Little Climbers Early Learning Centre - 03/02/2021

• On this page:

• ERO’s Judgement
• Background
• Summary of Review Findings
• Key Next Steps
• Next ERO Review
• Information About the Service
• General Information about Assurance Reviews

ERO’s Judgement

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

Background

Little Climbers Early Learning Centre is a privately owned education and care service. Previously known as Little Kingdom Christian Preschool, it has been re-licensed under new ownership since December 2019. The owner/centre manager leads a team of two qualified teachers and one support staff member. This is the centre’s first ERO review as Little Climbers Early Learning Centre.

Summary of Review Findings

Positive steps are taken to acknowledge the aspirations held by parents and whānau for their children. The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect other cultures. The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning.

There is a comprehensive annual plan that visibly guides the service’s operations. A sufficient quantity and variety of furniture, equipment and materials is provided appropriate for children’s learning and abilities. The premises, furniture, equipment, and materials are maintained in good condition.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

• deepening teachers’ understanding of Te Whāriki (2017), the early childhood curriculum, through more targeted professional learning opportunities
• strengthening the interactions between teachers and children, individually and collectively, to encourage and support children’s thinking and problem-solving capabilities.

Next ERO Review

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

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

3 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.