Tiny Legends Early Learning Centre

Education institution number:
50130
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
47
Telephone:
Address:

14 Galea Grove, Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North

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Tiny Legends Early Learning 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

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.

Background

The service, previously known as Dot Kids, changed ownership in July 2022. It caters for children aged from birth to school age. A small number of the children enrolled are Māori. The philosophy places value on developing confidence and self-expression within a quality care and educational programme.

Summary of Review Findings

The service is responsive to children as capable and confident learners. Children are involved in decisions about their learning and engage in positive interactions which teachers. Steps are taken to acknowledge parent aspirations.

The curriculum is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Children are provided with a range of experiences to enhance and extend their learning and development.

A process of internal evaluation is being implemented to help maintain and improve the quality of education and care. A policy framework and annual plan guide centre operations. Health and safety practices are monitored, and changes made when required.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • exploring and implementing ways to increase the involvement of whānau and community in the design, implementation and evaluation of the service’s local curriculum.

Next ERO Review

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

5 April 2023

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Tiny Legends Early Learning Centre

Profile Number

50130

Location

Kelvin Grove, Palmerston North

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 13 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80-99%

Service roll

35

Review team on site

March 2023

Date of this report

5 April 2023

Most recent ERO report(s)

Akanuku | Assurance Review, October 2019; Education Review, July 2016

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 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.

Dot Kids Early Learning Centre Kelvin Grove - 18/10/2019

ERO’s Judgement

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.

Background

Dot Kids Early Learning Centre Kelvin Grove, previously Community of Early Learning, is now part of the Provincial Education Group. A new regional and centre manager have been recruited since 2017. A provisional licence was issued in 2017. The centre worked with the Ministry of Education to address identified non-compliances. A full licence was reissued in 2018.

Summary of Review Findings

Adults providing education and care engage in positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. The service’s curriculum provides a language rich environment. Teachers are inclusive and responsive to children as confident learners. Children’s preferences are respected. A range of indoor and outdoor experiences and opportunities are provided to extend children’s learning and development. Suitable human resource management practices are implemented. An annual plan guides the service’s operation. An ongoing process of self-review helps the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • strengthening assessment practices to capture the child’s whānau and life contexts and actively seeking more parent involvement in planning for their child’s learning
  • further strengthening to support children in their own culture.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

  • a heavy object that could topple or fall in the adult’s kitchen area.
    Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS6

Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed this non-compliance.

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

18 October 2019

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Dot Kids Early Learning Centre Kelvin Grove

Profile Number

50130

Location

Palmerston North

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 13 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Reported ratio of staff to children under 2

1:4 - Better than regulatory standards.

Reported ratio of staff over 2

1:8 - Better than regulatory standards.

Service roll

49

Gender composition

Female 28, Male 21

Ethnic composition

Māori 12
NZ European/Pākehā 25
Other ethnic groups 12

Review team on site

September 2019

Date of this report

18 October 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, July 2016
Education Review, July 2013

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 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 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.