Busy Bees Hobsonville

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that have since been addressed.

Background

Learning Tree Hobsonville opened in April 2018. Six age-based areas cater for children from infants to school age. The service has a manager, assistant manager, and lead teachers for each age group. Most teachers are qualified. The community is ethnically diverse. This is the first ERO review of the service.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience a curriculum responsive to their interests and preferences that enhances their learning and development. The curriculum is based on the principles and strands of Te Whāriki. Adults have meaningful and positive interactions with children.

The building and grounds are designed to support a wide range of learning experiences for infants, toddlers and young children. The environments have been organised to foster learning and development.

There are suitable systems and processes for governing and managing the service. Health and safety practices are consistently implemented. Leaders and teachers should provide parents with opportunities to contribute to review and service operations.

Actions for Compliance

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

• providing parents with written information about any planned reviews and consultation
• parents having opportunities to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, GMA3, GMA4.

Next ERO Review

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

Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

9 March 2020

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.