Kidsfirst Kindergartens West Rolleston

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Kidsfirst Kindergarten West Rolleston is one of 69 early learning services governed and managed by Canterbury Westland Kindergarten Association Incorporated, trading as Kidsfirst Kindergartens.

All teachers are qualified and certificated early childhood education kaiako (teachers). They provide education and care for children aged two to five years old. Association managers provide professional guidance to support the operation of the service.

Summary of Review Findings

Kidsfirst Kindergarten West Rolleston was developed in consultation with the local community, including Te Taumutu Runanga, to inform understandings of the cultural narrative of the local area. Considerations were given to the building, the environment and to the curriculum priorities to ensure Māori principles were reflected.

Teachers are responsive to the learning interests, strengths and capabilities of children. They encourage them to be confident in their own culture and develop an understanding and respect for other cultures. The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua.

Managers use regular assurance and accountability processes to help teachers achieve the curriculum priorities and other regulatory requirements.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Tini Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

15 October 2019

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 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 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 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 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.