456 Hillsborough Road, Hillsborough, 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 |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| 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.
Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield has been in operation since 2003. There are three age-based learning environments for children from infants to school age. Children attending the service are from culturally diverse backgrounds. A small number of tamariki Māori and children from Pacific heritages are enrolled.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. A language-rich environment is provided which supports children’s learning.
The service curriculum respects the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect each other. A range of experiences and opportunities are provided to enhance and extend children’s learning and development - both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.
Systems for monitoring health and safety requirements need to be monitored to ensure that regulatory standards are maintained.
Next steps are to:
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence to show it has addressed the following non-compliances:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
14 February 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield |
| Profile Number | 25082 |
| Location | Hillsborough, Auckland |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 59 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 54 |
| Review team on site | December 2023 |
| Date of this report | 14 February 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, January 2020; Education Review, February 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.
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 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield requires support to improve health and safety and governance systems to promote positive outcomes for children.
Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield requires further development to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield is one of two Childsplay Unlimited centres in Auckland. This centre is licensed for 59 children, including 14 under the age of two years. The purpose-built centre is arranged into three age-related rooms for infants, toddlers and preschool children.
The centre serves a culturally diverse community. There are small numbers of Māori and Pacific children on the roll. Most children and their families are Indian or Chinese, and many speak languages other than English. Some teachers at the centre communicate with children and families in their home languages.
The director provides governance and leadership support, and a centre manager is responsible for the daily running of the centre and supports curriculum design and delivery. Registered and unregistered teaching staff provide care for children and plan and deliver learning programmes.
The centre's philosophy places importance on celebrating cultural diversity and being inclusive. It focuses on developing caring, reciprocal and respectful relationships between children and adults, and promotes programmes based on children's strengths, needs and interests.
The 2015 ERO report identified positive aspects of practice including responsive teachers, well-planned learning programmes and effective management. It identified areas for development that included provision for Māori and Pacific children, communication with families, professional learning, self review and strategic planning. Many of the positive areas identified in the 2015 report have not been sustained.
Teachers welcome children and their families and provide a warm and caring environment within which children play and learn. They encourage a calm, slow pace to the day that supports children to engage in play. Children are kind to each other and have a strong sense of belonging in the centre.
Teachers value children's play and provide good access to appropriate resources and equipment. They know children well and follow their learning cues. Children's languages and cultural identities are acknowledged and recognised in the learning programme. Teachers have made progress since the 2015 ERO review in including te reo and tikanga Māori through waiata and karakia and promoting an inclusive curriculum that is focused on children's care and education. They incorporate literacy, mathematics and science learning in daily programmes.
Infants and toddlers receive appropriate support and challenge. Their oral language development is promoted through singing and conversations. Teachers could enhance support for these children by providing more individualised caregiving.
The director is actively involved in the running of the centre and has a vision to provide a quality service. She is supportive of leaders and teachers and is providing increased opportunities for whānau involvement in the centre. The centre's strategic plan identifies goals for future development.
Key next steps for centre managers and teachers include seeking external guidance to help:
Before the review, the staff and management of Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield 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.
ERO identified areas of non-compliance relating to the teacher appraisal system, police vetting and other aspects of health and safety. To meet requirements, the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS10, GMA7, 7A; Education Act 1989, s382(1).
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has police vetted all non-registered staff.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region - Te Tai Raki
24 January 2020
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.
| Location | Lynfield, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25082 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 59 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 years | ||
| Service roll | 62 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 33 Boys 29 | ||
| Ethnic composition | NZ European/Pākehā Indian Chinese Filipino other ethnic groups | 12 18 11 4 17 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | October 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 24 January 2020 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2015 | |
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:
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.
How well placed is Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield 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.
Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield is a privately owned early childhood centre in Mt Roskill, Auckland. It provides full day and sessional education and care for children up to school age. The purpose-built centre has rooms and outdoor areas for babies, toddlers and preschool children. It is licensed for 59 children including 14 children under two years of age.
Previously the centre had two licences. ERO’s 2011 review of the babies’ area acknowledged the high quality programme. Similarly in 2012, ERO’s review found that the toddler and preschool programmes were of good quality. The very good provision of education and care for children throughout the centre has been sustained.
Key factors in sustaining the high quality provision for children are the dedication and commitment to children’s education and well-being by the owner, centre manager. Fully registered and qualified teachers lead the very effective teaching teams. Only two of the nine teachers do not have qualifications. They are very experienced early childhood educators. Continuous self review aims to provide and sustain high quality education and care for every child in this ethnically diverse centre.
Children are happy and well cared for. They have a strong sense of belonging. They are gently supported to explore their environments, persevere and become confident learners and communicators. Teachers are respectful, caring and responsive to the needs of each child, including those who may have special needs. The loving care and attention the babies and younger children receive is evident throughout the centre.
Teachers know the children well. Their communication with parents and daily observations of children’s strengths, abilities and interests enable them to plan and provide programmes and resources that engage children in learning. Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum underpins the programmes. The well planned programmes and resource provision foster children’s physical, social, emotional and intellectual development.
The programmes, resources and centre outings support children to develop their literacy, mathematical and scientific knowledge and skills, as well as understandings of other important curriculum areas such as technology. Especially noteworthy is the preschool programme that supports children to make a successful and smooth transition to primary school.
Children are provided with a wide variety of high quality resources and exciting learning experiences that promote and extend their learning. Attractive, topical wall displays support current learning and teaching. These displays, together with children’s portfolios of learning stories, give parents and families’ access to their children’s learning. Constructive feedback from parents is valued and responded to as part of the centre’s ongoing self review.
Children’s languages, cultures are identities are promoted. Their identity as New Zealanders belonging to a bicultural nation is well affirmed. Māori language and culture is an integral part of the centre programmes. The ethnic diversity of the children and staff enriches the programme and is celebrated with families, especially on cultural days.
The centre is well managed and well led. The owner and centre manager are intent on providing high quality education and care in a happy, caring and safe learning environment for children and staff. To this end, the owner readily meets staff requests for resources and professional development. Teachers are given generous time for programme planning, assessment and evaluation.
Self review to benefit children’s learning and well-being is a prominent feature of the centre. The owner and managers have identified pertinent areas for development, these include;
In addition, on ERO’s suggestion, they expect to improve the centre strategic plan to include measurable annual goals linked to teacher professional development and appraisal.
Before the review, the staff and management of Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield 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.
The next ERO review of Childsplay Unlimited - Lynfield will be in four years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
9 February 2015
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.
| Location | Mt Roskill, Auckland | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 25082 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 59 children, including up to 14 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 73 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 39 Boys 34 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā Chinese Indian Pacific other | 3 28 15 14 6 7 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates | 50-79% | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:4 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:8 | Meets minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | November 2014 | ||
| Date of this report | 9 February 2015 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | No previous ERO reports under merged licence | ||
Previous reviews as: Childsplay Unlimited Early Childhood Centre | |||
| Education Review | March 2012 | ||
| Education Review | March 2009 | ||
Previous reviews as: Childsplay Unlimited Infant and Toddler Centre | |||
| Education Review | September 2011 | ||
| Supplementary Review | August 2008 |
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.