Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre

ERO’s Judgement

At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.

Background

Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre is a privately owned, full-day, education and care service. Two aged-based areas cater for children from infants to school age. The qualified centre manager, with support from two head teachers, leads a team of five fully qualified teachers and four unqualified teachers.

Summary of Review Findings

The service is not meeting regulatory standards in a number of areas.

Children experience positive interactions with teachers, enhancing their learning and nurturing reciprocal relationships. Individual planning responds to children’s interests, strengths and the aspirations of parents. Information and guidance is sought from external agencies to support children with additional learning and development needs.

Ongoing professional development has contributed to internal evaluation that is helping the centre maintain and improve some aspects of centre operation. An annual plan guides day-to-day operation and an annual budget guides financial expenditure.

Actions for Compliance

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

• access to a sufficient quality and variety of (indoor and outdoor) equipment and materials appropriate for the learning and ability of children attending
• provision and maintenance of compliant first aid kits
• development and implementation of a procedure for the hygienic laundering of linen
• implementing all aspects of the current Fire Evacuation Scheme
• clearly identifying a designated safe assembly area for evacuation purposes
• securing heavy furniture and equipment that could topple and cause serious injury
• development of a written emergency plan that details roles and responsibilities that apply during emergency situations
• evidence of review of the emergency plan on an, at least, annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required
• staff are familiar with, carry out and evaluate relevant emergency drills with children on an at least three-monthly basis
• consistent and robust implementation and recording of identified hazards on the hazard management system
• analysis of accidents and incidents to identify hazards
• evidence that parents have been informed of accidents
• strengthening all aspects of medication administration, including policy and procedures.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF4, PF28, HS2, HS4, HS5, HS6, HS7, HS8, HS12, HS27, HS28.

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence of Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.

Next ERO Review

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

Darcy Te Hau Acting

Director Review and Improvement Services

Central Region - Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

4 June 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 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.

1 Evaluation of Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre requires further development in relation to leadership, self-review, governance, curriculum, planning, assessment and evaluation. This is necessary to promote a quality early childhood service. During the review ERO identified areas in the centre's strategic planning, self-review and performance management practices that require significant improvement.

The owners and centre manager are taking steps towards improving the centre. However, there is still much work to be done to bring the centre up to the standard required to ensure that children and their families learn and play in a high quality learning environment. The centre and ERO agree that external support would be beneficial for centre improvement.

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

Background

Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre is a privately owned, full-day education and care centre located in Tauranga. The centre is licensed for 42 children, including 15 up to two years of age. The current roll is 38 children including 20 children who identify with Māori.

In April 2017 there was a change of ownership. A new centre manager, previously head teacher of the over two's, has been appointed. There have been other staff changes. The centre operates in two age-specific rooms in a converted house.

The significant key next steps identified in the 2015 ERO report relating to agreed expectations for effective teaching, centre-wide professional development and a more robust appraisal process have not been addressed.

The Review Findings

Teachers have established mutually respectful, responsive and positive relationships with children and their families. They know the children and families well. Familiar routines are consistently implemented giving children a sense of security. The teachers at the centre demonstrate inclusive practice when working with families, and with children who have additional needs. Children benefit from learning experiences extended through regular visits and excursions to local areas of interest.

There is evidence of a commitment to te reo and tikanga Māori. Individual pepeha, waiata and karakia are well supported by a teacher fluent in te reo Māori. This is promoting the bi-cultural heritage of Aotearoa for all children.

Children under two years of age experience a nurturing and settled environment. They have their own indoor and outdoor spaces where they can safely move about and explore. Care routines are responsive to the needs of babies and toddlers. Language development for young children is supported by teachers who respond positively to their verbal and non-verbal communication.

Key Next Steps

ERO has identified that the centre needs to:

• develop and implement a local curriculum as required by the revised Te Whāriki, early childhood curriculum

• review key documentation including philosophy, mission statement, and policy framework

• provide a working climate in which all staff feel valued and safe

• establish a strategic plan that has ownership by staff and parents

• ensure a rigorous appraisal process is in place for the centre manager and staff, and that this includes appropriate professional development opportunities

• strengthen planning and assessment for the learning needs of individual children

• ensure that the operation of the centre meets legislative requirements (including staffing and supervision ratios)

• strengthen internal evaluation focused on continual centre improvement and improved outcomes for children.

These next steps will improve the quality of education and care provided by the centre.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre 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.

Actions for compliance

ERO identified significant areas of non-compliance with regard to:

• securing heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment to stop falling, toppling and causing serious injury or damage

• the implementation of suitable human resource management practices

• annual planning that identifies who, what, when and where in relation to key tasks undertaken each year 

• self-review processes including a schedule showing timelines for planned review and recorded outcomes from the review process 

• documentation that provides evidence of a planned, implemented and evaluated curriculum

• implementing a documented hazard identification and management system

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, Criterion HS6, GMA7, GMA8, GMA6, C2, HS12].

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service, in consultation with the Ministry of Education, develops a plan to address the key next steps and actions outlined in this report.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Kids on Nineteen Early Learning Centre will be within two years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer

Te Tai Miringa - Waikato / Bay of Plenty Region

26 June 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.