1 Bunnythorpe Road, Papakura
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 |
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.
Blossoms Educare Papakura is one of 12 services in the Blossoms organisation. A qualified centre manager leads a team of 16 staff that includes six qualified teachers. Children attending are of Māori or Pacific heritages, and most children have diverse ethnic backgrounds. Blossoms leaders provide professional advice, guidance, and support to their services.
Children experience a curriculum that 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 is inclusive, and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.
Consistent implementation and monitoring of health and safety practices is required to maintain licensing requirements.
Key next steps include:
Explore ways to increase the involvement of whānau Māori in the design, implementation, and evaluation of the service’s local curriculum.
Strengthen the extent to which Information documented about children’s learning reflects their identity, languages, and cultures.
Continue to develop the local curriculum to reflect the things that are important to children and their families, to teachers and the wider community.
The service has provided ERO with evidence to show the following non-compliances have been addressed:
Having a safe and stable nappy changing facility for children over two years that is appropriate for the age and weight of children. The design, construction, and location of the facilities ensures that children’s dignity and right to privacy is respected (PF25).
Having a procedure for the changing (and disposal, if appropriate) of nappies that aims to ensure safe and hygienic practices (HS3).
Ensuring heavy shelving in food areas and playrooms that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage is secured (HS6).
Having a centre specific emergency plan and documented evidence of review of the plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).
Ensuring 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 (HS13).
Ensuring when children leave the premises on an excursion, an assessment and management of risks is undertaken and recorded (HS17).
Having a clear process stating that when children are travelling by motor vehicle they will be restrained as required by Land Transport legislation (HS18).
Ensuring food served meets the nutritional needs of each child while they are attending, and that the service promotes the Ministry of Health’s healthy eating guidelines to parents (HS19).
Having records of all food served during the service’s hours of operation (other than that provided by parents for their own children). Ensuring records show the type of food provided and are available for inspection for 3 months after the food is served (HS19).
Having written information letting parents know how to access information concerning their child, the service’s operational documents and the most recent Education Review Office report regarding the service (GMA2).
Having a process for reviewing and evaluating the service’s operation by the people involved in the service. Ensuring the process is consistent with Criterion GMA4/ GMA3; and includes a schedule showing timelines for planned review and evaluation of different areas of operation. This includes having recorded outcomes from the review and evaluation process, including showing how the service has regard for the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP) in its operation (GMA6).
Having a process for human resource management that includes provision for professional development for staff (GMA7).
Having an annual plan that is centre specific and stating who is responsible for specific tasks (GMA8)
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
22 September 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
Blossoms Educare Papakura |
| Profile Number |
46298 |
| Location |
Papakura, Auckland |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 years |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
81 |
|
Review team on site |
July 2023 |
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Date of this report |
22 September 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, June 2019; Education Review, October 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 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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Blossoms Educare Papakura is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Blossoms Educare Papakura is a purpose-built early childhood centre providing education and care for up to 70 children, including up to 20 aged under the age of two years. The play-based curriculum is underpinned by a philosophy of children of all ages learning with and from each other. There are separate rooms for children over and under the age of two, and a shared playground.
This centre is one of nine Blossoms Educare services. The umbrella organisation provides an overarching governance and management framework. The service provider aspires to operating on the social enterprise model, and has received targeted funding from the Ministry of Education to increase participation in ECE in this community. The roll includes 40 percent Māori children, 10 percent with Pacific heritage, and smaller numbers from other diverse ethnic backgrounds.
The 2015 ERO report noted areas for development, including bicultural practices, programme evaluation, and challenge and complexity in children's learning experiences. While some improvements have been made, progress has been impacted by significant changes in centre leadership and teaching teams.
Children are settled and familiar with the expectation they will make choices about their play. They move freely between indoor and outdoor learning environments, and play cooperatively with and alongside others. Flexible routines support older children to develop self-help skills. They can choose how long they sustain their play and when they eat. Well-presented portfolios show that children have good opportunities to engage in a wide range of activities.
The centre has a well-established 'mixed age' approach that works very well to support children's sense of belonging and emotional wellbeing, particularly for toddlers and siblings. The shared outdoor space has been thoughtfully set out to provide appropriate experiences for the different groups of the children. Teachers are attentive to children's safety, and provide good support to those who are building their confidence in exploring resources and equipment. Children particularly enjoy playing in this natural outdoor environment.
Children up to the age of two are nurtured in a caring environment. Teachers know these children well and are responsive to their individual ways of communicating. Wherever possible, they follow the child's home care routines. The welcoming indoor space supports the engagement of these very young children. Wall displays in this area provide good information about what teachers know about each child's learning and development.
Programmes for children over the age of two are less well established. There have been changes of staff and leadership over the last year. A new approach to planning has been recently introduced. The teaching team has yet to consolidate a shared understanding of how best to promote and support children's learning. The quality of children's learning in this area would be enhanced by the provision of a greater range of resources and teaching strategies that challenge children's thinking and promote more complex play.
The service provider has established a vision, philosophy, policies and procedures to underpin the service operations. Well formatted strategic and annual plans support ongoing development. Comprehensive internal evaluation processes prompt teachers to reflect on their practice and make improvements. These good management practices would be enhanced by a review of what is being documented and why. In particular, records relating to excursions and emergency drills should be more robust. Appraisal processes could be streamlined.
The collegial, supportive leadership team has a clear vision for the development of the centre's curriculum. Good use is made of external providers to support the professional learning and development of teachers. It would be useful for the umbrella organisation to consider how it can support centre leadership to consolidate and lift the capability of teachers to achieve their vision.
Centre leaders agree that the key next steps for centre development include:
continuing to develop and refine planning and assessment processes that align with identified priorities for children's learning
more opportunities for strengthening teachers' understanding of Te Whāriki, the updated early childhood curriculum
ongoing development of the bicultural curriculum, building teachers' expertise in the integration of te reo and tikanga Māori in all areas of the programme
a greater range of play resources and materials in the indoor play space for children over two years of age.
Before the review, the staff and management of Blossoms Educare Papakura 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
13 June 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 |
Papakura, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
46298 |
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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 |
70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
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|
Service roll |
76 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 45 Girls 31 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
32 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
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 |
1:8 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2019 |
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Date of this report |
13 June 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
October 2015 |
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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.