104 Gallien Street, St Leonards-Napier/Hastings, Hastings
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 | Not 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.
Chuckles Childcare is privately owned. A centre manager leads a team of seven teachers. Children learn and play in a mixed-age environment. The philosophy emphasises a whānau approach, and values communication, respect, and trust. Almost half of enrolled children are Māori.
The service 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.
Children develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritage of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children.
A process for reviewing and evaluating learning and teaching practices is in place. Effective governance and management practices that support record keeping and maintenance of regulatory standards are not sufficiently established.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF7, HS12, HS17, HS19, GMA7A; Education (Early Childhood Service) Regulations 2008, 47 (1)(c)].
Since the onsite visit, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
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)
7 December 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Chuckles Childcare |
| Profile Number | 55433 |
| Location | St Leonards, Hastings |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 34 |
| Review team on site | November 2023 |
| Date of this report | 7 December 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, February 2021; Education Review, October 2018 |
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 |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Chuckles Childcare is a privately owned centre. Children learn and are cared for within a mixed-age environment. The October 2018 ERO evaluation found that the service required further development. The service has strengthened systems and processes with support from the Ministry of Education.
The philosophy promotes working in partnership with families. There are regular opportunities for parents and whānau to be involved in their child’s learning and the service’s operation. Teachers engage in meaningful and positive interactions to enhance learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The service curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. A range of activities is provided to suit the learning and abilities of the children attending.
The service has implemented ongoing self-review processes that help improve the quality of education and care. Health and safety procedures are monitored and changes made when required.
Continue to strengthen the assessment, planning and evaluation to:
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 | Chuckles Childcare |
| Profile Number | 55433 |
| Location | Hastings |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2. |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80%+ |
| Service roll | 29 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 15, NZ European/Pākehā 13, Other ethnic groups 1. |
| Review team on site | October 2020 |
| Date of this report | 15 February 2021 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, October 2018; 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.
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 |
To promote better learning opportunities for children and support consistent teaching practice management needs to develop centre leadership and robust systems and processes to prioritise areas of ongoing improvement and support.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Chuckles Childcare is a privately-owned service providing education and care for up to 30 children. The centre has recently been re-licensed to increase numbers, and now also caters for 10 children up to the age of two. Of the 32 children currently enrolled half are Māori.
The centre philosophy promotes learning through play and exploration, and values strong relationships with children and their families. It is currently being revised.
New owners obtained the service in October 2017. They have a long standing association with Chuckles centres. The owners set long term direction and are responsible for day-to-day management. Most teachers are fully qualified.
The October 2015 ERO report identified that the service needed to further strengthen the appraisal process and their use of self review for improvement. Some progress has been made, however these remain areas for further development.
Children access a wide range of resources through a programme that is largely based on their interests and centre priorities. Teachers know children well and work alongside them to facilitate their play. Whānau, external agencies and teachers collaborate to support children with additional learning needs.
Infants' and toddlers' sense of belonging is enhanced in the mixed-age setting by gentle and respectful teachers. Establishing a shared understanding of high quality teaching practice for this group is a current focus.
Use of local pakiwaitara and pūrākau contribute to an emerging place-based, bicultural curriculum. Aspects of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori are evident. Further strengthening of the bicultural curriculum is required to meet community aspirations.
Teachers are expanding their understanding of strategies that promote educational success for Māori children. Leaders have identified that further developing kaupapa Māori assessment and culturally responsive teaching practices would better support their Māori children. ERO's external evaluation confirms this needed development.
Group planning provides a shared focus for the programme. Children's portfolios document their interests, involvement in the planned programme and opportunities to revisit activities. A key next step is to strengthen the understanding and use of assessment, planning and evaluation to better progress individual learning over time. Teachers should consider ways to ensure:
Managers have been appropriately focused on resourcing, environment and establishing a shared approach with the new team. It is timely for leaders to review the level of support, monitoring and guidance provided for teachers, to encourage deeper understanding of high quality teaching and ensure consistency of practice. This should include establishing clear indicators of what the philosophy looks like in practice.
Appraisal requires further strengthening to better promote development of leaders and teachers. This should encompass:
Leaders and teachers are reflective and improvement focused. A broad strategic plan linked to developmental review is resulting in many areas of ongoing transformation. Establishing a shared understanding of evaluation that measures the effectiveness of teacher practice and prioritises actions for improvement is a key next step.
ERO has identified that the key next steps for Chuckles Childcare are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Chuckles Childcare 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.
To improve current practice, the early childhood service management should ensure that they consistently obtain parent acknowledgement of administered medication.
ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.
The next ERO review of Chuckles Childcare will be within two years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Te Tai Pokapū - Central Region
30 October 2018
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 | Hastings | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55433 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 30 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 32 | ||
| Gender composition | Girls 18, Boys 14 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 16 13 3 | |
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 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | September 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 30 October 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | October 2015 | |
| Supplementary Review | November 2012 | ||
| Education Review | August 2011 | ||
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.