63 Tarewa Road, Rotorua Central, Rotorua
View on mapERO’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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | Meeting |
| Health and safety | Meeting |
| Governance, management and administration | Meeting |
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed a non-compliance and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Rotorua Childcare Centre is a community owned and operated service. It provides for children from birth to school age in three age-based rooms with a large shared outdoor play area. The service has a multicultural roll that includes some Pacific learners as well as large groups of Māori and Chinese children.
The service provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development. The curriculum is inclusive, children’s preferences are respected, and children are involved in decisions about their own learning.
Adults providing education and care engage in positive, meaningful interactions and nurture reciprocal relationships with children. The language-rich learning environment supports children’s learning.
The unique place of Māori as tangata whenua is acknowledged, and children are developing knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages for both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Next steps include:
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliance:
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
13 December 2023
| Early Childhood Service Name | Rotorua Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 40092 |
| Location | Rotorua Central, Rotorua |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 60 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 63 |
| Review team on site | November 2023 |
| Date of this report | 13 December 2023 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Akanuku | Assurance Review, September 2022; Education Review, March 2019 |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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.
Regulatory standards | ERO’s judgement |
| Curriculum | Meeting |
| Premises and facilities | 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.
Rotorua Childcare Centre is a community owned and operated service. It caters for children from birth to school age in three age-based play areas and a large shared outdoor play area. The service has a multicultural roll with large groups of Māori and Chinese children attending.
The programme is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. A range of experiences enhance children’s learning and development. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to nurture reciprocal relationships. The service environment is language-rich and supports children’s learning.
The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Consistent implementation of health and safety practices and safety checking of all children’s workers is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008 HS8, GMA7A]
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.
The next ERO review will be in consultation with the Ministry of Education.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
15 September 2022
| Early Childhood Service Name | Rotorua Childcare Centre |
| Profile Number | 40092 |
| Location | Rotorua |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 60 children, including 10 children aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 60 |
| Review team on site | August 2022 |
| Date of this report | 15 September 2022 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, March 2019; Education Review, February 2016 |
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.
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:
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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
| Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
Rotorua Childcare Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Rotorua Childcare Centre is a community owned and operated service located in Rotorua. It caters for children from birth to school age in three age-based play areas. The centre is licensed for 60 children, including 10 up to the age of two. At the time of this ERO review 67 children were enrolled, including 14 Māori and 14 of Chinese descent.
The centre’s philosophy aims to provide high-quality care and education in a secure and stimulating environment, acknowledging cultural values, customs and practices of individuals.
The centre is governed by the Rotorua Childcare Centre Board who are responsible for the centre's vision, finance, property and strategic planning. There have been significant changes at both governance and management level with five new trustees elected and the appointment of a new centre manager. The teaching team remains stable with minimal changes. Three team leaders are responsible for the management of their respective areas. Under the leadership of the new centre manager the centre has responded well to the key areas for development in the February 2016 ERO report.
A positive shift to valuing learning through play is empowering children to make choices about their learning and engage in periods of sustained and uninterrupted play. Children’s independence and self management is actively encouraged through responsive and flexible routines. Early literacy, mathematics and science are beginning to be more meaningfully woven through the programme supporting children's skills and knowledge. Appropriate furniture, equipment and natural and open-ended resources effectively promotes imaginative and creative play. Risk and challenge are offered through the large outdoor environment.
Children up to the age of two years benefit from respectful and nurturing relationships. A well-resourced, dedicated space for younger children allows them to freely explore their environment. This promotes their curiosity and independence. Well-established communication processes between teachers and parents support children’s sense of security and wellbeing. A family orientated approach supports the flexible transitioning of children and whānau into, through and beyond the centre.
Parents and families are well informed about their child’s learning. They have access to well-presented digital and hard-copy portfolios that capture children’s engagement in the life of the centre. Children experience a curriculum where they are listened to and are encouraged to become confident and successful learners and explorers. Further consideration needs to be given to strengthening assessment, planning and evaluation for individual children.
Teachers build positive and caring relationships with children and their families. Thoughtful conversations between teachers and children promote rich oral language development. They positively encourage and acknowledge children's efforts and successes. Teachers use a range of positive guidance strategies to promote social and emotional competence supporting children's growing dispositional development. Leaders and teachers work collaboratively with outside agencies to support children with additional needs.
There is some integration of tikanga Māori and use of te reo Māori by teachers. Further strengthening teachers' knowledge and use of bicultural practice will enhance Māori children's educational success.
The newly appointed centre manager is effectively leading positive change. She has a reflective and strategic approach to her leadership, building a collaborative and respectful working environment. A useful teacher appraisal process is now in place. Meaningful professional learning and development occurs for teachers. Useful self-review practices contribute to positive change and improved outcomes for children.
The community board is in a phase of rebuilding. The board has accessed external advice and guidance to support the process. The constitution, vision, strategic plan and budget are all under review to ensure sustainability of the service and the provision of good-quality education and care. There is an increased focus on being a good employer. Leadership would benefit from clearly defining and documenting governance and management roles and responsibilities.
The key next step for leaders is to build the consistency of teaching practices to reflect best practice and current theory. Priority should be given to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Rotorua Childcare Centre 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:
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:
All early childhood services are required to promote children's health and safety and to regularly review their compliance with legal requirements.
To improve current practice, the early childhood service's governance should ensure consistent implementation of:
To improve current practice, the early childhood service's management should ensure consistent implementation of:
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services
Central Region
28 March 2019
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.
| Location | Rotorua | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 40092 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 60 children, including up to 10 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 67 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 45 Girls 22 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Chinese Other | 14 35 14 4 | |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80% + | ||
| Reported ratios of staff to children | Under 2 | 1:3 | Better than minimum requirements |
| Over 2 | 1:7 | Better than minimum requirements | |
| Review team on site | February 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 28 March 2019 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | February 2016 | |
| Education Review | September 2012 | ||
| Education Review | February 2009 | ||
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.
The overall judgement that ERO makes will depend on how well the service promotes positive learning outcomes for children. The categories are:
ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.
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.