ACG Sunderland Preschool

Education institution number:
46224
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
50
Telephone:
Address:

6 Waipareira Avenue, Henderson, Auckland

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ACG Sunderland Preschool

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

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.

Background

ACG Sunderland Preschool is one of six services that are part of ACG Early Childhood Education Group Ltd. A qualified centre manager is responsible for daily operations. She leads a team of five qualified teachers and three unqualified staff.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.

The curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning and their developing social competence.

Those responsible for governance and management need to monitor that regulatory standards are maintained.

Key Next Step

A next step is to increase opportunities for children to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided evidence to show the following non-compliances have been addressed:

  • Having an emergency plan that includes evidence of review of the plan on an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).

  • Having a record of emergency drills carried out, and evidence of how evaluation of these drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).

  • Having a record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and the checks made by adults during that time (HS9).

  • Having evidence that water stored in the hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).

  • Maintaining a record of excursions that includes the names of adults attending, the time of the excursion, an assessment and management of risk and evidence of parental permission and approval of adult: child ratios for regular excursions (HS17).

  • Having a record of training and/or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children (other than their own) while at the service (HS29).

  • Having evidence of an ongoing process of self-review and internal evaluation that helps the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care (GMA6).

  • Maintaining a record of all safety checks and the results to meet the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).

  • Having an annual budget that guides financial expenditure (GMA9).

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) Select Region

31 July 2023 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

ACG Sunderland Preschool

Profile Number

46224

Location

Henderson, Auckland

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

80 children, including up to 10 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

56

Review team on site

May 2023

Date of this report

31 July 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, October 2019; Education Review, October 2015

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 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.

ACG Sunderland Preschool - 23/10/2019

1 Evaluation of ACG Sunderland Preschool

How well placed is ACG Sunderland Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ACG Sunderland Preschool is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

ACG Sunderland Preschool in Auckland is licensed for up to 24 children over two years of age. The preschool operates as part of the ACG Sunderland Academic College group complex and is situated on the school grounds. Most of the children from the preschool go on to attend Sunderland School and College.

The overarching Sunderland campus motto is 'aspire, succeed and respect'. These are interwoven into the preschool philosophy. The philosophy focuses on respecting cultural diversity and encouraging children to learn through play that is combined with structured and spontaneous activities.

Governance for the preschool is undertaken by the ACG Sunderland board. The senior management team is made up of key personnel from the preschool, school and college. The day-to-day operations of the preschool are delegated to the manager and assistant manager.

Since the 2015 ERO review a new manager and several staff have been appointed. Four of the five teachers have full teacher registration. Plans to build a new and larger preschool are in development.

The Review Findings

Children demonstrate a strong sense of belonging in the preschool. Strong relationships are established between the preschool staff and the ACG Sunderland school and parent community. Children who attend the ACG Sunderland schools from the preschool are effectively supported to transition successfully into the school community.

Children are confident and capable learners. Friendships between children are evident. Children have opportunities to play independently and in collaborative groups. Some teachers speak children’s first languages, providing familiarity and comfort as children settle and learn.

Children have easy access to inside learning areas that are neatly presented, well-resourced and support children's involvement in the programme. Wall displays reflect children's learning experiences and their work.

Children have opportunities to hear and speak simple phrases in te reo Māori, and to learn about tikanga Māori in respectful ways. Teachers are continuing to develop their bicultural practices and understanding of te ao Māori. Teachers celebrate important multicultural events with children and families.

Teachers are reflective practitioners. They work collaboratively and meet regularly to plan activities and resources. Programme planning is theme-based. Many themes have science concepts with problem-solving and investigation skills interwoven into children’s learning. Early numeracy and literacy skills are evident in programme activities. Children benefit from regular educational and outdoor excursions. Parents are well informed about their children's interests and participation through online portfolios.

Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, guides the programme. There are good examples of teachers noticing, recognising and responding to children's interests. Children would benefit from this approach being consistent across all teaching and learning. It is timely to use Te Whāriki to continue to build educational partnerships with parents.

The experienced manager has focused on building a new team and knowing her staff. She is developing a shared understanding of the purpose of internal evaluation practices across the preschool. This includes developing a framework to develop consistency in evaluation and to help ensure sustainable practices and continued improvement.

The Sunderland governance board provides well-established systems, policies and practices which are consistently implemented and regularly monitored. An online teaching appraisal process is yet to be fully implemented. Sunderland Academic College group's overarching strategic and annual plans are tailored to guide the preschool's direction.

Key Next Steps

Managers agree the key next steps are to:

  • continue to build team practice by using teachers' strengths to grow collective responsibility for high quality teacher practice

  • embed the use of the on-line appraisal processes

  • further develop effective internal evaluation practices

  • continue to build learning partnerships with parents by developing a shared understanding of the preschool philosophy and how it relates to Te Whāriki.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of ACG Sunderland Preschool 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.

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

Northern Region

23 October 2019

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

Location

Henderson, Auckland

Ministry of Education profile number

46224

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

24 children, over 2 years of age

Service roll

26

Gender composition

Girls: 16 Boys: 10

Ethnic composition

NZ European/Pākehā
Chinese
Indian
other ethnic groups

5
12
4
5

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Over 2

1:9

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

August 2019

Date of this report

23 October 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review

October 2015

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.