Learning Bee Montessori

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

This service opened in November 2018 and this is its first ERO review. Children from birth-to-school age are cared for and learn in four rooms and two outdoor areas. The building is purpose built. The owner is a teacher at the service and works closely with the centre manager.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s curriculum is based on the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and a Montessori approach. Children have access to a range of resources, activities and experiences to extend their learning and development.

The design and layout of the building enables a variety of experiences, appropriate for the number, age and abilities of children. This includes adequate space for quiet and busy play. The premises and equipment are maintained in good condition. Parents contribute to the development and review of the service’s philosophy, policies and procedures. On-going self-review is helping the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care.

Key Next Steps

Next steps are to:

• provide additional opportunities for children to hear, speak and learn te reo me ngā tikanga and te ao Māori in meaningful contexts
• increase opportunities for the aspirations of parents about their children’s learning to be gathered and responded to  
• evaluate how teachers’ strategies to promote learning have led to improved outcomes for children.

Next ERO Review

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

Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
1 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.