Mt Hutt Skiwiland, Methven
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 - Mt Hutt is one of two casual services owned and managed by NZ Ski Limited this service is situated in the Mt Hutt base building on the mountain. It operates, and is open weather permitting from June to October every day during the ski season. It provides a unique alpine learning environment for infants, toddlers and young children. Most teachers are registered and qualified.
A specific and localised curriculum, aligned to Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum provides a play-based programme which includes snow sports opportunities. Resources and teachers use of te reo Māori reflects aspects of te ao Māori. The service takes all reasonable steps to promote the good health and safety of children enrolled in the service. Effective governance and management systems and ongoing self-review supports improvement.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Dr Lesley Patterson
Director Review and Improvement Services (Southern)
Southern Region | Te Tai Tini
2 November 2021
| Early Childhood Service Name | Skiwiland - Mt Hutt |
| Profile Number | 70023 |
| Location | Methven |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
31 children, including up to 4 aged under 2. |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
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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 |
August 2021 |
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Date of this report |
2 November 2021 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, September 2018; Education Review, September 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 Mt Hutt is one of two centres owned by New Zealand Ski Limited, which operate in unique alpine settings. It is located in the Mt Hutt base building on the mountain. The centre is open from June to October, seven days a week, during the ski season. It provides half and full-day education and care for mixed-aged children. The centre is licensed for 31 children, including 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 experiences in the mountain environment in winter.
The specific setting of the centre and the casual nature of its clientele make relationship building and staffing retention key annual priorities. A stable management and leadership team has overseen some changes in staffing since the last review. Staffing has been more stable in recent seasons. Teachers and leaders are from diverse backgrounds with a range of appropriate early childhood, primary education and ski instruction qualifications.
Since the last ERO review in 2013, the centre has made progress in:
strengthening the partnership with the ski school
outcomes-based strategic planning
strengthening assessment processes for children who attend regularly
building and extending teaching and learning programmes
strengthening supervision plans and processes.
The centre's unique Skiwiland philosophy is strongly evident in all aspects of its identity and programme. Children learn and play in a nurturing environment which promotes fun, safety and exploration. A specific and localised curriculum, aligned to Te Whāriki, provides snow sports opportunities and an awareness of the history and connections to the mountain.
Leaders and teachers prioritise the building of 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. Centre staff understand the importance of settling and caring for children who have short term connections with them.
Children are cared for and supported to achieve the key priorities for their learning, outlined in appropriate 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. A three-tiered learning and care programme ensures that readiness to learn and explore is age and development appropriate. This allows children time to practise working in groups and adapt to changes in routines.
Assessment practices for effective planning reflect what matters most for the children 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 encouraged to participate in, their children's progress and achievements. All children and families receive a progression card which contains skill assessments in snow sports.
Significant numbers of families participate in centre surveys to support processes for ongoing improvements in the service. Leaders, teachers and ski instructors gather information on their families so that children quickly develop a sense of belonging. Children benefit from the caring, skilful approaches within the centre.
There is a growing commitment to bicultural practices that 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 local stories associated with the mountain. Kaiako, including international teachers and instructors, are committed to improving their reo Māori and knowledge of tikanga.
The indoor under-two area is a calm, well-resourced area 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. Collaborative approaches to managing the different areas of the centre enable tuakana teina relationships and learning opportunities with older children to occur (Ako).
The centre manager and lead teacher are modelling a collaborative, strategic culture in the centre. A family-like atmosphere ensures that children's learning and other needs are prioritised. The teacher appraisal system supports these practices and ensures that teachers' daily reflections are focused on positive 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.
Leaders and senior business managers have established well-planned, cohesive systems that strongly link the education and care 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 in a range of documents and processes, and reflect the specific aspirations of families.
ERO and the centre leaders agree that the key next steps for teachers are to:
develop a PLD plan which reflects current and future priorities for centre improvement
further develop bicultural practices to reflect an ongoing commitment to te Tiriti o Waitangi
explore opportunities to become involved in a Kāhui Ako|Community of Learning
further develop the quality of learning and teaching in the unique setting
increase the visibility and impact of Te Whāriki curriculum planning and programmes.
Before the review, the staff and management of Skiwiland Mt Hutt 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 Mt Hutt will be in three years.
Alan Wynyard
Director Review & Improvement Services
Te Waipounamu - Southern Region
14 November 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 |
Mt Hutt, Methven, Mid Canterbury |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
70023 |
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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 |
31 children, including up to 4 aged under 2 |
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Service roll |
Variable; Casual attendance centre |
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Gender composition |
Variable |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori Pākehā Other ethnicities |
Variable Variable Variable |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
50-79% |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Under 2 |
1: 4 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Over 2 |
1: 6 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
September 2018 |
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Date of this report |
14 November 2018 |
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Most recent ERO reports |
Education Review Education Review Education Review |
September 2013 December 2010 September 2007 |
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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.