The Stables 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

The Stables Montessori opened in September 2019 This is its first review. It is one of four privately-owned and operated services. Three age-based learning areas cater for children from birth to six years. Staffing consists of a centre manager who is supported by head teachers and a teaching team.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s philosophy informs practice. Teachers promote the use of respectful interactions with children and their preferences are respected. Children have opportunities to make decisions about their learning and participate in a range of learning experiences.  

Children have opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the dual heritages of both parties to Tiriti o Waitangi and to understand and respect other cultures. Positive steps are taken to gather the aspirations whānau have for their children.

The premises and facilities are suitably resourced to meet the age and abilities of the children attending. Processes are in place to monitor health and safety requirements and changes are made when required. Strategic and annual planning guide service operation.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• strengthening the documentation of learning to better reflect children’s identities, languages and cultures
• continuing to develop the local curriculum, including cultural narratives, to reflect the things that are important to children and whānau, kaiako and the wider community.

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

31 March 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 (PDF 3MB).

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.