Playtopia Educare

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

Playtopia Educare is a privately owned mixed-age service. The owner is responsible for governance and works with a centre manager who has oversight of day-to-day operations. The service moved to a full licence in July 2020.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners, whose preferences are respected. Meaningful, positive interactions with children enhance their learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. A range of experiences and opportunities promotes children’s learning and development.

The service curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Planning and assessment demonstrate knowledge of children’s learning, interests, whānau, and life contexts.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• ensuring that heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secure

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education & Care Services 2008, HS6]

• that 50% of staff required by maximum licence numbers hold a recognised ECE qualification. [Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 44 (1)]

Next ERO Review

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

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

17 June 2021 

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.

1 Evaluation of Playtopia Educare

How well placed is Playtopia Educare to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Playtopia Educare is a privately owned and operated full-day education and care service. It operates seven days a week, from 7.30am to 6.00pm and is licensed for 52 children aged from two to five years. The current roll of 36 children includes 18 who identify as Māori, and a small number from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

The service philosophy states that children will have the opportunity to play, learn, explore and grow through free play and structured experiences. The philosophy also values children as competent and confident learners, who are encouraged to learn and develop at their own pace. The service aims to welcome all cultures and give all children and families a sense of belonging.

The service currently employs three qualified and registered full-time teachers, and one qualified and registered reliever. One teacher is the lead teacher.

This is the service's first ERO review.

The Review Findings

Children experience respectful and reciprocal relationships with teachers. Parents and whānau are made welcome and encouraged to take an active role in their children’s learning. Children are supported to develop social competence through interactions where tuakana teina is promoted and strongly evident. They experience an environment that promotes their confidence and competence. Children’s sense of themselves as successful learners has been enhanced through positive and authentic relationships.

The curriculum is successfully responding to the strengths, interests and capabilities of all children. Children lead their own learning in well-resourced and attractive environments. Teachers recognise and value the importance of children learning through play and use in-depth discussions and questioning to extend children’s thinking. They foster children’s oral language development through literacy and numeracy experiences that are naturally integrated into the programme. Children benefit from a curriculum that provides the opportunity to explore, inquire and follow their own interests.

Children’s learning is effectively promoted through responsive teaching. Deliberate teaching strategies are used to promote children’s problem solving skills, challenge and risk taking. Inclusive and engaging practice supports children to make learning decisions and choices through play. Teachers use a range of assessment processes to understand and support children’s learning and development. Successful transitions to school are supported by effective partnerships between families, the service and nearby schools. Children are valued as independent and unique learners.

A centre commitment to bicultural practice is apparent and enacted by leaders and teachers. Te reo Māori and waiata, karakia are authentically integrated throughout the daily programme and routines. Through the curriculum children and teachers acknowledge the uniqueness of the bicultural partnership of Aotearoa New Zealand.

Leaders are effectively providing positive and inclusive learning opportunities for all children. Experienced leadership promotes collaborative working relationships focused on providing quality education and care. Teachers are provided with professional guidance and support to build their capability and encouraged to be reflective and open to learning. Leadership has established a culture where teachers are able to grow their professional skills and children are valued and affirmed for what they bring to their learning.

Governance effectively guides operations and promotes positive outcomes for children. The strategic plan identifies the service's priorities and associated goals towards achieving its vision. Self review informs good decision making at governance level. Equity provision is in place for all children and allows for full participation in learning. Children benefit from a strategic focus on continual improvement on quality opportunities that effectively supports their learning.

Key Next Steps

The centre now needs to strengthen:

• the language, cultural and identity of all children, especially in their individual portfolios

• assessment practices to show progress of learning for all children over time, including parents’ aspirations for their children’s learning goals.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Playtopia Educare 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Playtopia Educare will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

20 August 2018

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

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 and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

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.