BestStart Silverstream

ERO’s judgement

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

BestStart Silverstream is a new service that was fully licensed in November 2018. It is owned and operated by BestStart Educare Ltd. A professional services manager, business manager and centre manager support the operation of the service. Nursery, toddler and preschool rooms cater for children aged 3 months to 5 years.

Summary of review findings

The governing body has many processes in place for monitoring and reviewing the practices and overall operation of the service. Teachers plan, implement and evaluate a curriculum that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Positive steps are taken to acknowledge parent aspirations for their children and to include these in programme provision. A suitable range and variety of furniture, equipment and materials is provided and is appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.

Alan Wynyard

Director Review and Improvement Services Southern

Southern Region

31 May 2019

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

• the Licensing Criteria for Home-based Education and Care Services 2008

• the Licensing Criteria for Hospital-based 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 Assurance Review process in any 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 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 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:

• 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 certification; ratios)

• evacuation procedures and practices for fire and earthquake.

As part of an 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.