3 Ormiston Road, Otara, Auckland
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 |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Not meeting |
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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.
Akoteu Tokaima’ananaga is located in the grounds of the Otara Tongan Methodist Church. A qualified centre manager and administrator lead a team of qualified and unqualified teachers. The centre provides a bilingual curriculum that supports Tongan language and culture and is underpinned by Christian values. Almost all children attending are of Tongan ethnicity.
The curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures.
A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development.
Better understanding and implementation of the regulatory standards pertaining to health and safety, premises and facilities, and governance, management and administration is required.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
reviewing the written emergency plan on at least an annual basis and documenting implementation of improved practices as required
recording of relevant emergency drills and documenting how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan
maintaining a record of sleep that shows children are checked for warmth, breathing, and general
wellbeing at least every 5 to 10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs
ensuring hazard management systems include consideration of cleaning agents, medicines and poisons, documenting a risk management system to eliminate, isolate or minimise identified hazards and analysing accident/incident records to identify hazards and ensure appropriate action is taken
having evidence that the temperature of warm water delivered from taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40°C, and comfortable for children at the centre to use
having evidence that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C.
having a procedure to ensure that safe and hygienic handling practices are implemented with regard to any animals at the service
ensuring parents give prior written approval of their child’s participation in, and the proposed adult:child ratio for, regular excursions at the time of enrolment, and special excursions prior to the excursion taking place
ensuring that if children travel in a motor vehicle while in the care of the service, each child is restrained as required by Land Transport legislation, required adult:child ratios are maintained, and the written permission of a parent is obtained before the travel begins
maintaining records of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service, including the date and time medicine was administered and by whom, and evidence of parent acknowledgement they have been advised medication was administered to their child
including in the child protection policy, a procedure that sets out how the service will identify and respond to suspected child abuse and/or neglect
taking all practicable steps to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material
providing information to parents about the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service
having evidence of opportunities provided to parents and adults providing education and care, to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents
having an annual budget that includes staff leave entitlements, provision for operational costs (such as electricity, telephone) and maintenance of the premises as appropriate
having an enrolment form that includes where a child has any chronic illness/condition and the implications or actions to be followed.
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS13, HS14, HS16, HS17, HS18, HS28, HS31, HS32, GMA3, GMA4, GMA9, GMA10].
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence to show the following non-compliances have been addressed:
Ensuring areas of glass, including mirrors, that are accessible to children are covered by an adhesive film designed to hold the glass in place in the event of it being broken (PF7).
Providing suitable facilities for washing sick or soiled children (PF26).
Having a procedure for the changing of nappies that aims to ensure children are treated with dignity and respect (HS3).
Ensuring heavy furniture that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage is secured (HS6).
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)
1 August 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Akoteu Tokaima’ananga |
|
Profile Number |
25312 |
|
Location |
Otara, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
23 |
|
Review team on site |
May 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
1 August 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, November 2019 Education Review, November 2015 |
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 license 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Akoteu Tokaima'ananga is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Akoteu Tokaima’ananga early childhood centre was established in 1996 by the Otara Tongan Methodist Church. It is located on the grounds of the church. The centre provides a bilingual curriculum that supports Tongan language and culture, and Christian values. Most of the children are Tongan or from other Pacific nations.
The board of governors is made up of members from the centre and the church community. It includes parent representatives, the pastor, and elders of the church. A manager is responsible for centre operations and administration. A supervisor has oversight of curriculum and teaching practices. Four of the staff are registered teachers.
The 2015 ERO report identified that children experienced positive relationships with teachers and had a strong sense of belonging in the centre. ERO recommended that staff strengthen teaching and curriculum practices, improve teacher appraisal and establish strategic planning systems. Progress has been made in these areas.
Children settle quickly to activities and engage well with the variety of resources and equipment provided. They sustain their play for good periods of time. Children make choices about their own learning and invite adults to join them in their play. They socialise well together in pairs or in small groups, expressing pleasure in their friendships with others.
Children are confident and competent speakers of the Tongan language. Their bilingual language development is well supported by teachers. Tongan language, culture and values are promoted throughout the curriculum and centre environment. Teachers incorporate te reo and tikanga Māori well, including waiata and karakia.
Infants and toddlers have good opportunities to participate in learning experiences alongside older children. Routines for these younger children are flexible and organised around children’s individual requirements.
The thoughtful use of questions by some teachers enables older children to think carefully before they share their ideas with others. Teachers provide opportunities for children to participate in literacy and mathematics learning. Their awareness of children learning science concepts is developing.
Teachers have sustained strong and responsive relationships with children and their families over time. They are beginning to respond to parents' goals for their children's learning. Assessment records show children's experiences at the centre. They include teachers' increasing analysis of the learning that happens for children in play situations. Teachers could now document how they respond to and extend children's strengths, interests and learning dispositions.
Leaders and teachers use internal evaluation as a tool for improvement. The teacher appraisal process meets Teaching Council requirements. Teachers' participation in professional development is contributing to improved practices. They could now work together to ensure they use consistent strategies to guide children's behaviour appropriately.
The governance board provides good support for leaders and teachers. A long-term strategic plan includes relevant goals that are guiding the future direction of the centre. The board and teachers could now evaluate the progress made against annual and long-term goals. This could help them to recognise how the improvements they make impact on children's learning.
Key next steps include leaders and teachers:
using assessment of children’s learning to plan and implement a curriculum that is based on children’s individual strengths, interests and dispositions
continuing to improve the transition to school programme to better reflect a focus on the valued outcomes in Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum
strengthening internal evaluation by identifying the impact of improved teaching practices on outcomes for children
ensuring that health and safety systems are consistently implemented.
Before the review, the staff and management of Akoteu Tokaima'ananga 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:
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.
Since the on-site phase of this review, centre managers have taken steps to improve several aspects of health and safety procedures including risk analysis and management of excursions.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
4 November 2019
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 |
Otara, Auckland |
||
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Ministry of Education profile number |
25312 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
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Number licensed for |
35 children, including up to 5 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
33 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 17 Girls 16 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Tongan |
18 |
|
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:3 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
September 2019 |
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Date of this report |
4 November 2019 |
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|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
September 2011 |
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|
Supplementary Review |
September 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:
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 will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.