He Manu Hou Trust

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

He Manu Hou Trust is a bilingual service that opened in 2018. This is its first ERO review. Governance is provided by a trust board, with support from a centre manager, team leaders and teachers in the two mixed-aged rooms. The service is ethnically diverse, with many children attending from the local area. 

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers plan and implement a programme based on the interests, strengths and capabilities of all children. The design and layout of the centre support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. There are opportunities for children to be confident in their own culture and to understand the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. There are opportunities for parents and whānau to collaborate with teachers about the service’s operations. There are suitable systems for governing and managing the service. Increased monitoring of aspects of health and safety practices is required.

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

• outdoor activity space is enclosed by structures and/or fences and gates designed to ensure that children are not able to leave the premises without the knowledge of adults providing education and care
• rooms used by children are kept at a comfortable temperature no lower than 16 degrees (at 500mm above the floor) while children are attending.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Service 2008, PF13, HS24.

Next ERO Review

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

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
8 April 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 (PDF 1MB).  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.