35 Hobson Avenue, Kerikeri
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 |
|
Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Not meeting |
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Health and safety |
Not meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Kerikeri Preschool is a small, family owned and operated service. This is the first ERO review under new ownership. A qualified owner leads a team of 11, including seven qualified teachers. The children attending are ethnically diverse, and nearly a half of the children enrolled are Māori.
The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to nurture reciprocal relationships. Teachers provide a language-rich environment which supports children’s learning. There are regular opportunities for parents to communicate with adults providing education and care, about their child and to share specific evidence of the child’s learning.
Improved implementation and monitoring of systems is required to maintain regulatory standards.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
ensuring a tempering valve, or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature is installed
having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep, which includes that children do not have access to food or liquids while in bed and are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing. Sleep records need to consistently show the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks are made at least every 5 to 10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs
monitoring that the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40°C and comfortable for children at the centre to use
monitoring that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C.
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF24, HS9, HS13, HS14.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring windows and other areas of glass accessible to children are either made of safety glass or covered by an adhesive film designed to hold the glass in place in the event of it being broken (PF7).
Securing of heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage (HS6).
Ensuring that records of all excursions include the full documentation requirements of this licensing criterion, including ensuring parent permission is sought for children to leave the premises (HS17).
Gaining written parental permission for any travel by motor vehicle before an excursion takes place (HS18).
Providing all parents at the time of enrolment a copy of Ministry of Health: Reducing food-related choking for babies and young children (HS22).
Having a procedure outlining the service’s response to injury, illness and incident that includes the review and implementation of practices as required (HS27).
Having a written child protection policy that contains a provision for the identification of abuse as well as a procedure that sets out how the service will identify and respond to suspected child abuse and/or neglect (HS31).
Prominently displaying the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, the Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, and a complaints procedure that includes the local Ministry of Education office contact details (GMA1).
Ensuring processes for human resource management include induction procedures, a system of regular appraisal, and a discipline/dismissal procedure (GMA7).
Implementing a procedure for safety checking of all children’s workers every three years and maintaining a record of risk assessments of all children’s workers (GMA7A).
Maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (GMA11).
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 will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
11 October 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Kerikeri Preschool |
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Profile Number |
10183 |
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Location |
Kerikeri, Northland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
29 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
42 |
|
Review team on site |
July 2023 |
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Date of this report |
11 October 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2019 |
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 |
Kerikeri Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kerikeri Preschool is licensed for 29 children, including 12 aged under two years. The roll includes diverse ethnicities. Approximately 25 percent of children have Māori heritage. Trusting and respectful relationships are evident at all levels. Parents and whānau are highly valued.
ERO's 2016 review recommended that the service work with the Ministry of Education to address a numbers of areas for improvement. Since that time, the owners have appointed a new head teacher and many new staff. Four of the eight teachers, including the head teacher, are registered teachers. There has been extensive property renovation and refurbishment, with new provision for infants and toddlers.
The whakataukī expressed in the centre's philosophy statement is evident in practice. Children are confident, capable leaders whose interests and strengths guide the flow of play. They are presented with interesting resources to prompt discovery and problem solving. Teachers' interactions support them to further investigate their surroundings.
Teachers have created a cosy and interesting space for infants and toddlers to explore. They are attentive and nurturing. Teachers respond to pre-verbal gestures and cues to give these children choices and a growing sense of belonging. Infants and toddlers are well supported as they mix with older children at times during the day. Teachers are positive and encouraging, supporting children's social and emotional wellbeing in a calm and unhurried atmosphere.
The centre's environment and culture reflect a growing bicultural awareness and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. A kaumātua supports children and adults to use and appreciate te reo me ōna tikanga Māori in the day-to-day programme. The team's growing partnership with whānau Māori is seen in the sharing of skills and knowledge, and enhances consultation.
Teachers work well as a team. They communicate purposefully to share information about children's development, needs, and emerging interests. They reflect regularly on Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. This fosters a shared understanding of quality practices and valued outcomes. They inquire and research into effective practice, using a new appraisal approach that is being embedded.
Teachers' planning for and assessment of children's learning continue to grow in consistency. They record key learning moments in individual and group learning stories. Team meetings guide the selection of further experiences and group activities likely to further engage children's interests. The centre invites parents to share their knowledge and aspirations for their children to enhance planning.
Teachers could further improve individual children's portfolios by stating clear and deliberate next steps for teaching and learning. These should show how teachers plan to enrich experiences and learning for each child over time. Teachers should clearly evaluate the impact of their practice on children's progress.
The teaching team is improvement focused, working diligently and making good use of external support and mentoring to enhance operations at all levels. Leaders have introduced good quality systems and practices, including internal evaluation to foster progress. Teachers have established useful networks with schools and services. Children and families benefit from teaching practices that support children's transitions to school.
Since the 2016 ERO review, leaders have introduced a sound appraisal approach that fosters teachers' inquiry and research into their practice. Strategic and annual plans that identify priorities and guide actions would benefit from further alignment. These developments are relatively new, but leaders are now well placed to build on these foundations.
Key next steps include:
continuing to embed new and developing practices, and updating associated guiding documents
further alignment of strategic and annual planning to promote consistent practices
deliberate plans for extending learning and showing continuity of learning in assessment portfolios
strengthening the management and monitoring of policies and procedures for health and safety.
Before the review, the staff and management of Kerikeri 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
20 June 2019
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 |
Kerikeri, Northland |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10183 |
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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 |
29 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
32 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 17 Girls 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
9 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:5 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:10 |
Meets minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
May 2019 |
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Date of this report |
20 June 2019 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
As Ol-Wens Little School: Education Review |
September 2016 |
|
|
Education Review |
July 2013 |
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As Whiz Kids: Supplementary Review |
May 2010 |
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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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.