14 Botany Road, Howick, 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.
Small Steps ECE Centre is in a converted villa that provides for different age groups of children in two separate buildings. The owner and supervisor lead a team of five other qualified teachers and three support staff. A small number of children enrolled have Pacific heritages.
The curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. Positive interactions nurture reciprocal relationships between adults and children in a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning.
The curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation (documented and undocumented) that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau, and life contexts. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. The curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners.
Consistent implementation and monitoring of health and safety and governance systems is required to maintain regulatory standards.
During and since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Ensuring any windows or 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, or effectively guarded by barriers which prevent a child striking or falling against the glass (PF7).
Developing a written emergency plan that includes a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults, details of the roles and responsibilities that will apply during an emergency situation and having a communication plan for families and support services (HS7).
Having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that ensures children are checked for warmth, breathing, and general wellbeing at least every 5 to 10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs. Maintaining a record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults (HS9).
Checking equipment, premises, and facilities daily for hazards that includes all considerations of hazards required in this criterion, including medicines, poisons, and other hazardous materials, areas of glass and vandalism (HS12).
When children leave the premises on a regular or special excursion, the excursion must be approved by the person responsible (HS17).
Maintaining a record of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children that includes evidence of parental acknowledgement that medication has been administered to children (HS28).
Having a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (HS31).
Ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
Having an annual plan that identifies 'who' in relation to key tasks the service intends to undertake each year (GMA8).
Maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook for children currently attending (GMA11).
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
7 December 2022
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Small Steps ECE Centre |
|
Profile Number |
25355 |
|
Location |
Howick, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
39 |
|
Review team on site |
October 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
7 December 2022 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, May 2019; Education Review, May 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.
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Small Steps ECE Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Small Steps ECE Centre is family owned and located in Howick, Auckland. It provides education and care for pre-school children in two buildings with interconnecting pathways. The centre is licensed for up to 35 children, including 20 aged under the age of two years.
The centre's philosophy recognises children as capable, confident learners. It focuses on developing children's social competence and resilience, and places emphasis on children learning in a "home-like" environment. Education and care are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The owner is an experienced teacher, and is supported by two head teachers. Half of the staff are new to the centre since the 2015 ERO report, and some are new to teaching.
The centre has responded well to the recommendations in the 2015 ERO report. Positive relationships between parents and teachers continue to be a strong feature of the centre.
Children demonstrate a strong sense of wellbeing and belonging at the centre. They enjoy warm, respectful relationships with adults and each other. Teachers know children well and celebrate successes and milestones with family and whānau. They value working with the community and whānau, and children and their families are warmly welcomed.
Children are supported well to become friendly, articulate and competent learners. They have time to make discoveries and investigate their ideas in uninterrupted play. Transitions and routines are unhurried and responsive to children's individual needs. Teachers encourage children to lead their own learning.
The carefully considered and attractive centre environments stimulate children’s interests and involvement in the programme. Children have easy access to well-presented outdoor play areas. Both the indoor and outdoor environments offer challenges and interesting opportunities for children's exploration, curiosity and play.
Children benefit from multiple learning experiences that foster their creative and visual art. Teachers integrate children’s interests into programmes and activities to support their engagement and learning. They work alongside children, using good questioning skills to extend children's thinking.
Teachers maintain a calm and peaceful environment for children up to the age of two years. They are strongly committed to the care and education of these younger children. Teachers are respectful of children, listening carefully and responding to their non-verbal cues. Teachers give considerable care and thought to support children as they transition into and through the centre, and on to school.
Older children are encouraged to follow their interests and make decisions about their play. They often play imaginatively and work cooperatively with others. Children with additional learning needs are well supported at the centre, and external agencies provide further support when required.
Good work has been done to introduce bicultural practices into the programme. Staff promote bicultural awareness through their use of te reo Māori, activities and celebrations. This continues to be a development focus for teachers.
Children’s assessment portfolios show their individual progress over time. Parents take advantage of the online technologies that enable them to easily access their children’s learning at the centre.
Teachers plan and work collaboratively for centre-wide improvements. Meaningful coaching and mentoring processes guide teachers' professional practice, and support newly qualified teachers.
The centre is well-led. Relevant supporting documents guide well-considered evaluation for improvement and innovation. Systems, policies and procedures are regularly reviewed. The owner has a clear vision for the centre and has implemented a strategic plan that supports the centre's direction. She acknowledges further development is required to build centre-wide ownership of the strategic plan.
The owner and head teachers agree that key next steps include:
focusing internal evaluation on promoting positive outcomes for children
aligning the centre's strategic goals and annual planning with the centre philosophy
further promoting Te Whāriki to build parent/whānau knowledge about their child's learning.
Before the review, the staff and management of Small Steps ECE 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services
Northern Region
10 May 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.
|
Location |
Howick, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25355 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
44 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 23 Boys 21 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2019 |
||
|
Date of this report |
10 May 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
May 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
June 2012 |
||
|
Education Review |
March 2009 |
||
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Small Steps ECE centre is located in Howick, Auckland and offers all day education and care for children from birth to five years. It is a small centre with a maximum of 35 children, including 20 up to the age of two years. Children are accommodated in two buildings within a home-like environment. During 2013 the centre increased its licence to cater for children from three to five years of age.
The service’s philosophy reflects the aims of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and emphasises growing children’s social competence and independence.
The running of the centre is overseen by the owner. She is ably supported by the head teacher of the preschool area. There has been an increase in the number of teaching staff following the relicensing of the centre. The new team are fully qualified teachers and are guided by the senior management team and an external ECE consultant.
The centre owner has responded positively to recommendations made in the 2012 ERO report
Teachers are welcoming and supportive. As a result, children settle happily into the centre. Children are well cared for and are actively involved in centre activities. Children are respected and valued and their progress and achievements are celebrated daily. A focus of the centre is to strengthen parent and centre relationships and continue to involve children in the community.
Affectionate relationships between adults and children in the under three area are evident. There are good strategies to transition babies and toddlers into the centre. These include assigning each child a teacher as their primary caregiver. Routines are respectfully carried out and encourage children's independence. Teachers focus on developing children's physical, emotional and cognitive skills.
The centre makes good use of its limited, multi-levelled outdoor environment. Children freely move between the outdoor and indoor settings. They choose play equipment from the richly resourced areas. Teachers use local parks and school grounds to increase children's physical play opportunities. They could now review how effectively the programme is promoting physical challenge for older children and how well it caters for boys' learning.
Assessment records identify children's learning. Teachers could use this good information to group children who are developing similar dispositions and skills. They could plan programmes to extend and challenge these children and also record the progress children are making over time.
An ongoing focus of the centre is to promote Māori children’s identity, culture and language. Teachers include events related to the bicultural heritage of New Zealand in the programme. Children participate in waiata singing and hear some te reo Māori words and phrases. Teachers should commit to ensuring that te reo Māori is integrated into the daily programme.
The owner has implemented systems to help manage centre operations. Self review processes have been recorded and used to promote positive outcomes for children. It could be useful now for the owner to develop a long term and strategic plan. This could include the centre’s vision and philosophy showing the longer term direction for the centre. The new teaching team’s shared understanding of the centre vision and philosophy should provide a good foundation for this strategic plan.
The centre owner and head teacher agree that key next steps for improvement include:
Before the review, the staff and management of Small Steps ECE 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.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance. The owner must ensure that she is appraised in relation to the Registered Teachers Criteria.The Guidelines for Registered Teachers.
The next ERO review of Small Steps ECE Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
27 May 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 |
Howick, Auckland |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
25355 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
46 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 26 Girls 20 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Chinese Samoan |
1 42 2 1 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
27 May 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
June 2012 |
|
|
Education Review |
March 2009 |
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.