71 Franklin Road, Pukekohe West, Auckland
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.
Te Akonga Early Learning Centre is an independently operated, not-for-profit service. The centre manager leads a predominately long serving teaching team. A strategic governance board provides operational oversight. The centre's philosophy places priority on supporting children with additional learning needs and welcomes all children and families.
The service’s curriculum is inclusive of all children. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge parental aspirations for children. Information and guidance are sought from agencies to enable teachers to work effectively with children and their parents. Children’s learning is supported through a language rich environment that includes NZ Sign Language, English and te reo Māori. Whānau Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua. The layout of the premises supports different individual and group learning appropriate to the abilities of the children attending.
During the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
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
26 July 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Te Akonga Early Learning Centre |
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Profile Number |
10017 |
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Location |
Pukekohe |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
50 children, including up to 14 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
70 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 28, NZ European/Pākehā 31, Pacific groups 5, |
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Review team on site |
June 2021 |
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Date of this report |
26 July 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, April 2017; Education Review, August 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:
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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.
Te Akonga Early Learning Centre, located in central Pukekohe, provides education and care for children from three months to school age. This community-based centre is governed by a trust made up of parents and staff members. The centre is licensed for 50 children, including 14 aged under two years. Its roll of 54 includes 22 Maori children. The centre operates two age-based rooms for children up to and over the age of three years.
Since the previous ERO review in February 2014 a centre manager and one new team leader have been appointed. While there has been some changes to the teaching team, the centre continues to benefit from consistent staffing. The centre has a positive ERO reporting history and has responded positively to the key next steps in the 2014 ERO report about continuing to strengthen teaching practice.
The centre's philosophy makes a commitment to meeting the needs of all children and families.
Children benefit from participating in a broad and rich programme that is responsive to emerging interests. The programme strongly reflects the principles and strands of Te Whāriki (the early childhood curriculum). A special feature of the centre's programme is the effective approach to supporting children with additional learning needs. Meaningful partnerships with families support an inclusive approach to responding to each child's learning and development. Other strengths of the programme include:
regular trips into the local and wider community, including fortnightly visits to a local native bush area by older children
well-managed transition processes for children as they enter the centre and move between the two age-based rooms
ready access for children to a good variety of quality resources and equipment including natural materials
the active participation of whānau in the programme and centre activities.
Children under the age of two years benefit from caring and nurturing relationships with teachers. The implementation of a 'key teacher' system supports strong and meaningful partnerships with whānau that assist staff to follow home-care routines.
Māori children's language, culture and identity is increasingly acknowledged and celebrated by:
teachers use of te reo Māori in their daily interactions with children, especially in the under three room
celebrations of important events for Māori such as Matariki
opportunities to participate in kapahaka
incorporation of tikanga Māori practices in the daily programme.
Centre leaders acknowledge the importance of further developing and extending on these current approaches in recognising New Zealand's bicultural heritage.
Centre planning and assessment practices have been strengthened. Attractively presented individual learning portfolios, which are also available in a digital format, provide whānau with a valuable record of their child's participation in the programme. They are increasingly being used by teachers to identify and respond to children's next learning steps. Children's learning is being well supported by these improved assessment practices.
Teachers provide good quality care and education for children. They have respectful and trusting relationships with children and whānau. Teachers use a wide range of effective strategies that support children's language development and problem solving skills. They actively participate alongside children in meaningful play and support children to collaborate and play together. Teachers should now consider strategies that add greater complexity to children's play, especially for older boys, and ways to incorporate literacy learning opportunities into a broader range of play. Effective teaching practice supports children to develop as confident learners.
Centre leaders are knowledgeable and well informed. They work well together and are committed to working alongside staff and whānau to implement the centre's philosophy. The new centre manager has a wide range of useful skills, and knowledge of the community, that support her to undertake her management role. The two team leaders provide good quality professional leadership for teachers and children. They are respected by teachers and model effective practice. Leaders are well supported by experienced staff members, many of whom have specialist training and expertise in working with children with additional learning needs. A useful teacher appraisal process has been implemented. Providing teachers with regular documented feedback about their practices is likely to strengthen this process and further build teacher capability. Effective leadership contributes to promoting positive outcomes for children.
Trustees provide supportive governance. They are well led by a respected chairperson. Comprehensive policies are regularly reviewed, in consultation with staff and whānau, and guide centre operations. A strategic plan that reflects community aspirations sets the framework for ongoing development. Trustees should consider incorporating the centre's commitment to further building teacher and leadership capability in this plan. Supportive and well-informed governance underpins the centre's commitment to providing an inclusive service for all children.
The key next step for leaders and teachers is to implement a strategic approach to further developing the centre's curriculum. Particular priority should be given to:
strengthening self-review processes
practices that reflect New Zealand's bicultural heritage.
Before the review, the staff and management of Te Akonga Early Learning 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:
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 Te Akonga Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Lynda Pura-Watson
Deputy Chief Review Officer
6 April 2017
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 |
Pukekohe |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10017 |
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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 |
50 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
54 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 33 Girls 21 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other |
20 22 12 |
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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 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
February 2017 |
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Date of this report |
6 April 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
August 2013 |
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Education Review |
April 2010 |
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Education Review |
March 2007 |
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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:
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.
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.