Coronet Peak Ski Area P O Box 359, Fernhill-Queenstown, Queenstown
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 |
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Curriculum |
Meeting |
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Premises and facilities |
Meeting |
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Health and safety |
Meeting |
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Governance, management and administration |
Meeting |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
Skiwiland Coronet Peak is one of two casual services owned and managed by NZ Ski Limited. This service is situated at Coronet Peak base building on the mountain. It operates for sixteen weeks during the ski season. Most teachers are registered and certificated.
The service curriculum provides children with a range of learning experiences within a play-based alpine environment. Positive interactions between children and teachers are fostered with opportunities to hear te reo Māori and learn about aspects of Māori culture that are important to the Wakatipu area. The premises and facilities are resourced to support the learning and abilities of all children. A policy framework and annual planning guide service operation. Health and safety procedures and systems are monitored, and changes made when required. Internal evaluation and appraisal processes are established.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akanuku Review
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
18 October 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Skiwiland Coronet Peak |
| Profile Number | 90037 |
| Location | Queenstown |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
33 children, including up to 4 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
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Service roll |
Variable; casual attendance centre |
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Ethnic composition |
Various ethnicities |
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Review team on site |
September 2021 |
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Date of this report |
18 October 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2018; Education Review, November 2013. |
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 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:
As part of an Akanuku | Assurance Review ERO also gathers and records evidence through:
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
Skiwiland Coronet Peak is one of three centres owned by New Zealand Ski Limited. It operates on a mountain skifield and is located in the Coronet Peak base building. The centre is open from June to September, seven days a week, during the ski season. It provides half and full-day education and care for mixed-aged groups. The centre is licensed for 33 children, including up to four under the age of two.
The centre's philosophy and education programme are focused on a safe, specialised skiing and snow play culture, and familiarisation with the mountain environment in winter.
The unique setting of the centre and the casual nature of attendance of its clientele make relationship building and staffing retention key annual priorities. A stable management and leadership team has overseen significant changes in staffing since the last review. Current staff are from diverse backgrounds and have a range of appropriate early childhood, primary education and ski instruction qualifications.
Since the last ERO report in 2013 the centre has made significant progress in the areas for development identified in that review. These include strengthening performance management, improving teaching and learning and developing bicultural practices.
The centre's unique philosophy is strongly evident in all aspects of its identity and programme. Children experience a rich, specific and localised curriculum that is aligned to Te Whāriki, snow sports opportunities and the history and mythology of the mountain.
Leaders, teachers and ski instructors quickly build warm, welcoming relationships with children and their families (manaakitanga). They respectfully meet the needs and aspirations of families in an environment of relational trust where children come first, and gather information from families so that children quickly develop a sense of belonging.
Children benefit from the caring, skilful approaches within the centre. Kaiako develop strong connections with the children and build a shared identity with them in the learning environment (kaitiakitanga).The centre understands the importance of settling and caring for children who often attend infrequently or for short periods of time.
Children are welcomed, cared for and supported to achieve the key priorities for their learning that are outlined in thorough planning processes. They are encouraged to follow their own interests and curiosities and, in time, to explore, experience and enjoy the outside ski-field environment.
Assessment practices for effective planning reflect what matters most for children's learning in the alpine environment. Children are provided with specific contexts, resources and instructional activities to develop a life-long interest in snow sports. Families are kept informed about, and are encouraged to participate in, their children's progress and achievements. All children receive an assessment card linked to aspects of Te Whāriki, which contains comments from children, parents and teachers.
There is a strong commitment to bicultural practices which form an integral part of everyday life in the centre. These practices honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and help children, including Māori children, to understand and connect with the unique Māori history and stories associated with the mountain and its locality.
The indoor under-two area is well resourced and is focused on the needs of the children. Families are encouraged to spend time settling their children and developing the important relationship with the teacher so that children are happy and engaged. Tuakana teina relationships and opportunities with older children enhance the learning for everyone (ako).
Children are thoughtfully transitioned to the outdoor ski instruction programme. This allows them time to practise working in groups, adapt to changes in routines and to grow in new settings.
The lead teacher and teachers are deeply reflective. They regularly share knowledge (teaching journals) and use evidence and research to collaboratively evaluate the effectiveness of their work. The Story Hui programme which facilitates this work is an innovative recent development. The teacher appraisal system supports these practices and ensures that teachers are meeting learning and other outcomes for children.
Leaders have been instrumental in building centre capability and sustainability since the last review. Clarity of communications across the centre has ensured that seasonal staff are inducted, trained and educated in all aspects of operations. This has encouraged a culture of leadership opportunity and a relentless focus on children's needs and wellbeing.
Leaders and senior business managers have established well-planned, cohesive systems that strongly link the education focus in the centre with the overarching business model. The connection between the centre's vision and values and those of New Zealand Ski Limited are clearly evident and reflect the specific education and care aspirations of families.
ERO and the centre leaders agree that the key next steps for leaders and teachers are to:
Before the review, the staff and management of Skiwiland Coronet Peak 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:
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.
The next ERO review of Skiwiland Coronet Peak will be in four years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
28 September 2018
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.
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Location |
Queenstown |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
90037 |
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Licence type |
Education & Care Service |
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Licensed under |
Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 |
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Number licensed for |
33 children, including up to 4 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
Variable |
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Gender composition |
Variable |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
Variable |
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Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates |
50-79% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1:4 |
Meets minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1:6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
August 2018 |
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Date of this report |
28 September 2018 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
November 2013 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2009 |
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|
Education Review |
September 2006 |
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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:
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 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:
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.