Mana Tama Aoga Niue

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

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

Background

Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool is a community-based service which promotes Niue language and culture. Most of the children enrolled are of Niue heritage. A centre manager runs the
day-to-day operation of the service. The teaching team consists of three qualified teachers, four support staff and an administrator.

Summary of Review Findings

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

Children do not experience a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Teachers’ practice and knowledge of relevant theories to support children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour is not evident. The service’s premises do not currently meet regulatory standards. Effective governance and management systems, and ongoing internal evaluation that support improvement, have not yet been established. Consistent implementation and the monitoring of health and safety practices is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.

Actions for Compliance

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

• the service curriculum must be consistent with the prescribed curriculum framework
• the service curriculum must be informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, interests, whānau and life contexts
• opportunities for meaningful interactions with children that nurture reciprocal relationships
• the practices of adults providing education and care demonstrate an understanding of children’s learning and development and knowledge of relevant theories and practice in early childhood education
• the service curriculum acknowledges the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua
• children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences
• the service curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning
• a sufficient quantity and variety of equipment and materials is provided appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending
• there are safe and stable nappy changing facilities that foster children’s independence appropriately
• furniture and items intended for children to sleep on are securely covered or made of a non-porous material, especially stretchers used for the over two areas
• annual review of the service’s emergency plan
• the implementation and recording of relevant emergency drills on a three-monthly basis with children
• when children leave the premises on an excursion assessment and management of risk is undertaken - policy and procedure has not resolved ratio near water and swimming activities
• all practicable steps are taken to ensure that children do not come into contact with any person on the premises who is suffering from a disease or condition likely to be passed on
• a procedure outlining the service’s response to injury, illness, and incident, including the review and implementation of practices as required specific to the service
• a record of the written authority from parents to administer medicine in accordance with the requirement and evidence of parental acknowledgement
• a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014
• suitable human resource management practices are implemented – selection and appointment procedures
• all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
• an annual plan guides the service’s operation and identifies ‘who’, ‘what’, and ‘when’ key tasks are undertaken each year
• attendance records are kept for at least seven years.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, C1, C2, C3, C4, C5, C7, C9, C10, PF4, PF25, PF30, HS7, HS8, HS17, HS27, HS28, HS31, GMA7, GMA7A, GMA8, GMA11.

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

• The service curriculum supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour (C10).
• Positive steps are taken to respect and acknowledge parent and whānau aspirations for their children’s learning (C11).
• There are sufficient spaces for equipment and materials to be stored safely (PF8).
• Verification of watered stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C by a plumber (PF24).
• There are suitable facilities provided for washing sick or soiled children and a procedure outlining how hygiene and infection control outcomes will be met (PF26).
• There is a first aid kit that complies with the requirement of appendix 1(PF28).
• Premises, furniture, furnishings, fittings, equipment, and materials are kept safe, hygienic and maintained in good conditions (HS1).
• A designated assembly area for evacuation purposes outside the building to keep children safe from further risk (HS5).
• Heavy furniture, fixtures and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secure (HS6).
• A written emergency plan, sufficient supplies and resources for the number of children and adults at the service and an updated contact list with current staff and children (HS7).
• A procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that aligns with the sleep policy (HS9).
• The policy and procedure for children travelling by motor vehicle is aligned to Land Transport legislation and includes approved child restraints (HS18).
• Equipment, premises and facilities are daily checked for hazards (HS12).
• An ample supply of water that is fit to drink is available to children at all times, and older children are able to access this water independently (HS21).
• Information provided to parents includes the amount and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service (GMA3).
• Parents of children attending the service and adults providing education and care are provided with opportunities to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents (GMA4).
• An ongoing process of self-review helps the service maintain and improve the quality of its education and care (GMA6).
• An annual budget guides financial expenditure (GMA9).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education

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.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.

Phil Cowie
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki

9 November 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.

1 Evaluation of Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool

How well placed is Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

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

Background

Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool is a well-established community-based total immersion service located within the Southern Cross Campus grounds in Mangere. It is one of five Pacific early childhood centres located in newly purpose-built facilities. The centre is licensed for 40 children including up to 8 children under two years old.

This service provides a cultural setting with a strong emphasis on Vagahau Niue language, culture and traditional practices and maintain a Christian perspective. Children are mostly Niuean and some are from other Pacific heritages. They attend for all day education and care.

The service is governed by a Trust Board which includes representatives of elders and leaders from the Niuean community, the founder, centre manager and teachers. The centre employs mostly qualified teachers.

The board and staff have made very good progress in addressing the recommendations from the 2013 ERO report. These included:

• developing a programme that better support children’s interest and engagement
• increasing the usefulness of assessment and planning outcomes for children
• strengthening self-review practices for ongoing centre improvement.

Staff have used the centre's self-review processes to significantly improve the outdoor area to strongly reflect Vagahau Niue.

The Review Findings

The philosophy is evident in practice and underpins all aspects of centre operations and relationships at the centre. The promotion of Vagahau Niue informs teaching and learning and guides partnerships with parents and the centre's strategic priorities.

Children are confident and enjoy a strong sense of belonging. They care for each other, and show responsibility and self-help skills. Their independence and leadership is encouraged. They benefit from the calm and gentle tone in the centre and reciprocal relationships with each other and with adults.

Parents are strongly encouraged and involved in the centre. There is a focused approach to building parent understanding of ECE practices. Many have chosen to bring their children to the centre because of the commitment given to Niuean identity, culture and language. Their positive feedback of the programme has enhanced teacher's programme planning for children.

The newly purpose-built environment offers a fun, modern well-resourced and attractive space for children to learn. Teachers have personalised the environment to reflect Vagahau Niue in Aotearoa. Teachers have considered how to offer separate learning areas for children to use.

Teachers have worked hard to strengthen their own capability and are responsive to mentoring opportunities. They are very passionate about improvement and have an open attitude to change. They have built a close knit community with children and their whānau. Teachers work hard to use internal and external professional learning opportunities to increase positive outcomes for children. They could extend the process by evaluating the impact of their practice and challenge their assumptions and expectations about children's learning.

The curriculum is responsive to children's languages, cultures and Vagahau Niue in Aotearoa. Planning, evaluation and assessment is increasingly focused on children's interests, strengths and characteristics. Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, informs teacher's planning. Rich records of children's learning show how children's perspectives are valued and offer parents the opportunities to give feedback to teachers.

The centre manager is an influential leader in the wider Niuean community. He leads and manages the strategic direction of the centre. Together with a curriculum manager and supervisor, they form a leadership and management team that oversee the daily operation of the centre. Leaders encourage teachers' professional development and support them in areas for improvement.

There are good systems in place with a growing focus on accountability and ongoing centre improvement. Increased documentation of processes and procedures has enabled leaders to manage the daily operation of the centre. The management team is cohesive and collaborative and are committed to promoting the philosophy of Vagahau Niue.

A curriculum manager provides professional support and guidance to the team and continues to build teacher's capability and professional practice. She is a leader in the community and encourages teachers to share their strengths and achieve their developmental goals.

The board promote the long term vision and mission of the centre and maintains the historic ongoing relationships that represent Vagahau Niue's traditional and cultural beliefs. They support the aspirations of the Niuean parent community and are focused on ensuring the centre is successful for children. Relationships with the staff are built on mutual respect and professional trust and high expectations for success is evident. 

Key Next Steps

To strengthen their good practice and effectiveness, leaders and staff should continue to embed effective practice in all areas of teaching and learning, governance and management. They should continue to:

• refine documentation of children's complexity of learning
• review the effectiveness of the programme for under 2’s
• review the effective use of internal evaluation to embed effective practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool 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.

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Matua Mo E Tama Aoga Vagahau Niue Preschool will be in three years.

Graham Randell

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

1 March 2017 

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.