learning.

The design and layout of the indoor and outdoor environments provide children with opportunities to extend their learning and development both individually and in groups.

Key Next Steps

Next steps are to:

• Increase the visibility of how kaiako respond to parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning in assessment, planning and evaluation information.

• Strengthen the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their languages and cultures.

Action for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence to show the following non-compliance has been addressed:

• Maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements of the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (GMA11).

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

14 September 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.