729 Grey Street, Hamilton Central, Hamilton
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whakatō Emerging Whakatō Emerging |
City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd is one of six services under the same ownership. Children learn in two aged-based buildings. The majority of the current teaching team have been appointed this year. Approximately a fifth of enrolled children are Māori, a quarter are Indian, and a small number have Pacific heritages.
Children experience a curriculum that is underpinned by a philosophy that values ngā hononga (relationships). This has been a focus as the new teaching team get to know children and their families. Teachers are beginning to build on parents’ goals for their children’s learning and link these to valued learning outcomes. Assessment and planning of learning has improved since ERO’s 2022 report but is yet to show progression of learning over time.
Infants and toddlers experience nurturing and responsive caregiving. Individualised routines and a calm environment support their transition into the service. Older children experience adult-directed routines with more structured learning for those transitioning to school. Opportunities are limited for children to engage in a rich play-based curriculum that supports their decision making and growing complexity of learning.
A curriculum that responds to the cultures and languages of enrolled children is in the early stages. The diverse teaching team are able to greet and speak to some families in their home languages. This is not yet reflected in documentation of learning. Māori and Pacific children are not consistently hearing or seeing their cultures through teacher practices. An internal evaluation on the bicultural curriculum is ongoing and yet to make an impact on children’s experiences.
Those in governance and leadership roles have strong relational trust. Leaders have intentionally, and successfully, focused on improving aspects of regulatory requirements. New processes that focus on growth and lifting teacher capability are at early stages of implementation.
City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd completed an ERO 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.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
18 December 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd |
| Profile Number | 30056 |
| Location | Hamilton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 41 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 50-79% |
| Service roll | 38 |
| Review team on site | October 2023 |
| Date of this report | 18 December 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2022; Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2021 |
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 | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Not meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.
City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd caters for children up to school age in two separate age-based areas. It is one of six centres operating under the same ownership. Approximately a quarter of the current roll identify as Māori and there are small numbers of Indian and Bangladeshi children attending the centre. The centre returned to a full licence in December 2021.
Children experience a curriculum that is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation. It is language rich and acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. They are supported in developing their social competence and an understanding of appropriate behaviour.
Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their child. A philosophy statement guides the services operations.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS9]
Since and during the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
24 August 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd |
| Profile Number | 30056 |
| Location | Hamilton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 41 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 37 |
| Review team on site | August 2022 |
| Date of this report | 24 August 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, August 2021; Education Review, October 2016 |
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 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:
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 | 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.
City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd is a privately owned service. It caters for children up to school age in two separate age-based areas. The centre manager guides a diverse teaching team of 14 qualified and unqualified teachers. The centre returned to a full license in December 2020.
Children experience positive and meaningful interactions with the teachers providing education and care. Their choices are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning. The teaching team, with its diverse cultural base, provides children with the opportunity to learn about and respect other cultures, as well as the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. The service’s curriculum is language rich and supports the development of social competence. Teachers take steps to respect and acknowledge parents’ aspirations for their child. External agencies provide information and guidance to support an inclusive environment. The service is meeting all regulatory standards.
Next steps include:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
10 August 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | City Limits Early Learning Centre Ltd |
| Profile Number | 30056 |
| Location | Hamilton Central, Hamilton |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 52 children, including up to 18 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 49 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 12, NZ European/Pākehā 14, Indian 8, Pacific 6, Other ethnic groups 9. |
| Review team on site | July 2021 |
| Date of this report | 10 August 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, October 2016; Education Review, October 2013. |
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: