Rainbow Kidz Matamata

Education institution number:
45077
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
34
Telephone:
Address:

7 Tetley St, Matamata

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Rainbow Kidz Matamata

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

Curriculum

Not meeting

Premises and facilities

Not meeting

Health and safety

Not meeting

Governance, management and administration

Not meeting

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

Background

Rainbow Kidz Matamata is a privately owned education and care centre. The centre philosophy values manaakitanga and whanaungatanga and aspires for children to become lifelong learners. The centre owners and fully qualified manager support the daily management of the centre and oversee a team of provisionally registered and untrained staff.

Summary of Review Findings

The service is not meeting regulatory standards in a significant number of areas. Areas of
non-compliance with the Licensing Criteria (Early Childhood Education) Regulations 2008 include those of an unacceptable risk to children.

The programme is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. Positive relationships between teachers, whānau and tamariki enhance children’s learning. A variety of experiences are provided to enhance teaching and learning within the programme. The curriculum acknowledges the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua through the use of te reo and tikanga Māori practices.

Actions for Compliance

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

  • having a documented and current Fire Evacuation Scheme approved by the New Zealand Fire Service
  • securing heavy furniture and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury
  • ensuring that there is a record of the annual review of the emergency plan and implementation of improved practices
  • carrying out earthquake and lockdown drills every three months
  • updating the sleep procedure to include children are checked for warmth, breathing and general wellbeing at least every 5-10 minutes
  • ensuring daily hazard checking includes checking for poisons
  • ensuring accidents/incidents are analysed on a regular basis
  • ensuring the temperature of warm water delivered to taps that are accessible to children is no higher than 40 degrees Celsius
  • updating excursion documentation and practices to ensure risk analysis is completed for all excursions
  • ensuring a record of food provided by the service during operating hours is kept and is available for inspection for 3 months after the food is served
  • keeping a record of all injuries and illnesses and incidents that occur at the service that includes the child’s name, the date, time and description of injury, actions taken by whom, and evidence that parents have been informed
  • ensuring that records of all medicine given to children attending the service include evidence of parental acknowledgement
  • keeping a record of all medicine given to children including evidence of parental acknowledgement
  • ensuring information is provided to parents about any fees charged by the service, the amount, and details of the expenditure of any Ministry of Education funding received by the service, and any planned reviews and consultation
  • developing a written procedure that all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
  • ensuring children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014
  • ensuring suitable human resource management processes include induction procedures into the service, a system of regular appraisal and provision for professional development
  • ensuring the service curriculum is informed by assessment, planning and evaluation that demonstrates an understanding of children’s learning, interests, whānau and life contexts
  • ensuring 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
  • having the service curriculum respecting and supporting the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encouraging children to understand and respect other cultures
  • providing children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development – both indoor and outdoor, individually and in groups
  • ensuring regular formal opportunities for parents to be involved in decision making concerning their child’s learning
  • providing a sufficient quantity and variety of (indoor and outdoor) furniture, equipment and materials that is appropriate for the learning and abilities of the children attending
  • ensuring the kitchen facilities are fitted with safety devices to ensure children cannot access them without adult assistance or supervision
  • ensuring there are a means of drying hands for children and adult that prevents the spread of infection
  • limiting hot water temperature to ensure the requirements of HS13 are met
  • ensuring the nappy change facilities foster children’s independence and promote children’s dignity and right to privacy
  • ensuring the first aid kit complies with the requirements of Appendix 1.

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 HS4, HS6, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS13, HS17, HS19, HS27, HS28, GMA3, GMA7, GMA7A, C2, C4, C6, C9, C12, PF4, PF17, PF21, PF24, PF25, PF28]

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.

Shelley Booysen
Acting Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui

24 November 2021 

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service Name Rainbow Kidz Matamata
Profile Number 45077
Location Matamata

Service type

Education and care service

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 15 aged under 2.

Percentage of qualified teachers

50-79%

Service roll

36

Ethnic composition

Māori 24, NZ European/Pākehā 7, Other ethnic groups 5

Review team on site

August 2021

Date of this report

24 November 2021

Most recent ERO report(s)

Education Review, August 2017; Education Review August 2014.

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.

Rainbow Kidz Matamata - 28/08/2017

1 Evaluation of Rainbow Kidz Matamata

How well placed is Rainbow Kidz Matamata 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

Rainbow Kidz Matamata is a privately owned, all-day education and care centre located in Matamata. It caters for children from six months to school age. The service is licenced for 40 children, including 15 under the age of two. The current roll of 44 includes 15 who identify as Māori. The purpose built centre contains a separate indoor area for children under two years of age and an outdoor environment shared by all children.

The centre philosophy is focused on providing children with a safe environment where they can develop as lifelong learners. Since the 2014 ERO review the centre has evaluated the programme for four year olds and reviewed the roles and responsibilities of the centre owners. There remains the need to strengthen performance management systems as identified in this report.

The Review Findings

Caring teachers respond well to children’s interests and have a good understanding of each child as a unique learner. Teachers engage in one-to-one responsive interactions with children and demonstrate the concept of aroha. The natural environment provides an atmosphere where children have fun, feel safe and are well cared for. Literacy and mathematics are well integrated in daily programmes. Children enjoy waiata, action songs and a variety of music genre. Transitions into and within the centre, and on to school are well supported by teachers with a focus on children's wellbeing. Children benefit from the commitment of leaders and teachers to providing equitable opportunities for all.

Children up to the age of two years are nurtured by teachers in a safe, calm and responsive environment. They are able to play and learn at their own pace in well-resourced areas. Teachers are responsive to the individual preferences and interests of these young children who benefit from nurturing interactions that extend and challenge their ideas and thinking.

Te reo and tikanga Māori are naturally integrated in the daily programme. Children are actively involved in aspects of Māori culture and tuakana teina relationships are a feature of the centre. Teachers use their skills and expertise about te ao Māori to enhance children’s identity, language and culture. They reflect an understanding of the essence of the Māori child, such as mana, wairua and mauri.

A responsive and inclusive curriculum values children’s individuality, interests and whakapapa. Teachers have established strong, responsive, reciprocal and respectful relationships with children, parents and whānau. Assessment processes identify children’s learning and their participation in a wide range of activities. Children with special needs are well catered for through strong teacher/parent partnerships and individual education plans. Areas of play are richly resourced and children are empowered to engage in sustained and uninterrupted play and learning.

Shared leadership enables management and teachers to make effective use of individual's strengths and knowledge to improve teaching practice and consider innovative ideas. The centre owner is building and supporting professional competence in bicultural practices and teachers acknowledge the importance of te Tiriti o Waitangi. Centre practices and expectations are enhancing children’s pride in their culture, language and identity and sense of belonging.

The service's philosophy, vision, goals and systems promote positive learning experiences for all children. Policies and procedures are well established. While self-review is informing decision making at governance level there is an urgent need to implement an effective appraisal process.

Key Next Steps

ERO and centre management agree to:

  • develop more in-depth and researched evaluation of teaching practice and learning programmes

  • review meal time routines to evaluate how effectively they support children's learning experiences.

Recommendation

ERO recommends that leaders access appropriate, external professional development in order to implement an effective appraisal process for all staff.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Rainbow Kidz Matamata 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 the following area of non-compliance:

  1. The centre manager must ensure that teachers are regularly appraised according to the requirements of the Education Council. (Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, GMA7).

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Rainbow Kidz Matamata will be in three years.

Lynda Pura-Watson

Deputy Chief Review Officer Waikato/Bay of Plenty

28 August 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 

Location

Matamata

Ministry of Education profile number

45077

Licence type

Education & Care Service

Licensed under

Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008

Number licensed for

40 children, including up to 15 aged under 2

Service roll

44

Gender composition

Girls 24 Boys 20

Ethnic composition

Māori
Pākehā
Other

15
26
3

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49% 50-79% 80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +

Reported ratios of staff to children

Under 2

1:4

Better than minimum requirements

Over 2

1:5

Better than minimum requirements

Review team on site

June 2017

Date of this report

28 August 2017

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education Review

August 2014

Education Review

June 2011

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.