Country Bears Early Childhood Centre

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.

ERO’s Judgement

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.

Background

Country Bears Early Childhood Centre is a privately owned service that offers full-day education and care. The owner is responsible for governance and management. A qualified manager leads a team of eight qualified teachers and eight unqualified staff.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. 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.

Increased monitoring of the health and safety regulatory standards is required.

Compliance

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

• Ensuring all indoor and outdoor items are safe and suitable for their intended use (PF5).
• Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on, are of a design to ensure their safety (PF29).
• A hygienic procedure for changing (and disposal, if appropriate) of nappies is consistently implemented (HS3).
• Maintaining a current fire evacuation scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service (HS4).
• Ensuring that heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured (HS6).
• Maintaining a written emergency plan and monitoring supplies, appropriate to the age of the children, to ensure the care and safety of children and adults at the service. The plan includes evacuation procedures for the services premises, which apply in a variety of emergency situations, consistent with the Fire Evacuation Scheme (HS7).
• Documenting a record of emergency drills carried out and evidence of how the evaluation of these has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).
• A procedure for monitoring children's sleep is displayed and implemented that ensures children do not have access to food or liquids while in bed, and are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing at least every 5 to 10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs (HS9).
• 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 that water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).
• Keeping a record of excursions that includes assessment and management of risk, adult:child ratios, evidence of parental permission for regular excursions and the signature of the person responsible for giving approval for the excursion to take place (HS17).
• Maintaining a record of serious injuries to show that parents have been informed (HS27).
• A record of information and/or training is given to adults who administer medicine to children (HS29).
• Maintaining a child protection policy that is reviewed every three years (HS31).
• Developing guidelines to ensure that no person on the premises uses, or is under the influence of, alcohol or any other substance that has a detrimental effect on their functioning or behaviour during the service's hours of operation (HS33).
• A policy review schedule to help the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care (GMA6).
• Documenting human resources management practices that include a system for regular appraisal, provisions for professional development, discipline and dismissal procedures (GMA7).
• Ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014 (GMA7A).
• Maintaining an annual budget which guides financial expenditure (GMA9).

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.

Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

23 February 2022 

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.

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 Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based 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 Akanuku | 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 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:

• 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 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.

1 Evaluation of Country Bears Early Childhood Centre

How well placed is Country Bears Early Childhood Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Country Bears Early Childhood Centre has provided education and care in a rural setting for children from the Kumeu area, for over 20 years. The family owned and operated centre caters for 70 children, including 36 up to two years of age. The roll includes small numbers of Māori, Pacific and children of other varied cultural backgrounds. Healthy and nutritious meals and snacks are provided for children.

The centre comprises three buildings that cater for different age groups. The Baby Bears' house has separate spaces for younger infants and older toddlers. The main building provides separate indoor and outdoor spaces for children aged around two to three years. Children aged around three to four years have a separate indoor space and share an outdoor environment with the oldest group of children, who are in the Big Bear house.

The owner maintains high staff numbers to support individualised care and attention for children. Since the 2014 ERO review most teaching staff are new to the centre. The centre manager has been in her role since the end of 2015. The owner, who is a fully qualified teacher, continues to provide governance and daily support for the manager, teachers and staff. A new building has recently been completed for staff breaks.

The centre's philosophy, which is currently under review, is influenced by the early learning theories and practices of Magda Gerber. It promotes respectful and empowering teaching practices for children of all ages. Teaching approaches encourage environmental sustainability and support children's play and learning in the natural outdoors.

The 2014 ERO report identified areas of good practice including positive relationships between adults and children, and a calm environment for infants and toddlers. Next steps included creating more responsive, child-centred programmes. This is an area where the centre has made very good progress. 

The Review Findings

Children are respected and valued as individuals and are well known by their teachers. They experience calm and gentle approaches and environments in which to play and learn. In line with the centre's philosophy, older children spend a significant amount of their learning within the natural environment. They enjoy their living world experiences and are supported to respect mana whenua and Papatūānuku. Children are confident, and are friendly and kind to each other.

Babies and toddlers are very settled and content. Teachers are nurturing and affectionate, giving children the time they need to feel ready and confident to explore. Children's cues and rhythms are followed and teachers support them in non-rushed and reassuring ways. Teachers' focus on conversation and singing promotes children's early language development. Good teaching practices, the environment and appropriate resources, support these youngest children to be physically capable and confident. Managers are now planning to enhance the outside spaces for babies and toddlers.

Teachers skilfully plan for children's individual interests, strengths and stages of development. They promote positive and inclusive relationships with children and parents, recognising that this is the basis of effective learning. Parents are engaged in the centre's curriculum design and are involved in their children's learning.

Indoor and outdoor environments are changed regularly and provide well for older children's physical challenge. As part of the centre's philosophy, risk-taking and messy play are promoted. These healthy risks are managed well with high adult ratios and attentive, careful teachers.

Children experience a sense of fun, excitement and wonderment through the programme design. They enjoy frequent and all-weather trips to local farms and the centre's forest area which provide a constant source of interest and enjoyment. This science focus is integrated meaningfully into children's learning of literacy, numeracy, the arts and technology. Effective teaching of te reo Māori and about te ao Māori supports children to learn about and through their bicultural heritage.

Staff experience strong, professional leadership and high levels of relational trust. Their strengths and skills are valued, and they are supported to be leaders and learners. They have generous professional learning opportunities. As a result of open and inclusive leadership approaches, the teaching team is collegial and collaborative, and empowering for adults and children.

Leaders have a very good understanding of internal evaluation as a tool for improvement and accountability. They give the time required for planned evaluations, and include input from staff, parents and members of the wider community. Teachers are supported to set meaningful appraisal goals and to critically reflect on their practice. Leaders have high expectations for themselves and staff to learn, change and improve. The owners resource the centre strategically and generously. They have very good systems in place to ensure that the centre runs efficiently and effectively. 

Key Next Steps

Centre managers have identified appropriate next steps for the future that include:

• completing the evaluation of the centre's philosophy

• further improving the outside environments for infants and toddlers

• continuing to strengthen teachers' knowledge and understanding of the natural world and its integration in learning programmes for children.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Country Bears Early Childhood 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:

• curriculum
• premises and facilities
• health and safety practices
• governance, management and administration.

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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Country Bears Early Childhood Centre will be in four years.

Violet Tu’uga Stevenson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

8 September 2017

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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. 

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service 

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

• Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
• Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
• Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
• Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.