21 A Waterview Road, Devonport, Auckland
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 (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakatō Emerging |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakatō Emerging |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakatō Emerging |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whakatō Emerging |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakatō Emerging |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakatō Emerging |
Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre is a small privately owned service that provides all-day education and care for children over two years of age. The centre has had a change of ownership and management since its 2018 ERO review.
Children are articulate, friendly, and confident. They seek out friendships, play cooperatively and make choices from the variety of resources available. Teachers form positive and caring relationships with children and families.
The spacious outside area is well used, and children have very good opportunities for physical, creative, and imaginative play. Gardening activities offer good opportunities for science to be integrated into the programme.
Strengthening the focus on child-led learning, investigation and inquiry will contribute to improving current practice. Teachers need to develop planning and assessment processes that effectively respond to children’s interests and promote more complex thinking and learning. They also need to consider ways to engage all children in their learning.
The centre philosophy is influenced by the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Leaders and teachers need to provide a curriculum that reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua and ensure children’s languages and cultures are more evident in assessment portfolios and the environment.
The centre owner and manager work collaboratively. Strengthening teacher practice to monitor the effectiveness of the curriculum is a priority. A teacher appraisal process supports teachers’ growth and professional development.
A strategic plan provides direction for the centre. Annual plans need to be further developed to ensure progress towards meeting strategic goals is monitored. An up-to-date policy framework is in place.
The centre is at the early stage of developing the collective capacity to do and use evaluation for improvement. To sustain improvements, strengthening evaluation processes and practices is a key next step. This would support leaders to monitor how well the curriculum design and planning reflects the centre’s philosophy and improves outcomes for children.
Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Care-A-Lot Childcare 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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
11 August 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre |
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Profile Number |
20031 |
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Location |
Devonport, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
21 children over 2 years of age |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 2, NZ European/Pākehā 13 |
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Review team on site |
June 2021 |
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Date of this report |
11 August 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, January 2018 |
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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.
Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre is a small centre based in an adapted house in Devonport. It provides all day education and care for children over two years old and is licensed for up to 21 children.
The centre has had a change of ownership and management since its 2014 ERO review. It is now owned and governed by Gluga 123 Ltd. The owners have three other centres and have appointed centre directors who each oversee the management and operation of two centres.
The centre’s philosophy promotes respectful and trusting relationships. It encourages a learning programme and environment where individual strengths and interests are acknowledged, and children lead their own learning. The philosophy promotes bicultural practices and recognises the growing diversity in the community. It is linked to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Centre leaders have responded positively to suggestions for ongoing improvement made in the 2014 ERO report. These next steps related to the implementation of strategic goals, identifying and documenting children’s interests, and responding to children’s learning.
Children are happy, confident and competent learners. They move freely around an attractive, peaceful learning environment. They are provided with a range of provocations and resources that allow them to make choices and initiate their own play. Their oral language and curiosity are fostered, and their self-management skills are nurtured. Children play independently or join activities that are initiated by teachers. Teachers promote an inclusive curriculum.
Teachers have warm, positive, and respectful relationships with children. They work collaboratively to promote an environment that is conducive to learning. Good adult-to-child ratios allow teachers to have sustained conversations with children, encouraging them to think, inquire, and build on their prior knowledge. Teachers are knowledgeable about the curriculum. Literacy, numeracy, and natural science are integrated into the programme. Teachers are well placed to increase support for children to develop more complex play.
Teachers are committed to modelling and promoting a bicultural curriculum. They integrate te reo and tikanga Māori practices meaningfully into the programme. Centre displays showcase children’s pepeha. Matariki is celebrated and the team has begun to establish partnerships with the local marae.
The centre environment is attractively presented. Wall displays acknowledge children’s work and allow them to revisit prior learning. Well positioned photos, resources and provocations help connect children to their cultural identity.
Teachers have a good understanding of the principles and strands of Te Whāriki, and weave it into planning and assessment practices. Programme planning and assessment focuses on responding to children’s interests and identifying further challenges. An online portfolio system keeps parents informed of their children’s learning. Although parent aspirations are recognised, teachers could now explore how parent input might contribute more to children’s portfolios and their next learning steps.
Teachers have a positive relationship with parents, whānau and the wider early childhood and school community. Centre leaders value parental and community involvement.
Centre owners/directors have a clear vision for the centre. They have established a new governance and management structure. Centre directors and teachers have a strong commitment to providing good quality service with a focus on continuous improvement. They have established meaningful self-review processes. These capture multiple perspectives, promote professional dialogue, and are supporting ongoing centre development.
Next steps for centre development should include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Care-A-Lot Childcare 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 Care-A-Lot Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
12 January 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 |
Devonport, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
20031 |
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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 |
21 children over 2 years of age |
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Service roll |
20 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 13 Girls 7 |
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Ethnic composition |
Pākehā |
19 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
November 2017 |
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Date of this report |
12 January 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
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|
Education Review |
February 2011 |
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Education Review |
January 2008 |
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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.