Grow Active Welles St

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 it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.

Background

Grow Active Welles Street is a privately owned and operated education and care service opened in 2018. This is its first ERO review. A centre manager is responsible for the day-to-day operation, and an area manager supports the teaching team. Four aged-based areas cater for children from infants to school age.

Summary of Review Findings

The premises and facilities are resourced to provide for the learning and abilities of the children attending. The service philosophy is based on positive trusting relationships and promoting a caring respectful environment. The curriculum is informed by newly introduced systems for assessment and planning that align to the principles of Te Whāriki - the early childhood curriculum. A policy framework and annual planning guide service operations. Teacher appraisal and internal evaluation processes are established. Health and safety procedures are monitored, and changes made when required.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• strengthening the extent to which information documented about children’s learning reflects their identity, language, and culture  
• increasing the opportunities children have, to hear and speak te reo Māori, in meaningful learning contexts
• refine and embed the new assessment, planning and evaluation system for individual children.

Actions for Compliance

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

• the records of excursions include the signature of the Persons Responsible giving approval for the excursion to take place.
  Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008, HS17

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 February 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.