Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre

Education institution number:
25322
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Tokelauan ECE service
Total roll:
18
Telephone:
Address:

5 Harbour View Road, Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland

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Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata 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

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre is a community-based service, established in 2007 for the purpose of revitalising the Tokelauan language and culture. The community is becoming more ethnically diverse. A small number of children enrolled have Māori or Pacific heritage, including Tuvaluan, Tokelauan and Samoan.

Summary of Review Findings

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children have opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. Children have a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.

Key Next Steps

Next steps are to:

  • improve the extent to which assessment information shows children’s progress and learning over time

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

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

7 June 2023

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre

Profile Number

25322

Location

Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

50-79%

Service roll

21

Review team on site

April 2023

Date of this report

7 June 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akanuku | Assurance Review, November 2021
Education Review, November 2017

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.

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata 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

Not meeting

Health and safety

Not meeting

Governance, management and administration

Not meeting

 

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre operates a mixed-age programme in a purpose-built building. The akoga is committed to promoting the Tokelau language and culture in a Christian based programme. The akoga is one of two licensed Tokelau centres in Auckland, and the only Pacific centre in the Te Atatū Peninsula area. It has strong links to the Tuvalu community.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. Regular opportunities are provided for parents and whānau to communicate with teachers about their child’s learning.

The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different indoor and outdoor experiences. Children’s exploration is promoted through planned and spontaneous experiences in the sufficiently resourced environment.

The service is not meeting regulatory standards in a significant number of areas. Consistent implementation of the licensing criteria is required.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • providing a first aid kit that complies with the requirements of Appendix 1
  • ensuring relevant emergency drills are carried out with children on an at least a three-monthly basis
  • implementing a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep, and a record of children’s sleep times is kept
  • giving parents/caregivers prior written approval of their child’s participation, and of the proposed ratio, when children are on an excursion
  • ensuring all practicable steps are taken to get immediate medical assistance for a child who is seriously injured or becomes seriously ill, and to notify a parent of what has happened
  • ensuring all workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
  • ensuring an attendance record is maintained that shows the times and dates of every child’s attendance at the service.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF28; HS8, HS9, HS17, HS27, GMA7A, GMA11.

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • Installing a tempering valve or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature (PF24).
  • Ensuring there is space where a sick child can be temporarily kept at a safe distance from other children, lie down comfortably and be supervised (PF27).
  • Ensuring premises are kept safe from the storage of hazardous cleaning solutions (HS1).
  • Installing signage that indicates designated assembly areas for evacuation purposes (HS5).
  • Ensuring equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage is secured (HS6).
  • Maintaining a list of safety and emergency supplies and how these will be maintained and accessed, with evidence of an annual review of the plan and implementation of improved practices (HS7).
  • Checking equipment, premises and facilities every day of operation for hazards to children (HS12).
  • Ensuring the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40 degrees C (HS13).
  • Ensuring water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60 degrees C (HS14).
  • Documenting parents’ approval of infant milk given to a child under the age of 12 months (HS23).
  • All practicable steps are taken to ensure that children do not come into contact with any person on the premises who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to have a detrimental effect on them (HS26).
  • Ensuring all practicable steps are taken to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material (HS32).
  • Implementing suitable human resource management practices (GMA7).
  • Documenting an annual plan that guides the service’s operation (GMA8).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

29 November 2021 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre

Profile Number

25322

Location

Te Atatū Peninsula, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

24

Ethnic composition

Māori 4, Tuvalu 11, Tokelau 7, other ethnic groups 2

Review team on site

June 2021

Date of this report

29 November 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, November 2017;
Education Review, September 2014

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.

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre - 24/11/2017

1 Evaluation of Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre is a Tokelauan community-based centre that provides education and care for children from birth to school age. It is licensed for up to 30 children, including 5 children under two years. The centre operates a mixed-age programme in a purpose-built building.

The akoga is one of two licensed Tokelauan centres, and the only Pacific centre in the Te Atatu Peninsula area. It has strong links to the Tuvalu community. The akoga is committed to promoting the Tokelauan language and culture in a Christian based programme.

ERO's 2014 report noted features including parent involvement, warm relationships and good management systems. The report also recommended the development of strategic planning and robust self-review. Positive progress has been made in these areas. Strengthening the Tokelauan language in the programme continues to be an ongoing priority.

The Review Findings

Children are happy at the centre. They settle quickly and enjoy choosing how they play and who they play with. Children know the adults well, and confidently approach teachers to support them in their play. They enjoy accessing equipment, and moving freely in the indoor and outdoor play areas. Mixed-age play works well, and tuakana teina relationships are consistent with the family focus of the akoga culture.

The environment promotes children's cultural identities, languages and Tokelauan culture. The programme celebrates the features of Tokelau through music, art, culture and geography. It also promotes literacy and mathematics in culturally relevant ways. Teachers have evaluated the learning environment, and improved aspects to suit children's learning needs. Provision for children aged under 2 years is being evaluated to better cater for their specific needs.

Parents and whānau are encouraged to stay at the akoga to support their children. Teachers know their community well and some teachers model the Tokelauan and Tuvalu language. Relieving teachers and visitors enjoy the family atmosphere and culturally appropriate practices.

The akoga continues to develop curriculum leadership and teaching capability to enrich learning experiences for individual children. Group and project work is documented well, and captures children's many experiences at the akoga. These experiences include aspects of the bicultural programme. Excursions involve families, and provide a variety of opportunities for rich learning.

Children's learning is documented in attractive portfolios. Parents enjoy providing feedback and input into their child's learning. Teachers use this information to guide programme planning. Leaders agree that they need to increase the visibility of documentation for children's individual learning.

Teachers participate in useful professional development to strengthen programme planning and assessment. A current focus for teachers is to develop their reflective practice in order to ensure quality outcomes for children. Teachers plan to seek professional development on the new Te Whāriki curriculum.

The dedicated manager leads the daily akoga operation, and strongly promotes the akoga philosophy. She works with staff to embed a culture of ongoing improvement. Akoga leaders implement a robust performance management system that is lifting the quality of teaching practice, and meets Education Council requirements. Leaders are committed to supporting teachers to grow their leadership capacity. The board and centre manager make good use of external networks and professional advice.

The akoga is governed well by a dedicated board of trustees comprised of parent, community and staff representatives. Collaborative strategic planning shows good consultation, goal setting and decision making. Relevant systems and processes of accountability guide the service's operations.

Key Next Steps

The board and centre manager have identified useful priorities to strengthen:

  • systems to document children's learning assessment, evaluation and planning

  • internal evaluation processes, building on developments underway to inspire teachers' reflective practice

  • reporting to the board by focusing on outcomes for children

  • long-term plans aligned to the strategic direction of the akoga.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre 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 Fetufa Tokelau Akoga Kamata Early Childhood Centre will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

Te Tai Raki - Northern Region

24 November 2017

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

Te Atatu Peninsula, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

25322

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2

Service roll

50

Gender composition

Girls 29 Boys 21

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Tuvalu
Samoan
Cook Islands Māori
Niuean
Tokelauan

2
5
23
7
6
4
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:5

Meets minimum requirements

Over 2

1:10

Meets minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2017

Date of this report

24 November 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

September 2014

Education Review

June 2011

Supplementary Review

October 2009

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.