The Farmyard

ERO’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.

ERO’s Judgement

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.

Background

The Farmyard is a rural education and care service.  It was relicensed and has been under new ownership since November 2020. Children play and learn in five age-based rooms. A regional manager and pedagogical manager have responsibility for service operation. A centre manager has responsibility for day-to-day operation.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is inclusive and consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers demonstrate an understanding of children’s interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children are responded to as confident, competent learners. They experience a language-rich environment where their preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning. A range of outdoor experiences provide children with opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. An ongoing process of internal evaluation helps improve the quality of education and care for children.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• strengthening the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their identity, language and culture.

Actions for Compliance

During the onsite visit the service provided ERO with evidence that showed it had addressed the following non-compliances.

• the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40 degrees (HS13)

• water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60 degrees (HS14).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

29 April 2022 

Information About the Service

General Information about Assurance Reviews

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.

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

• 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.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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 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:

• 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 certification; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

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.