Grow Active Balfour Terrace

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

At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Grow Active Balfour Terrace is a privately owned and operated education and care service opened in 2018. The centre manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation, and an area manager supports the teaching team. This is the centre’s first ERO review.

Summary of Review Findings

Children participate in a play-based programme. The service’s curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, development and interests.

The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor learning experiences for all children. Adults providing education and care, engage in interactions that enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships. 

A policy framework and annual planning guide operations. Health and safety procedures are implemented, monitored and changes made when required.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• considering how best the service can give greater prominence to te ao Māori in key documentation and practices, including te reo me ngā tikanga Māori with children
• developing ways teachers can evaluate the impact of their teaching strategies on learning outcomes for children
• greater celebration of children’s culture, language and identity in assessment documentation.

Next ERO Review

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

Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

17 January 2021  

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.