1 Dianne Louise Drive, Half Moon Bay, 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 Frog Puddles Childcare Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Frog Puddles Childcare Centre is one of three services under the same ownership. The service offers full-day education and care in two age-related rooms with access to separate outdoor areas. A centre manager and head teacher lead the service that includes four other qualified teachers and two support staff.
The diverse cultural heritages of the children and staff reflect those of the local community. Leaders and kaiako provide an inclusive and responsive curriculum that values diversity, views children as confident and capable learners, and aligns closely to the centre philosophy. Kaiako are increasingly intentional in developing the learning outcomes identified in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Kaiako have an increasing focus on using te reo Māori and respecting tikanga Māori in the daily programme. Supervision and care of children aged under two years is respectful and encouraging. Leaders and kaiako are very responsive to children with additional needs and their parents.
Leaders and kaiako engage in meaningful and positive interactions that enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children make choices in the play-based programme, and kaiako support these choices by offering more resources. Through observing children at play, kaiako plan activities to enhance children’s learning.
The design and layout of the premises provide spaces and learning experiences appropriate to the number, ages and abilities of children attending. Children have access to a variety of learning opportunities both indoors and outdoors. These opportunities provide challenge, problem-solving situations and extend children physically.
Sound policies and procedures and the annual plan guide service operations. The centre manager identifies strategic themes and goals that direct ongoing improvement. Teachers participate in professional development to progress their practice.
Frog Puddles Childcare Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Frog Puddles 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.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
20 May 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Frog Puddles Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 25126 |
| Location | Half Moon Bay, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
30 children, including up to 5 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
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Service roll |
28 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 3 |
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Review team on site |
April 2021 |
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Date of this report |
20 May 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2017 |
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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.
Frog Puddles Childcare Centre in Half Moon Bay, Auckland, provides all-day education and care for a maximum of 33 children, including eight under two years of age. This privately owned centre has separate areas for infants and toddlers, and for children over two years of age. The majority of children enrolled are Pākehā and the roll includes small numbers of Māori, Pacific and Chinese children.
The centre's philosophy is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Programmes continue to prioritise the view of children as confident and competent learners. Positive relationships among children, teachers and families continue to be a feature of this centre.
Since ERO’s 2014 report, there have been changes in leadership and additional teachers have been appointed. The new leaders and teachers, together with the existing staff, are working well together as a team. As a result of their strong commitment to self review, they are building a shared understanding of the centre's philosophy, effective teaching and learning, and evaluation. All teachers have early childhood education qualifications.
The leaders and teaching team work collaboratively to identify and respond to children's needs and interests. Relationships among teachers, children and parents are respectful and encouraging. Te reo Māori is incorporated in meaningful ways and teachers' confidence in using te reo is growing. Children with additional developmental needs are well supported and included in all parts of the programme. Transitions into and within the centre are thoughtfully managed.
Children under two years of age benefit from a warm and nurturing culture of care that has been enhanced by teachers' thoughtful reflection about children's routines. Teachers respect these children's preferences. Responsive caregiving and one-to-one interactions support toddlers' need for strong and secure attachments with adults. Language development through play is strongly fostered in the unhurried environment.
Children have fun and show a clear sense of belonging. They initiate interactions with other children and adults. Children make friendships and play well together. Many are developing skills to manage their own behaviour. They often work independently, and confidently access resources and learning areas. There is good support for children's literacy development. Centre leaders agree that they could engage children to a greater extent in meaningful, complex and sustained learning conversations and activities.
Leaders and teachers understand the importance of effective transitions to school. A special programme is in place to challenge older children's thinking and support them to be ready to transition to school. Newsletters inform parents about how effective early childhood education approaches promote this readiness. Leaders are also beginning to establish connections with primary schools to support children's transition to school. They should now evaluate their programme and practices, to be assured of the extent to which it reflects current theory and best practice in early childhood education.
Teachers work together to develop assessment practices that cater for each child's emerging interests. They share observations about children and plan collaboratively for each child. They regularly reflect on their teaching practice, and are now poised to be more deeply evaluative about learning outcomes for children. Leaders are evaluating aspects of the curriculum as part of their improvement journey, which includes giving teachers responsibility for research and leadership.
Children's assessment profiles include good information about their learning. Teachers regularly seek input from parents through surveys, newsletters and ongoing conversations. Parents and caregivers have responded positively to the online system that teachers use to share information about children's learning and involvement in the programme. Teachers continue to build on the good relationships that they have with parents, to involve them more in a partnership that focuses on children's learning.
At the end of 2016, the owner and leaders were involved in professional learning and development (PLD) to further develop the centre's strategic and annual planning. This PLD has helped them to prioritise areas to maintain their improvement focus. Ongoing work is being done to refine the appraisal process to support ongoing improvements in teaching practice and to meet all the requirements of the Education Council.
PLD has also helped teachers to build a good foundation for continuing to strengthen internal evaluation. Performance management systems are under review and the centre owner has identified there is further work to do to strengthen appraisal processes. Teachers are currently undertaking an in-depth review of the centre's learning environments to help strengthen their role in promoting positive outcomes for children.
The owners and leaders have identified next steps to improve outcomes for children. They agree that appropriate PLD would be helpful in order to achieve these outcomes. Next steps include continuing to:
deepen internal evaluation of teaching and learning, underpinned by Te Whāriki and current theories and understandings about best practice in early childhood education
develop a responsive curriculum for all children that encourages risk taking, exploration and complex play
plan strategically to strengthen bicultural aspects of the curriculum and centre practices.
Before the review, the staff and management of Frog Puddles 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.
To improve current practice, the owner and staff should refine policies and procedures so that they more clearly align with the changes in legal requirements and the Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Services.
The next ERO review of Frog Puddles Childcare Centre will be in three years.
Violet Tu'uga Stevenson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
26 June 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 |
Half Moon Bay, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25126 |
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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 |
33 children, including up to 8 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
41 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 24 Girls 17 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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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 |
May 2017 |
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Date of this report |
26 June 2017 |
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Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
January 2014 |
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Education Review |
February 2011 |
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Education Review |
December 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.