Little Steps Early Childhood Education Centre Limited

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

Little Steps Early Childhood Education Centre Limited is a family owned service located in central Stratford. The philosophy statement “I can because I am strong, I believe and I belong” is reflected within an environment that promotes play, discovery and self-directed learning. This is ERO’s first review of the service.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki early childhood curriculum. Positive interactions promote children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children are able to make decisions about their learning and their choices are respected. Parents have regular opportunities to be involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning. The curriculum acknowledges the place of Māori as tangata whenua.

Annual and strategic plans provide some guidance for centre operations. Teachers have engaged in professional learning to improve their understanding of evaluation for improvement.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• continuing to evaluate core curriculum provision to ensure sufficient resourcing offers children a wider range of experiences to enhance their learning and development 
• strengthening the extent to which the service’s curriculum respects and reflects all children’s identity, language and culture.

Actions for Compliance

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

• heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage is secured (HS6).

Next ERO Review

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

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

21 September 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. 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.