New Shoots Children's Centre - Hobsonville

ERO’s Judgement

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

Background

New Shoots Children’s Centre - Hobsonville is a purpose-built centre with a licence for 125 children, which includes 40 under two years of age. This is the first ERO review of the service. The service caters for children from diverse cultural backgrounds. Most teachers have early childhood education qualifications.

Summary of Review Findings

Teachers plan and implement a programme that is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, and responds to children’s interests, strengths and capabilities. Children experience a wide range of learning experiences in a well-resourced environment. Their learning is supported by positive interactions with teachers. Infants and toddlers enjoy a safe and comfortable space. The programme acknowledges the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand.

The service is well managed. Leaders and teachers regularly share information about children’s learning with parents and encourage their involvement in programme decision making. An ongoing process of evaluation keeps teachers focused on improving learning outcomes for children.

Next steps include:

• increasing the visibility of children’s languages and cultures in portfolios
• continuing to develop teacher capability to extend children’s thinking and inquiry.

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Education Review.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)

Northern Region - Te Tai Raki

24 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.