75 Merton Road, St Johns, 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 |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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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.
This is the first ERO review of St Johns Montessori since a change of ownership in 2019. Governance is provided by two directors, with early childhood education qualifications, who work alongside a centre manager to support centre operations. The service’s philosophy is based on the Montessori approach that prioritises children’s self-directed activity and hands-on learning.
Teachers providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children experience a language-rich environment that supports their learning. There is a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend children’s learning and development. The design and layout of the premises supports the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences.
A philosophy statement and annual plan guide centre operations. An ongoing process of self-review helps maintain and improve the quality of education and care.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
8 November 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | St Johns Montessori |
| Profile Number | 45281 |
| Location | Saint Johns, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
44 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 4, NZ European/Pākehā 8, Asian 24, other ethnic groups 8 |
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Review team on site |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
8 November 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018; Education Review, August 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 regulated 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:
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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.
Just Kidz Educare - University provides either sessional or all day education and care for a maximum of 75 children, including 25 children up to two years. While areas are designated for infants, toddlers and children over two years, children are able to interact with other age groups, especially in the outdoor area. Children are provided with meals.
The centre's roll reflects its multicultural community. Staff representing different cultures are able to converse with children in their home languages. Two of the four staff are long-serving and provide continuity to the delivery of the centre's curriculum, and maintain positive relationships with whānau.
Teaching practices are guided by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The toddler and preschool rooms are also influenced by teaching and learning philosophies that advocate deep, respectful relationships between adults and children.
At the time of the 2015 ERO, report good quality relationships and interactions between children, staff and whānau featured. This aspect of the curriculum remains a strength. The significant turnover of staff, including three changes in centre management, contributed to a lack of centre development and internal evaluation. As a result of more established centre management and Ministry of Education support, there have been improvements in programme planning and assessment of children's learning and teacher appraisal. A recently appointed operations manager, a position created in the organisation since the 2015 ERO review, helps the centre supervisor with centre improvement, including the recruitment of staff.
This centre is one of three in Auckland owned by a family group. All permanent teachers are registered.
Children and families experience a centre environment that is welcoming and inclusive. Children are happy and engaged in their learning. They demonstrate a strong sense of belonging. Children have good opportunities to play and learn together, and develop their social skills. They freely choose from a variety of areas of play that cater for their interests and preferences.
Children experience close and trusting relationships with staff. Teachers are respectful, and support children well in their play and exploration. They help children to develop their confidence to talk about their ideas, and describe their play and learning.
Infants and toddlers receive good quality care and appropriate learning opportunities in a calm environment. They benefit from the nurturing interactions they experience with their primary carer. Teachers follow children's preferences and create areas and activities that promote their interests and exploration.
Māori children's cultural identity and knowledge are respected and built-on by staff. Teachers have a good understanding of te āo Māori, including te reo and tikanga Māori. They have an ongoing commitment to enhancing culturally responsive teaching practices that contribute to positive outcomes for Māori children and children from other cultural backgrounds.
Teachers are keen to receive more information from parents about their children’s learning. They are actively exploring ways to encourage parents/whānau to share more about what they notice about their children's learning. This development will build on some of the centre's worthwhile assessment and planning practices. Parents/whānau are able to access interactive electronic portfolios that show their children's learning journey. Printed copies of these learning records enable children to review and share their learning with other children, their teachers and parents/whānau.
The centre manager demonstrates a collaborative style of leadership that builds on teachers' talents and capabilities. Teachers meet regularly to plan activities and resources that reflect children’s current interests. They could now deepen their evaluations of their teaching in order to gauge how well they extend children's learning.
The centre is very well led and governed. The owners and centre managers review policies and procedures regularly. Internal evaluation is well understood and is increasingly being used as a tool for ongoing improvement.
ERO endorses the centre's self-identified next steps that are focused on:
Before the review, the staff and management of Just Kidz Educare - University 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 Just Kidz Educare - University will be in three years.
Julie Foley
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)
Te Tai Raki - Northern Region
13 March 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 |
St Johns, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
45281 |
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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 |
75 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
36 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 21 Girls 15 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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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 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
January 2018 |
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Date of this report |
13 March 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
August 2015 |
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Education Review |
October 2012 |
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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.