Rivercity 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

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

Background

Rivercity Preschool is a privately owned service at the rear of Sommerville Centre in central Whanganui. At the time of the review approximately a quarter of children enrolled identify as Māori and a small number as Indian. This is the service’s first ERO review since a change of ownership in October 2022.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience meaningful, positive interactions with adults. The curriculum provides a language rich environment that supports children’s learning. Their developing social competence is supported. The philosophy guides teaching practices and the service’s operations.

There is a sufficient quantity and variety of (indoor and outdoor) furniture, equipment, and materials that are appropriate for the learning and abilities of children attending. An ongoing process of self-review helps the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care. Suitable human resource management practices are implemented.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• strengthening the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their identities, languages and cultures.

• continuing to build teacher capability to use the learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, as the basis for assessment, planning and evaluation of children’s learning and progress over time.

Actions for Compliance

During the review the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:

• nappy changing facilities can be kept hygienically clean.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, PF25.

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

27 June 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.