Pasifika Early Learning - Taita

Education institution number:
50045
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Pacific Is. EC Service
Total roll:
34
Telephone:
Address:

33a Churton Crescent, Taita, Lower Hutt

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Pasifika Early Learning - Taita

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

Regulatory standards

ERO’s judgement

CurriculumNot meeting
Premises and facilitiesMeeting
Health and safetyMeeting
Governance, management and administrationNot meeting

At the time of the review, ERO identified non-compliance with regulatory standards that must be addressed. 

Background

Pasifika Early Learning - Taita is one of four centres that operates under the leadership of Solve Education Ltd. Governance is provided by three directors. A centre manager, from within the cluster, and operations manager support a recently appointed head teacher and a mix of longer-serving and newer teachers and support staff.  The majority of the children attending are of Samoan heritage, with a small number that whakapapa Māori or are from other Pacific ethnicities.

Summary of Review Findings

The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whārikithe early childhood curriculum. It respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect each other.

A language-rich environment supports children’s learning. The curriculum provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. The design and layout of the premises support the provision of different types of indoor and outdoor experiences.

Better monitoring of aspects of health and safety, curriculum and governance, management and administration are required.

Actions for Compliance

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

  • providing a curriculum that supports children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour
  • ensuring 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 (such as philosophy, policies, and procedures and any other documents that set out how day to day operations will be conducted).
    Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services, 2008, C10, GMA4.   

During and since the onsite review, the service provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:

  • having evidence of review of the emergency management plan on at least an annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required (HS7).
  • ensuring water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60°C (HS14).
  • Adults who administer medicine to children (other than their own) are provided with information and/or training relevant to the task (HS29).

Recommendation to Ministry of Education 

ERO recommends the Ministry follows up with the service provider to ensure that non-compliances identified in this report are addressed promptly.

Next ERO Review 

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

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

14 February 2024 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Pasifika Early Learning - Taita 
Profile Number50045
LocationTaita, Lower Hutt 
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers 80-99%
Service roll52
Review team on siteNovember 2023 
Date of this report14 February 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Assurance Review September 2019; Education Review July 2017. 

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 regulatory 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; safety checking; teacher certification; ratios)
  • relevant evacuation procedures and practices.

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. 

Pasifika Early Learning - Taita - 25/11/2019

ERO’s Judgement

Regulatory standards
ERO’s judgement
CurriculumMeeting
Premises and facilitiesMeeting
Health and safetyMeeting
Governance, management and administrationMeeting

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

Background

Pasifika Early Learning - Taita was relicensed under new ownership in January 2019. It is one of four services owned by Solve Education Ltd. A new centre manager and head teacher have been appointed. An assistant head teacher role has been established. There are also three teachers and four unqualified staff. Most of the children attending are Māori or Samoan.

ERO’s 2017 review of the service identified areas of non-compliance relating to curriculum and governance. Considerable progress in all areas has been made by the new owners and current staff.

Summary of Review Findings

The curriculum supports children to be confident in their own culture and to understand and respect other cultures. Children are involved in decisions about their learning experiences, and their preferences are respected. Teachers respect and acknowledge the aspirations parents and whānau have for their children.

A process of self review helps teachers to maintain and improve the quality of education and care. A system of regular teacher appraisal is implemented. An annual plan guides service operation and improvements.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • teachers consolidating ongoing curriculum improvements and further developing the local curriculum to reflect what is important to children, their families, kaiako and the wider community.

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

25 November 2019

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NamePasifika Early Learning - Taita
Profile Number50045
LocationTaita, Lower Hutt
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2.
Percentage of qualified teachers80%+
Reported ratio of staff to children under 21:4 - Better than regulatory standards.
Reported ratio of staff1:10 - Meets regulatory standards.
Service roll50
Gender compositionBoys 29 Girls 21
Ethnic compositionMāori 16
Samoan 27 
Tongan 5 
other Pacific 2
Review team on siteOctober 2019
Date of this report25 November 2019

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review June 2017

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.

Pasifika Early Learning - 16/06/2017

1 Evaluation of Pasifika Early Learning

How well placed is Pasifika Early Learning to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

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

Background

Pasifika Early Learning is a purpose-built centre in Taita, Lower Hutt. It provides education and care in a mainly Samoan context, for children up to school age. Since 2015, the centre has been operating as Pasifika Early Learning. The centre manager and the newly appointed supervisor oversee centre operations.

ERO's 2012 report recommended that managers and teachers continue to use self review to make ongoing improvements. Some progress has been made in the centre programme and teachers' practice.

The Review Findings

Relationships and interactions between children, parents and teachers in the centre are positive. Most teachers are fluent in gagana Samoa and confident in fa'a Samoa. Parents spoke of songs used to enhance the programme and develop children's Samoan language.

Te reo Māori is used throughout the centre. Teachers could now further develop their knowledge in te ao Māori and incorporate this in programme planning and children’s play.

The centre is beginning to develop good processes for programme planning, evaluation and assessment. Teachers have participated in professional development through (SELO) strengthening early learning opportunities. This professional development has supported them to engage in weekly team reflections about their practice and to document individual records of children’s learning dispositions and progress over time. Teachers should continue to build on their subject knowledge and strengthen their response to children’s interests and stages of learning.

The current infants' and toddlers' outdoor learning environment limits opportunities for them to learn and play. Managers have documented plans to improve this space. The completion of this space should provide better opportunities for children to explore and make choices. This will support their learning and development.

In order to improve centre operations overall, recent strategic and annual plans should be regularly reviewed so that managers can use this information to guide ongoing improvement of centre practices over time. In particular, managers need to develop a robust review process to ensure that the centre's philosophy and policies are practised.

The centre's philosophy should be reviewed collaboratively with staff, parents and the local community. Commitment to the Treaty of Waitangi and acknowledgement of all Pacific cultures at the centre should be included. The philosophy should reflect current theories about best practice in early childhood education.

Ongoing professional development and support for the supervisor would help her to improve programmes for children. A shared approach to leadership could help to promote a more professional learning community in the centre.

Key Next Steps

Managers should access external professional support to help them address significant areas where review and improvement is needed. These include:

  • improving assessment and programme planning in order to improve the provision for children's learning
  • completing the upgrade of all learning environments
  • aligning health and safety practices with recent changes to legal requirements
  • clarifying the roles and responsibilities of the centre manager and supervisor, and improving communication between managers and staff
  • establishing regular, improvement focused practices for review and evaluation in all areas of centre operations

All areas of centre operations should be reviewed against legal requirements and indicators of best practice in early childhood education.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Pasifika Early Learning 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 areas of non-compliance. To meet requirements the service needs to improve its performance in the following areas:

  • develop and implement systematic, robust internal evaluation to contribute to ongoing improvement
  • further development for appraisal processes that align with the requirements of the Education Council of NZ
  • report to parents and the local community about how Equity Funding is spent.

Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA6, GMA7

Development Plan Recommendation

ERO recommends that the service consult with the Ministry of Education and 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 Pasifika Early Learning will be within two years.

Steffan Brough

Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern (Acting)

16 June 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 

LocationTaita, Lower Hutt
Ministry of Education profile number50045
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for50 children, including up to 12 aged under 2
Service roll56
Gender compositionGirls 32, Boys 24
Ethnic compositionMāori 
Pākehā 
Samoan 
Samoan/Māori 
Samoan/European Samoan/Danish/Tongan 
Tongan 
Tokelauan 
Niue
Cook Islands Māori
5

29




2

2

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:8Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteMarch 2017
Date of this report16 June 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewMay 2012
Supplementary ReviewMarch 2011
Education ReviewDecember 2009

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.