6 Marama Avenue North, Otatara, Invercargill
View on mapERO’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 |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
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.
Otatara Preschool is a semi-rural service. This is one of three services, which are privately owned under the same ownership. A newly appointed centre manager leads a team of mostly certificated teachers. Children attending the service are from culturally diverse backgrounds. Almost a quarter of children enrolled are Māori. This is the service’s first ERO review under new ownership.
Children participate in a range of learning experiences, including in groups and individual play. Teachers engage in meaningful and respectful interactions with children. They respond to the verbal and non-verbal cues of infants and toddlers while meeting their needs.
Assessment and planning documentation is aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. This information also shows the opportunities children have to be involved in aspects of a bicultural curriculum. There is a well-resourced, large outdoor area.
The premises support the provision of indoor and outdoor experiences through a variety of furniture, equipment and materials. Suitable human resource management systems are implemented. Health and safety systems and practices require consistent monitoring to ensure all aspects of regulatory compliance are maintained.
Next steps include:
Continue to increase the opportunities children have to hear and speak te reo Māori in meaningful learning contexts.
Strengthen the documentation of children’s learning in ways that reflect their culture, language and identity.
Since the review, the service has provided evidence that shows it has addressed the following areas of compliance:
Ensuring heavy equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
Maintaining an accurate record of checks made by adults during the time children attending the service sleep.
Ensuring that furniture or items intended for children to sleep on are arranged and spaced when in use so that the area surrounding each child allows sufficient air movement to minimise the risk of spreading illness (HS10).
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS6, HS9, HS10.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
11 July 2023
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Early Childhood Centre |
Otatara Preschool |
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Profile Number |
45287 |
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Location |
Invercargill |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 17 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
78 |
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Review team on site |
May 2023 |
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Date of this report |
11 July 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2018; Education Review, May 2015 |
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.
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.
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Otatara Preschool is a privately owned early childhood service near Invercargill. The service provides education and care for infants to school age children in a purpose-built facility. The centre has four rooms designed to accommodate the various ages and stages of children's development.
Since ERO visited the centre in 2015, the owner has opened a new centre in Gore and appointed a head teacher. The head teacher at this centre is also the 'practice leader' with oversight of the teaching and learning in both centres. She works in collaboration with team leaders, who have responsibility for the day-to-day practices in each room.
The leaders and teachers align their practice with the philosophy that values community involvement. They believe children learn best through respectful relationships, within a calm and spacious environment.
The recommendations in the 2015 ERO review included making improvements to assessment and planning, bicultural practices and internal evaluation. There has been good progress with respect to these recommendations, however some continue to be work in progress.
Children at Otatara Preschool play and learn in a calm and settled environment. Friendships between children are very evident. Interactions between children and with teachers are respectful and caring. Children confidently approach each other and the teachers to share their achievements. The teachers follow the children’s lead, and offer support and resources to build on their interests.
Teachers encourage and support children to be independent and take responsibility. They know the children well as individuals. The use of assigning a 'key teacher' with responsibility for a small group of children supports this. This key teacher system helps teachers know and track children’s learning closely. Parents are regularly asked to contribute ideas when teachers are planning for children's learning.
Children under two years of age are nurtured and well cared for. Teachers follow the routines the parents have established for their children when at home. They are in tune with infants' verbal and non-verbal communication and respond sensitively to their needs and wants.
Children have a wide range of opportunities for learning, including a variety of engaging activities and experiences. The spacious outside area offers interesting challenges. Teachers encourage children to value the natural world and enjoy the outdoors. They present resources in ways that attract children's interest and involvement in their learning. Teachers stay alongside children to ensure they are on hand to have meaningful conversations about the learning occurring and to support and extend it.
Aspects of the Early Childhood Curriculum, Te Whāriki, are very evident in planning. Teachers reflect on and adapt the programme to meet children’s interests and needs. Children’s early literacy development, including oral language, is well supported. Children are often involved in dramatic play. They try new things and confidently engage in learning that builds their physical development. Teachers are consistent in the way they help build children’s social skills. They model and help facilitate positive social interactions. Children with additional needs are well supported by effective teaching strategies and the use of external agencies.
Leaders and teachers have identified areas for further development in learning and teaching. ERO agrees that the next steps include strengthening:
The centre is well managed. The owner/manager has developed comprehensive systems to ensure efficient management of all aspects of the centre's operation. She provides ongoing support and ensures teachers have professional development opportunities to build leadership abilities. In her capacity as owner/manager, she is committed to supporting equity of outcomes for children. She and her team regularly reflect on their practice and are focused on making ongoing improvements. The appraisal process effectively supports this.
The leaders have developed clear strategic priorities and action plans to help the future development of the service. There is the potential to develop these strategic goals and plans further and to establish ways to monitor progress against plans and evaluate the outcomes.
The manager and head teacher have identified their next steps for improvement. ERO agrees that these include the further development of:
the bicultural development plan so it better informs ongoing and sustainable practice
the centre's vision, philosophy, learning priorities and internal evaluation so they are better aligned
internal evaluation practices, including development of a schedule, to ensure regular review of aspects of the service that impact most on children.
Before the review, the staff and management of Otatara Preschool 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Otatara Preschool will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
12 June 2018
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.
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Location |
Invercargill |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45287 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
65 children, including up to 17 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
74 |
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Gender composition |
Girls: 37 Boys: 37 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori: |
6 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
May 2018 |
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Date of this report |
12 June 2018 |
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Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
May 2015 |
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Education Review |
April 2012 |
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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:
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.
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:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.