Step Ahead

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

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

Step Ahead provides for children between three and five years of age. Governance is the responsibility of one of the owners, who works alongside the teaching team to support centre operations. A small number of children enrolled are Māori. This is the first ERO review of the service since a change of ownership in 2021.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.

The service curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development, both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. A language-rich environment supports children’s learning.

Consistent implementation of governance and administration practices is required to maintain regulatory standards.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found an area of non-compliance in the service relating to maintaining an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA11.

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

• Ensuring adults providing education and care are familiar with relevant emergency drills and carry these out with children on at least a three-monthly basis (HS8).

• Having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that ensures children are checked for warmth, breathing, and general wellbeing and a record of children’s sleep times are kept and checks made by adults during that time (HS9).

• Ensuring equipment, premises and facilities are checked every day of operation for hazards to children; consideration of hazards must include, cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, and other hazardous material, hazards present in kitchen or laundry facilities and windows and other areas of glass (HS12).

• Maintaining a record of serious injuries, illnesses and incidents that occur at the service; records must include the date, time, and evidence that the parents have been notified/informed (HS27).

• Maintaining a record of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service; records must include the date and time medicine was administered and by whom, and evidence of parental acknowledgement (HS28).

• Ensuring that before a person is employed or engaged as a children’s worker, as defined in the Children’s Act 2014, a safety check as required by that Act is completed (GMA7A).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that the non-compliance identified in this report is addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

28 February 2023 

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 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.