12 Renfrew Street, Waikiwi, Invercargill
View on mapAkarangi | 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 CAS Early Learning Centre are as follows:
Outcome Indicators |
ERO’s judgement |
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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 |
CAS Early Learning Centre is a small, privately owned service that provides education and care for children aged from two years to school age. A co-owner manages day-to-day operations and is supported by a head teacher who is the curriculum leader. All those who work with children are qualified early childhood teachers.
Children’s learning and wellbeing are well supported by caring, respectful, learning-focussed relationships between parents and teachers. Parents and teachers collaboratively set learning goals and reflect on children’s progress against these. The learning outcomes from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum guide teaching and learning.
Children experience a broad and responsive curriculum. This includes a richly resourced and carefully presented environment that values te ao Māori. Core Māori concepts, such tuakana-teina relationships, whakawhanaungatanga and whakaute (respect) are very evident. A greater use of te reo Māori in the daily interactions with children is required to enrich the bicultural curriculum. Teachers deliberately foster children’s social competence, dispositions for learning, early literacy, physical exploration, creative and imaginative play. As a result, children are well supported to be confident, competent and show high levels of engagement.
A useful process of assessment and planning informs teaching and learning and empowers parents as teachers in the home. In learning stories, teachers describe in detail strategies that are most effective in supporting learning. Wall displays, and other information make visible for parents what learning matters most at CAS and how to support this. In learning records, it is difficult to see some children’s unique cultures and languages.
While self-review has resulted in teachers reflecting on their practice and enhancing children’s learning, internal evaluation is not yet well understood.
Collaborative leadership has resulted in sustained good practices and positive outcomes for children. The service’s philosophy, values and learning priorities are at the centre of practices. Efficient systems and clear guidelines clarify expectations and enable staff to focus on children. Leaders and teachers seek out and share their professional learning, ensuring they are up to date with best practice.
CAS Early Learning Centre will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning. These are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of CAS Early Learning Centre 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.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
23 December 2021
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Early Childhood Service Name |
CAS Early Learning Centre |
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Profile Number |
90038 |
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Location |
Invercargill |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
24 children, 2 years and over |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
21 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori 5, NZ European/Pākehā 15, Other ethnicities 1. |
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Review team on site |
October 2021 |
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Date of this report |
23 December 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, November 2017; Education Review, February 2014. |
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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.
CAS Early Learning Centre is a privately owned centre and is licensed for 24 children. Most of the teachers are certified early childhood teachers. The licensee is a teacher and the centre manager. A new head teacher has recently been appointed.
Children aged two-to-five years attend the centre.
The building is a converted house with an open and purposeful flow between the different rooms. Each room creates a distinct space where children can find quiet areas and be undisturbed in their play. The centre is a welcoming place for children and their whānau. There is a large well-resourced outside area.
The centre has made good progress towards addressing the recommendations made in the 2014 ERO report.
Children benefit from a well-resourced environment that provides for their physical and emotional wellbeing. This has led to children taking more responsibility for their own learning, and for the well-being of themselves and others.
The newly developed philosophy is increasingly evident in planning, teaching and learning programmes. Teachers intentionally recognise, plan for, and respond to all children's needs, abilities and interests. They help children to think independently, problem solve and extend their interests.
Teachers form respectful and responsive relationships to support children's learning and wellbeing. Teachers take time to genuinely listen to children and follow their interests. They actively seek and value the aspirations of parents to further support their child's learning and sense of belonging.
The centre's priorities and expectations for learning are strongly aligned to Te Whāriki and the New Zealand Curriculum. Teachers' planning makes purposeful links to ensure children have varied opportunities to learn within a broad and flexible curriculum. Children experience meaningful and interesting learning contexts for literacy and numeracy. Teachers build children's knowledge and skills through purposeful conversations. As a result, children benefit from learning experiences that support their ongoing development.
The centre manager and leader have been effective in leading change. Leadership is improvement focussed. This has led to teachers being well supported in improving their assessment practices. Teachers told ERO that the change management process is leading to a more collaborative and consistent approach in planning and implementation of the centre's philosophy.
The strategic plan is a good model for planning long and short-term goals. The next step is to use this model to clearly identify the centre's priorities and to develop indicators to evaluate ongoing progress towards achieving these goals.
Teachers are developing a useful process for internal evaluation. Leaders are building a culture of self-reflection. There is an increased focus on positive outcomes resulting from these reviews, and on children achieving their goals and identifying their next learning steps.
Leaders have identified the need to build their bi-cultural practice and increase the use of te reo and tikanga Māori in their planning, assessment and the daily programme.
The key next steps for the service manager and the head teacher are 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:
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 registration; ratios)
evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
ERO identified an area of non-compliance.
Leaders must develop a robust and compliant appraisal process.
The next ERO review of CAS Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Deputy Chief Review Officer Southern
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
15 November 2017
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 |
Invercargill |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
90038 |
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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 |
24 children, including up to 5 children aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
31 |
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Gender composition |
Girls: 15 Boys: 16 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
2 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1: N/A |
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Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
October 2017 |
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Date of this report |
15 November 2017 |
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Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review |
February 2014 |
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Education Review |
February 2011 |
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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.