Busy Bees Judsons Rd

Education institution number:
46009
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
97
Telephone:
Address:

6 Judsons Road, Woodend

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Judsons Road Early Childhood 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

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.

Background

Judsons Road Early Childhood Centre is a purpose-built service providing education and care for tamariki from birth to school age. This is the first ERO report since a change of ownership to the Provincial Education Group (PEG 3 Limited) and relicensing in March 2019. A centre manager is supported by a regional manager. Most teachers are registered and certificated.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s philosophy of teaching and learning is responsive to the preferences of children, their whānau, family, and community. Parents have opportunities to contribute to their child’s learning.

A range of indoor and outdoor equipment is provided for individual and group learning experiences that is appropriate to the number, ages, and abilities of children attending. The design and layout of the premises include quiet spaces and areas for physically active play.

The premises, furniture, fittings, equipment, and materials are kept safe and hygienic and maintained in good condition.

There are suitable management practices for the operation of the service including a process of self-review used to make improvements to practice.

Key Next Steps

  • All kaiako continue to develop confidence and increase the daily use of te reo Māori within the learning and teaching environment.

Next ERO Review

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

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

28 October 2021 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Judsons Road Early Childhood Centre

Profile Number

46009

Location

Woodend

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

107

Ethnic composition

Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 78, Cook Island 1, Other ethnicities 13.

Review team on site

October 2021

Date of this report

28 October 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review September 2015

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.

Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd - 09/09/2015

1 Evaluation of Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd

How well placed is Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Acorn Early Childcare Ltd is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd is a privately-owned centre providing education and care for infants, toddlers and children to school age. The centre is purpose-built and has been operating since August 2012. This is the first Education Review.

The centre’s philosophy focuses on strong partnerships with families and fostering warm, respectful relationships in a safe, stimulating environment. Each child is well supported by a key teacher who provides useful information and ongoing support to families.

The centre has stable staffing and most are registered early childhood teachers.

The Review Findings

Children experience positive, respectful relationships with each other, their teachers and support staff. They are settled and confidently make choices about their play. Children have many opportunities to develop their ideas and thinking. The centre environment is spacious, attractive and well organised.

Teachers plan the learning programme from children’s interests. They provide a good range of activities to support children’s independence, imaginative and creative play. Teachers are highly focused on children’s learning. They effectively support the further development of children’s skills. Teachers provide an inclusive environment where children with special needs are well supported.

Teachers make positive links between the home and centre and encourage families to contribute information about their children.

Children under two years of age experience calm, unhurried routines. They learn at their own pace in a caring, nurturing environment.

Transitions within the centre and to school are effectively planned and managed. The centre is building good relationships with local schools and early childhood centres.

The staff are well supported by centre managers and leaders. They work collaboratively together and have a strong commitment to ongoing improvement. Self review is well established and results in worthwhile changes to centre practices.

Key Next Steps

Centre leaders have identified, and ERO agrees, that the next steps to further improve outcomes for children include:

  • developing clear next steps for children’s learning

  • increasing the use of te reo Māori and bicultural practices in the curriculum

  • reviewing the centre philosophy and aligning strategic and centre documents and policies

  • refining the evaluative aspects of self-review processes.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd 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.

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:

  • 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 registration; ratios)

  • evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Acorn Early Childcare Education Ltd will be in three years.

Chris Rowe

Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern (Acting)

9 September 2015

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Woodend, North Canterbury

Ministry of Education profile number

46009

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

50 children, including up to 10 aged under two

Service roll

52

Gender composition

Boys 29; Girls 23

Ethnic composition

Māori

Pākehā

Samoan

Other

4

39

2

7

Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:8

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

July 2015

Date of this report

9 September 2015

Most recent ERO report 

No previous ERO reports

 

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.