Footprints 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

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

Footprints Preschool provides all-day education and care for children from birth to six years of age. The purpose-built facility has two age-based learning areas. This is the centre’s first ERO review since the change of ownership.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience meaningful and respectful relationships with their teachers. The centre philosophy is evident in teaching practices. Their social and emotional competencies are supported through the curriculum. Learning experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend children’s learning and development are provided indoors and outdoors. Parents are regularly involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning. Teachers seek information and guidance from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs.

Actions for Compliance

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

• securing heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could topple and cause serious injury or damage(HS6)
• providing children with a range of resources and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development(C9).

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

4 December 2020

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 Footprints Preschool

How well placed is Footprints Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Footprints Preschool is a privately owned and operated all-day education and care centre situated in the Bay of Plenty township of Waihi. The centre is licensed for 30 children, including up to six under two years of age and 12 who identify as Māori. Six full-time teachers are employed. Five teachers are fully or provisionally registered and qualified. The other teacher is studying towards a teaching degree.

The centre philosophy aims to provide a supportive and relaxed environment for children and whānau. Leaders believe that children learn best through play, and use trips into the community as a context for learning. The centre incorporates a bicultural approach to learning through tikanga practices, language and waiata.

Since the last ERO review in 2015, the centre has begun to strengthen assessment practices and planning for learning. A new appraisal system that supports teachers to meet regulatory requirements has been implemented. Self review has also been a focus for improvement. Recently the centre licence was reduced from 35 to 30 children.

The Review Findings

Interactions between teachers and children are effective in supporting children's social competence and establishing respectful relationships. Children’s individual cues and needs are responded to in a nurturing and caring way. Children and their whānau are well known and valued for who they are and what they bring to each child's learning. Children experience contextual and meaningful learning that is promoted through authentic and familiar experiences and opportunities.

A wide range of activities and experiences support a rich curriculum. Children are able to follow their interests through sustained group and independent play. An attractive and well-resourced environment allows for all children to participate and be involved in leading their own learning. Trips and excursions into the community extend children’s understanding of the world around them. Transitions, into, through and beyond the centre are effective and responsive to the readiness of individual children. Children's confidence and competence are developing as a result of the varied and responsive learning programme.

Planning for individual learning supports children's success in achieving their learning goals. Individual plans guide a collaborative approach for children with special learning needs. Oral language, and literacy and numeracy are naturally and effectively integrated throughout the programme. Assessment celebrates and acknowledges children’s participation in learning and in the life of the centre. To further enhance assessment and planning, these processes need to be strengthened to show continuity and progress of children's learning over time.

Children under the age of two years enjoy a calm, unhurried and intimate learning environment which supports their sense of security and belonging. Teachers are highly respectful and responsive to children’s routines and natural rhythms. The rights of these young children are respected and each child's preferences are valued and well known. Children are encouraged to be curious and are empowered to explore and inquire about the world around them.

Leaders strongly promote a focused approach to learning. Positive and reciprocal partnerships between the centre and home are enhanced through established channels of communication. Leadership is working to lift teachers' practice through clear expectations and regular monitoring and tracking of quality practice. Shared leadership is evident and is focused on building teacher capability. Leadership has established a culture where all children are valued and affirmed.

Governance actively promotes positive outcomes for children through a reflective and improvement-focused approach. The strategic plan clearly identifies the service's priorities, and good systems and procedures guide daily operations. Policies are regularly reviewed. Clear expectations are being developed to support consistent practice across the teaching team and the philosophy has been recently reviewed to establish a common approach and shared vision. Sound governance has established a service where children are at the forefront of practice and discussions.

Key Next Steps

To further improve practice leaders now need to:

• refine and strengthen the new appraisal procedures to align with the strategic plan, and include indicators of good practice to better guide accountability

• monitor the quality of teaching and implement purposeful and targeted feedback on practice through observations and revisiting goals

• strengthen self review by maintaining a consistent framework and revisiting guiding questions to build centre-wide understanding of effective internal evaluation

• strengthen assessment processes to better show each child's learning, progress and continuity of learning over time

• continue to strengthen the bicultural curriculum and practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Footprints Preschool 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 Footprints Preschool will be in three years.

Adrienne Fowler

Director Review and Improvement Services

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

5 September 2018

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.