16 Porowini Avenue, Morningside, Whangarei
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 |
Meeting |
|
Health and safety |
Meeting |
|
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.
Awhi Early Learning Centre is a Christian-based service. Previously known as Elim Christian Early Learning Centre, the service was re-licensed under new ownership in January 2021. The service provider and a centre manager lead a team of eight qualified teachers and two unqualified staff. Almost a third of the children enrolled are Māori.
The service curriculum is informed by assessment, planning, and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, their interests, whānau and life contexts. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive, interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The service 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.
Service leaders must ensure regulatory standards are implemented, monitored, and maintained.
Next steps include:
continuing to develop a curriculum that reflects individual children’s languages, cultures, and identity
increasing the visibility of how teachers respond to parent’s aspirations for their children’s learning in assessment, planning and evaluation information documented by teachers.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Having a written emergency plan that includes a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults at the service and details of how these will be maintained and accessed in an emergency, a communication plan for families and support workers; and having evidence of review of the plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).
Having a record of relevant emergency drills carried out on at least a three-monthly basis and evidence of how evaluation of the drills has informed the annual review of the service’s emergency plan (HS8).
Ensuring equipment, premises, and facilities are checked every day of operation for hazards to the children that include but not limited to cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, and other hazardous materials, electrical sockets and appliances (particularly heaters), hazards present in the kitchen and laundry facilities. Accidents/incidents records are analysed to identify hazards and appropriate action taken (HS12).
Having a record of medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children attending the service that includes name and amount of medicine given and date and time the medicine was administered (HS28).
Having a record of training and /or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children (other than their own) while at the service (HS29).
Ensuring that before a person is employed or engaged as a children’s worker, a safety check required by Children’s Act 2014 must be completed including a detailed record of each component of the safety check and the date of the risk assessment required to be completed after all relevant information is obtained. Every children’s worker must be safety checked every three years. Safety checks may be carried out by the employer or another person or organisation acting on their behalf GMA7A).
Having an attendance record that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook (GMA11).
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
28 April 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
Awhi Early Learning Centre |
|
Profile Number |
10427 |
|
Location |
Morningside, Whangarei |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
|
Service roll |
63 |
|
Review team on site |
March 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
28 April 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, February 2019; Education Review, March 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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
Elim Christian Early Learning Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Elim Christian Early Learning Centre serves families and children from Whangarei. The centre is licensed to offer all-day education and care for up to 59 children, including up to 15 children under two years of age. Children attending the centre reflect the diverse local community. Thirteen children have Māori heritage.
The centre is led by a centre manager and two head teachers. They are supported by a qualified teaching team and support staff. Separate indoor and outdoor spaces are used for infants and toddlers. Low fences create an opportunity for children to connect between the two outdoor areas.
Christian values and the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, are reflected in the curriculum. The centre's philosophy emphasises the importance of kindness, empathy and communication skills.
Centre leaders have responded positively to recommendations in the 2015 ERO report. These included developing shared centre expectations for effective teaching, and refining the appraisal processes for teachers. The latter is still in progress.
Infants and toddlers enjoy nurturing care, and they benefit from good adult to child ratios. Toddlers confidently explore the environment with their teachers. Their oral language, social and self-management skills are fostered. The outdoor environment offers play and exploration for toddlers to develop their mobility and independence. A variety of resources allows them to make choices about their play.
Older children play cooperatively and confidently make choices. Resources are accessible and well-presented to stimulate exploration. Centre displays promote and celebrate children's cultures. Children have good access to outdoor play spaces that encourage their physical capabilities.
Teachers work collaboratively. They engage children in conversations and support their play. Caring and responsive relationships nurture children's wellbeing and sense of belonging.
Literacy, mathematics and science are integrated into daily activities. A strong commitment to bicultural practice is evident in the centre environment and programme. Teachers are developing confidence in using te reo Māori as they learn from good practice modelled by some staff.
The programme reflects Christian values and the principles of Te Whāriki 2017, the early childhood curriculum. There is a growing focus on child-led learning. Learning stories capture key moments of children's learning and development. Teachers are strengthening their planning, evaluation and assessment processes. As part of this work, they could extend older children's learning, and make this more evident in the programme's activities and documentation.
Parents are well informed about their child's interests and achievements. A digital platform is used to share children's learning and wellbeing. Parents' aspirations are valued and their feedback is encouraged. Transition practices into and through the centre are individualised to suit each child and family. Positive connections with local schools are fostered through photos and a 'Who's going to school?' board.
Internal evaluation has contributed well to positive changes in centre practices. Centre leaders have a good understanding of self review, and there is a strong commitment to ongoing improvement. Professional learning is extending teachers' practice and capability.
The centre is well led. Trusting relationships have been established between managers, staff and church leaders. Effective support from Elim Christian Centre, the umbrella organisation, ensures efficient practices are maintained. Governance systems based on relevant policies and procedures guide the service. Strategic and annual planning focuses on the centre's sustainability.
Key next steps include:
increasing relevant challenge and extended learning in play, particularly for older children
continuing to refine and implement effective appraisal processes
further building teachers' capability in te reo Māori and bicultural practice.
Before the review, the staff and management of Elim Christian Early Learning 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:
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 Region
22 February 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.
|
Location |
Morningside, Whangarei |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10427 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
77 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Girls 45 Boys 32 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori |
13 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
December 2018 |
||
|
Date of this report |
22 February 2019 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s)
|
Education Review |
March 2015 |
|
|
Education Review |
February 2012 |
||
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.
|
Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Elim Christian Early Learning Centre serves families and children from the Whangarei District.
At the time of the 2012 ERO review, the centre was called New Beginnings Early Learning Centre. The change of name denotes the strengthened relationship with Elim Church and its business and education support network.
This centre offers full time and sessional education and care for 59 children up to five years, including up to 15 children aged up to two years of age. Infants and toddlers have a separate area to interact and play. Forty percent of the children who attend the centre are Māori.
Teachers plan programmes that reflect Christian values and the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. The centre’s philosophy emphasises the importance of children becoming confident and competent learners and of teachers valuing the uniqueness of each child and their spirituality.
Centre leaders have responded positively to the 2012 ERO report. They have implemented its recommendations by providing children with richer learning opportunities and improving planning and assessment. Improved self-review processes and targeted professional learning and development have helped address these and other areas for development identified by centre management.
Teachers warmly welcome children and their parents/whānau to the centre. The calm, positive tone contributes to children settling to their play and connecting well with each other and their teachers. Trusting relationships between adults and between adults and children, contribute to good quality learning interactions. Children have a strong sense of belonging. They are confident and cooperate well to support each other’s play.
Active participation of parents in the life of the centre is encouraged and well supported by teachers. Parents report that their perspectives of their children are valued by teachers. Records of children’s learning show that parent input is increasing. The centre is strengthening the extent to which its partnerships with parents and whānau are focused on children’s learning.
Children’s transitions to and within the centre are well managed. The centre has established successful partnerships with local schools and this is enhancing older children’s experience of transitioning to school.
Children experience good quality literacy and science learning opportunities in the centre’s richly resourced environment. The centre management team has appropriately identified mathematics as an area for further development. The team is also considering how to make some of the centre’s resources more available to children to support their active exploration.
Provision for children less than two years of age is well considered and nurturing. Teachers are sensitive to children’s preferences and requirements. They interact with infants and toddlers in a calm, unhurried way. Centre management has identified how to support teachers to further promote young children’s exploration.
Māori children’s culture and identity are well promoted. Teachers enact the bicultural principles of Te Whāriki by taking time to get to know Māori children and their whānau. As a result of findings from recent self review, managers now plan to increase the visibility of Māori culture in the centre’s environment and support staff to be more confident and capable in contributing to a bicultural curriculum.
The centre manager provides strong centre direction focused on improving outcomes for children. She has the trust and support of supervisors and staff. Teachers appreciate the way their views and contributions are valued by centre managers.
Very good support from Elim Church, the centre’s umbrella organisation, helps to ensure that governance and management are efficient and effective. Operational systems and processes are well connected and support a professional culture that is focused on what is best for children. Self review is used for ongoing centre improvement. The management team plans to strengthen review processes by including more ideas and contributions from parents, whānau and children.
ERO and centre managers discussed the following key next steps to support ongoing improvement:
ERO is confident that the centre has the capacity and capability through its good quality leadership and effective long-term planning to sustain its development.
Before the review, the staff and management of Elim Christian Early Learning 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Elim Christian Early Learning Centre will be in three years.
Dale Bailey
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
11 March 2015
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 |
Morningside, Whangarei |
||
|
Ministry of Education profile number |
10427 |
||
|
Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
||
|
Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
||
|
Number licensed for |
59 children, including up to 15 aged under 2 |
||
|
Service roll |
98 |
||
|
Gender composition |
Boys 52 Girls 46 |
||
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā South East Asian other |
40 38 4 16 |
|
|
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80% Based on funding rates |
80% |
||
|
Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
Over 2 |
1:7 |
Better than minimum requirements |
|
|
Review team on site |
January 2015 |
||
|
Date of this report |
11 March 2015 |
||
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
February 2012 |
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.