7 Allardice Street, Dannevirke
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 |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Not meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Not meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
First Years Preschool is a community based non-profit service. A recently appointed centre manager and two newly selected head teachers lead a team of 12 qualified teachers and two educators. Two fifths of enrolled children are Māori. The service philosophy places value on building meaningful relationships with children, parents and whānau.
The service’s curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The service acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritage of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
A process of internal evaluation is being implemented to help maintain and improve the quality of education and care. The curriculum provided is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
The service needs to improve and monitor operational systems and practices to maintain regulatory standards.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Since the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
29 November 2023
| Early Childhood Service | First Years Preschool |
| Profile Number | 55035 |
| Location | Dannevirke |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 58 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 79 |
| Review team on site | October 2023 |
| Date of this report | 29 November 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, February 2021; Education Review, February 2016 |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
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.
First Years Preschool is a community based centre in Dannevirke. The service is governed by a volunteer committee. A centre manager leads a large teaching team and many have been with the service for a long period of time. Significant building developments are planned to begin in 2021.
The service’s curriculum is informed by Te Whāriki and assessment and planning systems. It reflects children’s interests and parents’ aspirations. Kaiako engage in meaningful and positive interactions to enhance learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The curriculum is responsive to children as capable and competent learners whose preferences are respected. Children have a range of opportunities to extend their learning.
Children are given opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 February 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | First Years Preschool |
| Profile Number | 55035 |
| Location | Dannevirke |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 56 children, including up to 18 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 83 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 24, NZ European/Pākehā 53, Other ethnic groups 6. |
| Review team on site | December 2020 |
| Date of this report | 15 February 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, February 2016; Education Review, March 2013. |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
First Years Preschool is a community-based centre in Dannevirke. It provides education and care for 56 children up to five years of age, including a maximum of 18 up to two years.
The centre is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. A commitment to providing high quality, community-based education and care for children, their families and whānau remains central to the centre's philosophy.
Since the May 2013 ERO report, a new head teacher has been appointed in the area for children over two years. There has also been ongoing upgrading of facilities and resources and an increase in licensed child spaces. Members of the community often contribute to the outdoor environment.
The centre continues to value the employment of qualified staff. More teachers have qualified since the previous ERO review and some have upgraded their teaching qualifications.
A parent committee is responsible for the governance of the preschool. They provide regular support for staff professional learning and development.
This report shows that the centre has sustained its positive reporting history with ERO.
Children learn in an environment that is highly effective in supporting them to become 'confident and competent learners'. Teachers have positive and responsive relationships with children. They empower children to make choices, problem solve and learn independently. Children lead their learning and sustain interests for significant periods of time. Teachers are very skilful at extending children's interests and supporting them to build on their previous learning. Children and teachers learn together.
Children, their families and whānau and teachers contribute to each child's learning pathway. Planning and assessment are done collaboratively by teaching teams. They draw on children's interests, previous learning, skills and family and whānau experiences. Parents are key contributors to the planning wall and learning stories.
The programme is underpinned by a living curriculum that regularly changes and connects children's learning over time, as their interests and experiences evolve. Bicultural practices are strongly evident and draw on the knowledge and experiences of whānau, children and teachers. Teachers have researched approaches to promote te ao Māori to ensure the needs and aspirations of Māori children and their whānau are met.
Teachers seek ways to maintain children's connections with their cultures, languages and identities. ERO and leaders agree that teachers need to continue to strengthen this approach for all Pacific children.
The curriculum for up to two year olds, is underpinned by a strong philosophy of responsive caregiving that is highly effective in supporting infants' and toddlers' need for secure attachments. Teachers value the importance of home and centre routines and recognise that consistency is important in establishing a secure foundation for young children's care and education.
Transitions are very child centred to ensure children retain a strong sense of identity and belonging before, during and after the process. Successful transitions are supported by effective partnerships between families, whānau, teachers and schools. When children with additional needs attend the centre, they receive targeted and responsive support, based on their individual needs, from teachers and agencies.
Teachers have a team approach to the provision of high quality education and care for all children. They use research to keep themselves abreast of current early childhood initiatives and teaching practices. Teachers regularly investigate the effectiveness of their teaching on children's outcomes and learning relationships with parents. This practice is linked to the centre's strategic priorities, appraisal and philosophy.
Appraisal has an appropriate focus on developing teachers' practices. Professional learning is discussed and observed in teams to ensure teachers focus on improving outcomes for children. Recording some of these observations in a more formal way should provide additional evidence in teachers' appraisal files.
Self review is a well-established and understood practice. Leaders and teachers know its value in improving outcomes for children. The centre's philosophy guides all practices across the centre and promotes desired outcomes for children.
Leaders are highly effective in building capability within the centre to promote and enable positive outcomes for children and their families. They support teachers to develop and improve their practice in an inclusive and collaborative way. Teachers have opportunities to lead initiatives.
The centre manager works closely with the parent committee to ensure there is consistency of practices and expectations across the centre. She supports the two head teachers in their leadership role and is clearly focused on continuous improvement.
The centre has the capacity and capability to sustain high quality education and care for children and to determine its own next steps.
Before the review, the staff and management of First Years Preschool 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 First Years Preschool will be in four years.
Joyce Gebbie
Deputy Chief Review Officer Central
23 February 2016
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.
| Location | Dannevirke | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55035 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 56 children, including up to 18 aged up to 2 years | ||
| Service roll | 80 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 44, Girls 36 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Cook Island Māori Asian Other ethnic groups | 16 57 2 4 1 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:6 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | February 2016 | ||
| Date of this report | 23 February 2016 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | May 2013 | |
| Education Review | April 2010 | ||
| Education Review | March 2007 | ||
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:
Pou Whakahaere – how the service determines its vision, philosophy and direction to ensure positive outcomes for children
Pou Ārahi – how leadership is enacted to enhance positive outcomes for children
Mātauranga – whose knowledge is valued and how the curriculum is designed to achieve positive outcomes for children
Tikanga whakaako – how approaches to teaching and learning respond to diversity and support positive outcomes for children.
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.