Cnr Carey & Harris St's, Waitara
View on mapERO’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.
Regulatory standards |
ERO’s judgement |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Waitara and District Community Childcare Centre Inc is a community-based service that provides care for children aged from three months to five years of age. A third of the children enrolled are Māori. The philosophy emphasises Māori values such as manaakitanga and whanaungatanga and acknowledges Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Teachers engage in positive interactions to enhance the learning of tamariki and to nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum is inclusive, and responsive to tamariki, who have opportunities to engage in a wide range of experiences and opportunities that enhance and extend their learning.
Parents and whānau have regular opportunities to be involved in decision making concerning their children’s learning. Aspirations help by parents and whānau for their tamariki are respected and acknowledged. Ongoing processes of self-review and internal evaluation help the service maintain and improve the quality of education and care provided for tamariki.
Next steps include:
teachers continuing to support children’s developing social skills and understanding of appropriate behaviour.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
11 September 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Waitara and District Community Childcare Centre Inc. |
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Profile Number |
50516 |
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Location |
Waitara |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
46 |
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Review team on site |
July 2023 |
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Date of this report |
11 September 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akarangi | Quality Evaluation, September 2021 |
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.
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.
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.
Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama- indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most (PDF 3.01MB) are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. The Akarangi Quality Evaluation Judgement Rubric (PDF 91.30KB) derived from the indicators, is used to inform the ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
|
What the service knows about outcomes for learners |
Whakaū Embedding |
Ngā Akatoro Domains |
ERO’s judgement |
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He Whāriki Motuhake The learner and their learning |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Whakangungu Ngaio Collaborative professional learning builds knowledge and capability |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Ngā Aronga Whai Hua Evaluation for improvement |
Whāngai Establishing |
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Kaihautū Leaders foster collaboration and improvement |
Whakaū Embedding |
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Te Whakaruruhau Stewardship through effective governance and management |
Whakaū Embedding |
Waitara & Districts Community Childcare Centre Inc. is a non-profit service. It is governed by a whānau committee and daily operations are led by a management team. There is a mix of qualified, in training and untrained teachers.
Children lead their own learning in a play-based curriculum consistent with Te Whāriki, Early Childhood Curriculum. Their social competency, emotional wellbeing and sense of security is intentionally planned for and supported in a responsive curriculum. They have opportunities for exploration, curiosity, literacy and creativity in a well-resourced environment. Kaiako respond to children’s verbal and non-verbal cues. Children show independence as capable, competent and empowered learners.
Children’s interests are purposefully followed through responsive teaching. Assessment recognises learning progression over time, making children’s learning visible. A range of strategies to engage whānau is implemented to foster response to children’s interests. Tikanga, te reo and te ao Māori concepts including tuakana teina, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are evident in practice and documentation. Pacific cultures, languages and identities are not integrated into the curriculum. Assessment documentation is not yet building each child’s cultural identity over time.
Sustained leadership provides consistency of relationships. Leaders and kaiako engage in ongoing dialogue and reflection on teaching practice and how it impacts on children’s learning. Governance and leadership support opportunities for professional learning and development and capability building and encourage individual initiative. Internal evaluation has led to the development of strategic goals. It is not yet clear how internal evaluation leads to positive outcomes for children.
Children’s wellbeing is prioritised. Those responsible for governance and management ensure kaiako have the time to develop positive relationships with each child and their whānau. Networked relationships further support the health and wellbeing of children. Leaders and kaiako strongly advocate for children to have access to holistic education. Leaders are intentionally succession planning to support the sustainability of the service.
Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non compliances:
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
9 September 2021
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. |
|
Profile Number |
50516 |
|
Location |
Waitara |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
47 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 30, Other ethnic groups 2. |
|
Review team on site |
June 2021 |
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Date of this report |
9 September 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2018; Education Review, February 2015. |
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Waitara & Districts Community Childcare Centre Inc. is a non-profit parent cooperative, operating a full day service. It is situated in Waitara, within large grounds that allow for varied learning experiences.
The centre is licensed for 40 children, including 12 up to two years of age. At the time of review there are 54 children enrolled and 20 are Māori.
Staffing has been stable since the February 2015 ERO report. There is a mix of qualified, in-training and untrained teachers. The service is governed by a parent committee and daily operations are led by the centre manager.
The previous ERO report identified that the key next steps were in relation to: the centre philosophy; assessment, planning and evaluation practices; self- review and teacher inquiry; and the impact of teachers’ practices and learning on the quality of children’s outcomes.
Continuous progress has been made to address these areas.
Centre management and teachers ensure the philosophy, based on the belief that it takes a community to care and educate, is reflected in the centre and is enacted through:
Experienced leadership is committed to ensuring positive outcomes for all children. Staff are encouraged to contribute to decision making. Since the previous ERO review, priorities have been to focus on developing a new philosophy, new assessment planning and evaluation processes, and an internal evaluation framework that meets the needs of the centre. The goals align and the strategic intent is clear.
Staff self-review practice uses data, observations of children and critical self-reflection, to show progress towards achieving goals. The internal evaluation design process has been carefully and purposefully developed with support from external providers. The review process demonstrates an increased understanding for evaluation, for both accountability and improvement. Continuing to strengthen a shared understanding of evaluation by staff should further enhance positive outcomes for children.
A clearly documented appraisal process places teachers' inquiry foremost and aligns with the centre's strategic goals and internal evaluation process. Ongoing professional learning and development supports teachers to have the skills and knowledge necessary to promote and provide good quality early childhood education and care, in conjunction with the centre's strategic goals and observed interests of children.
The parent governing committee has a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities. Policies and procedures usefully underpin practices in all aspects of this service. Working with centre management, the committee demonstrates commitment to developing teachers' capability to respond to children's learning. A high level of relational trust is evident amongst all involved.
Management and teachers should:
Before the review, the staff and management of Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. 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:
During the review, ERO looked at the service’s systems for managing the following areas that have a potentially high impact on children's wellbeing:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Waitara & District Community Childcare Centre Inc. will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central (Acting)
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
21 March 2018
The Education Review Office (ERO) is the government department that, as part of its work, reviews early childhood services throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. ERO’s reports provide information for parents and communities about each service’s strengths and next steps for development. ERO’s bicultural evaluation framework Ngā Pou Here is described in SECTION 3 of this report. Early childhood services are partners in the review process and are expected to make use of the review findings to enhance children's wellbeing and learning.
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Location |
Waitara |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
50516 |
||
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
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Number licensed for |
40 children, including up to 12 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
54 |
||
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Gender composition |
Boys 29, Girls 25 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
20 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
80% + |
||
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
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Review team on site |
January 2018 |
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Date of this report |
21 March 2018 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
February 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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|
Supplementary Review |
June 2008 |
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ERO’s overarching question for an early childhood education review is ‘How well placed is this service to promote positive learning outcomes for children?’ ERO focuses on the following factors as described in the bicultural framework Ngā Pou Here:
Within these areas ERO considers the effectiveness of arotake – self review and of whanaungatanga – partnerships with parents and whānau.
ERO evaluates how well placed a service is to sustain good practice and make ongoing improvements for the benefit of all children at the service.
A focus for the government is that all children, especially priority learners, have an opportunity to benefit from quality early childhood education. ERO will report on how well each service promotes positive outcomes for all children, with a focus on children who are Māori, Pacific, have diverse needs, and are up to the age of two.
For more information about the framework and Ngā Pou Here refer to ERO’s Approach to Review in Early Childhood Services.
The overall judgement that ERO makes and the timing of the next review will depend on how well placed a service is to promote positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
ERO reviews are tailored to each service’s context and performance, within the overarching review framework. The aim is to provide information on aspects that are central to positive outcomes for children and useful to the service.