Explorers Early Learning Centre

Education institution number:
47308
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
43
Telephone:
Address:

34 George Street, Te Kuiti

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Explorers Early Learning Centre

1 ERO’s Judgements 

Akarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.  

ERO’s judgements for ​Explorers Early Learning Centre​ are as follows: 

Outcome Indicators 

(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) 

​​
Whāngai Establishing​ 

Ngā Akatoro Domains 

 

Learning Conditions 
Organisational Conditions 

​​Whāngai Establishing​ 
​​Whāngai Establishing​ 

2 Context of the Service 

Explorers Early Learning Centre provides education and care for children up to five years of age. The qualified owner and a head teacher provide leadership for the teaching team. The philosophy values children learning through play. Approximately half of the children enrolled are identified as Māori, and a small number are of Pacific heritages. 

3 Summary of findings 

Children experience a responsive curriculum that supports their ongoing learning. The outdoor environment facilitates children’s active play and exploration. Their curiosity is fostered through tending to the chickens and other animals in the environment. Opportunities for tuakana |teina experiences (older children playing alongside younger) enable relationships to flourish between peers and siblings. Foundational mathematics and literacy learning is woven into daily routines. Children lead their own learning and develop their self-confidence and knowledge of the natural world. 

Purposeful relationships with parents are established. Planning and assessment practices include aspirations from whānau about their child’s learning. External support has identified key changes needed to improve curriculum planning. These improvements are beginning to be consistently implemented. 

Some cultural events are celebrated. Aspects of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori are evident in the curriculum and in teaching practices. Ongoing acknowledgement and integration of children’s home cultures, languages and identity within the curriculum are areas for further development. 

The service’s organisational conditions are beginning to foster the learning priorities for children that are valued by leaders and teachers. This focus is supported through lower adult:child ratios and smaller group sizes. 

Governance processes are developing. Leaders acknowledge that this is a priority area for growth. Their work with an external provider is beginning to build the evaluation capability of staff. Leaders are implementing a newly established professional growth cycle. They have begun working with teachers to grow their use of deliberate teaching practices that benefit children’s learning. 

4 Improvement actions 

​​Explorers Early Learning Centre​ will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning: 

  • Embed the recently established assessment and planning processes and practices to promote positive outcomes for all children. 

  • Build leaders’ and teachers’ evaluation understanding and capability to document children’s learning, and to monitor the impact of improvements made on outcomes for children. 

  • Grow the cultural competencies of teachers and leaders to help them better respond to children’s home languages, cultures and identity. 

5 Management Assurance on Legal Requirements 

Before the review, the staff and management of ​Explorers Early Learning Centre​ completed an ERO 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; safety checking; teacher registration; ratios) 

  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices. 

All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements. 

​Patricia Davey 
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE) 

​​26 October 2023​ 

6 About the Early Childhood Service  

Early Childhood Service Name

Explorers Early Learning Centre

Profile Number

47308​

Location

Te Kuiti​

Service type  

​​Education and care service​ 

Number licensed for  

35 children, including up to 9 aged under 2 

Percentage of qualified teachers  

​​80-99%​ 

Service roll 

48 

Review team on site 

September 2023  

Date of this report 

​​26 October 2023​ 

Most recent ERO report(s) 

​​Akanuku | Assurance Review​, ​September 2020​ 
​Akanuku | Assurance Review​, ​May 2019​ 

Explorers Early Learning Centre - 21/09/2020

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

Explorers Early Learning Centre opened in August 2017. Governance is provided by two directors. One director is the service provider/centre manager. She and the head teacher are fully registered teachers who lead a team of five qualified teachers; two teachers in-training and one unqualified teacher.

Summary of Review Findings

Positive and meaningful relationships are evident among children and teachers. The service curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Their choices are respected. Parents’ aspirations and children’s interests inform individualised learning plans. Teachers seek information and guidance from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs. The curriculum acknowledges the place of Māori as tangata whenua.

Processes for internal evaluation help improve the quality of education and care for children. Management processes and health and safety systems are in place.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include strengthening:

  • opportunities for children to independently revisit their learning
  • the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their identity, language and culture
  • children’s independent access to resources and curriculum areas to further enhance and extend their learning.

Next ERO Review

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

Phil Cowie

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

21 September 2020

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name

Explorers Early Learning Centre

Profile Number

47308

Location

Te Kuiti

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 9 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

80%+

Service roll

54

Gender composition

Male 29 Female 25

Ethnic composition

Māori 27
NZ European/Pākehā 23
Other ethnic groups 4

Review team on site

August 2020

Date of this report

21 September 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Assurance Review, May 2019.

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.

Explorers Early Learning Centre - 14/05/2019

ERO’s judgement

Regulatory standards

Curriculum

Not meeting

Premises and facilities

Meeting

Health and safety

Meeting

Governance, management and administration

Meeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed.

Background

This is the first ERO review of Explorers Early Learning Centre that opened in August 2017. Governance is provided by two directors. One director is the service provider/centre manager. She and the head teacher are fully registered teachers and lead a teaching team of four qualified teachers and one teacher in-training.

Summary of review findings

Children experience meaningful and positive interactions with teachers, enhancing their learning and nurturing reciprocal relationships. The service’s curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua and children are given opportunities to develop knowledge and understanding of The Treaty of Waitangi. Information and guidance are sought from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs.

Management processes and health and safety systems are in place. Suitable human resource practices are implemented. An annual plan guides centre operations and an annual budget guides financial expenditure.

Actions for compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to curriculum. To meet regulatory standards the service should ensure that:

  • the curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, interests, whānau and life contexts

  • the curriculum is responsive to children as confident and competent learners, enabling them to make decisions about their learning, particularly for older children

  • there is suitable provision of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend children’s learning and development, particularly for older children.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C2, C7, C9,

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008, 43 (1a, i)

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review of Explorers Early Learning Centre will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Phillip Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services Central
Central Region
14 May 2019

Information about the service

Early Childhood Service Name

Explorers Early Learning Centre

Profile Number

47308

Location

Te Kuiti

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

35 children, including up to 9 aged under 2

Percentage of qualified teachers

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:3 - Better than regulatory standards

Over 2

1:8 - Better than regulatory standards

Service roll

55

Gender composition

Male 32 Female 23

Ethnic composition

Māori 30
NZ European/Pākehā 22
Other 3

Review team on site

March 2019

Date of this report

14 May 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

First ERO review of 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:

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 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.