Dazzling Stars Early Learning Centre

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

Dazzling Stars Early Learning Centre is privately owned. There are two learning areas for different age groups of children between birth and six years of age. A qualified owner oversees governance, management and curriculum development. Children enrolled at this service are from diverse ethnic backgrounds. This is the first ERO review of the service, which opened in January 2021.

Summary of Review Findings

The service’s curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, their interests and life contexts. It provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.

The curriculum reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions to nurture reciprocal relationships. They provide a language rich environment that supports children’s learning.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• more consistently including children’s languages and cultures in assessment documentation

• continuing to develop a shared understanding of early childhood theories that are important to this service. 

Actions for Compliance

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

• Ensuring relevant emergency drills are carried out on at least a three-monthly basis (HS8).

• Having evidence that the environment is checked daily for hazards to children, including hazards present in the kitchen, as well as windows and other areas of glass (HS12).

• Maintaining a record of training and/or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children while at the service (HS29).

Next ERO Review

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

22 June 2023 

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 regulatory 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)

• relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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.