Kai Kids Preschool

ERO’s Judgement

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

Background

Kai Kids Preschool opened in May 2018. The owner/manager leads a team of five qualified teachers and a number of support staff. Two age-based areas cater for children from infants to school age. The service provides a van service and food for children. This is the first ERO review.

Summary of Review

Teachers provide a positive learning environment. They have warm, responsive relationships with children. The centre premises and facilities provide sufficient space and resources for a range of activities so children have choices in their play and learning. The layout of the indoor and outdoor spaces supports good supervision of children. The service is not meeting regulatory standards in a number of areas. Developing the curriculum and the consistent implementation of health and safety practices is required. An appraisal system for staff needs to be established.

Actions for Compliance

ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:

• implementing assessment, planning and evaluation that informs the curriculum provided for children
• developing a consistent and systematic approach to seeking and responding to parent/whānau aspirations for their child’s learning
• provision of a curriculum that encourages children to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures
• providing parents with opportunities to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents and self review
• developing and implementing robust teacher appraisal process
• ensuring all heavy furniture and fixtures that could topple and cause harm are safely secured
• evidence of how evacuation drills informs an annual review of the service’s emergency plan.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C2, C6, C11, GMA3, GMA4, GMA6, GMA7, HS6, HS8.

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence to show that it takes all practical steps to protect children from exposure to inappropriate material.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS32.

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 Kai Kids Preschool will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Dr Lesley Patterson

Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)

Southern Region | Te Tai Tini

18 November 2019

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 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 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.