2 Kennedy Grove, Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt
View on mapAkarangi | Quality Evaluation evaluates the extent to which this early childhood service has the learning and organisational conditions to support equitable and excellent outcomes for all learners. Te Ara Poutama Indicators of quality for early childhood education: what matters most are the basis for making judgements about the effectiveness of the service in achieving equity and excellence for all learners. Judgements are made in relation to the Outcomes Indicators, Learning and Organisational Conditions. The Evaluation Judgement Rubric derived from the indicators, is used to inform ERO’s judgements about this service’s performance in promoting equity and excellence.
ERO’s judgements for Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd are as follows:
Outcome Indicators(What the service knows about outcomes for learners) | Whāngai Establishing |
Ngā Akatoro Domains | |
Learning ConditionsOrganisational Conditions | Whāngai Establishing Whāngai Establishing |
Kidz Planet is one of a number of services under the same private ownership. Since the previous ERO review there has been significant staff changes including the centre manager. At the time of the review a small number of children attending are of Māori, Pacific and Indian heritages.
Children benefit from a calm environment that allows them the time and space to lead their own learning. Teachers support children’s social and emotional competence and provide predictability through familiar routines. Activities and opportunities provided allow children to interact with and alongside their peers. Te reo Māori and tikanga Māori is integrated into the daily curriculum. Infants experience caring and nurturing relationships with teachers, who are responsive to their preferences and interests.
A newly developed local curriculum and priorities for children’s learning is beginning to become visible. Cultures of teachers', Pacific Island children and children from other ethnicities, including their whānau, are valued and are celebrated regularly. Home languages are woven through documented assessment.
Assessment, planning and evaluation is underpinned by Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Kaiako are beginning to explore the learning outcomes. Children’s interests are noticed, and some learning progression over time is recognised for some children. It is not yet reliably informing individual planning and intentional teaching practice.
Leaders and teachers are improvement focused. Review, inquiry and research support the team to work collaboratively, and to build relational trust and shared understandings. Induction and professional learning and development is differentiated to meet the needs of the teachers and leaders. Leaders are yet to develop their capability to evaluate the effectiveness of professional learning or consider the impact of changes made on outcomes for all learners.
Those responsible for governance and management develop policies and procedures that are fit for purpose and current. Conditions to support equity and remove barriers to participation are considered and in place.
Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd will include the following actions in its Quality Improvement Planning:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd completed an ERO 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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
8 April 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name: | Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd |
| Profile Number | 55436 |
| Location | Stokes Valley, Lower Hutt |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 50-79% |
| Service roll | 38 |
| Review team on site | February 2024 |
| Date of this report | 8 April 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, May 2022; Education Review, December 2018 |
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Not meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO identified areas of non-compliance with regulatory standards that are an unacceptable risk to children.
Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd is a privately-owned centre with a nursery for infants and toddlers and a preschool area for older children. The owners provide governance support to the centre manager who is responsible for the day-to-day operation. Staff include an established centre manager, new leaders, and a mix of new and long-serving teachers.
The curriculum aligns to the principles and strands of Te Whariki, the early childhood curriculum. Children have a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development - both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups. Teachers engage in positive, respectful interactions with children.
The premises and facilities are appropriately resourced. Governance and management implement suitable human resource practices and teacher appraisal. The service collaborates with parents and whānau about their children’s learning and the service’s operations. An increased level of monitoring and reporting of health and safety practices is required.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS17, HS27, HS28.
Since the onsite visit the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, HS4, HS6, GMA1.
ERO recommends that the Ministry reassess the licence issued to this service provider. ERO will not undertake a further review of this service until the Ministry of Education is satisfied that the service meets regulatory standards.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
9 May 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd |
| Profile Number | 55436 |
| Location | Lower Hutt |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 38 |
| Ethnic composition | Māori 6, NZ European/Pākehā 20, Indian 7, other ethnic groups 5 |
| Review team on site | February 2022 |
| Date of this report | 9 May 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review December 2018; Education Review December 2015. |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Kidz Planet Preschool is a privately-owned centre. It is licensed to provide all-day education and care for 40 children, including 10 up to the age of two years. Of the 38 enrolled at the time of the review, 11 children identify as Māori.
The centre has two designated areas, a nursery for infants and toddlers and a preschool for older children.
The owners provide governance support to the centre manager who is responsible for the day-to-day operation. The leadership team comprises of the centre manager and a team leader for each area. Most teachers are qualified. A change of ownership and significant staff changes has occurred since the December 2015 ERO report.
Leaders and teachers have responded well to the areas for development identified in the previous ERO report. This includes development of an evidence-based appraisal process, undertaking a bicultural internal evaluation and developing shared expectations of teacher practice.
Children enjoy interacting with adults who are responsive and demonstrate a culture of care. Teachers work and play alongside them affirming and extending their learning. Children are respectful of their peers and teachers.
The centre philosophy is currently under review. This process should include identifying priorities for children's learning, in consultation with parents and whānau. These should align to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Further consideration of the learning environment and resourcing is necessary to provide greater opportunities for children to explore a broad curriculum. Developments should focus on providing children with experiences that encourage creativity and problem solving.
Infants and toddlers benefit from caring relationships with responsive teachers who support them in their development. There is a calm unhurried environment in which children have time to explore.
Aspects of kaupapa Māori are evident in the environment. Teachers should now deliberately plan for and give children greater exposure to places of significance unique to Māori in this area.
There is a considered approach to reviewing and developing the curriculum to meet the culture, language and identify needs of Māori learners. This guides the service's provision of a relevant bicultural curriculum. Leaders and teachers should also consider their response to children of Pacific heritage and other cultures.
Leaders have implemented deliberate strategies to support teachers' understanding of assessment, planning and evaluation. Positive changes are evident. The next step is to highlight through documentation how children's culture, language and identity are promoted.
Children with additional needs and their families are well supported. Teachers and families work in partnership to support children's ongoing development and wellbeing.
Recent improvements have been made in supporting children to transition to school. Teachers are committed to continuing to build this approach over time.
Spontaneous and planned review provides direction for ongoing improvement. Teachers are reflective and are committed to ongoing improvement. A key next step is to have a more focused approach on evaluation. This should strengthen decision making and lead to improved outcomes for children.
A useful appraisal process guides teacher practice. Leaders agree that the quality of the appraisal goals and evaluative feedback aligned to these goals should be strengthened. This should support teacher's to reflect on the effectiveness of their practice and promote positive learning outcomes for children.
Leaders and teachers have a strong commitment to continuing to develop teaching and learning that contributes to positive outcomes for children. ERO affirms this direction of continuous improvement.
ERO and manager/owners agree it is timely to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd 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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
The next ERO review of Kidz Planet Preschool Ltd will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review and Improvement Services
Southern Region
18 December 2018
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.
| Location | Lower Hutt | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 55436 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 40 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 38 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 23, Girls 15 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Other ethnic groups | 11 20 7 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:5 | Meets minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:10 | Meets minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | October 2018 | ||
| Date of this report | 18 December 2018 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | December 2015 | |
| Supplementary Review | February 2013 | ||
| Education Review | June 2011 | ||
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:
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.
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:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.