87 Onslow Avenue, Epsom, Auckland
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 |
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
St Andrews Epsom Early Childhood Centre is a privately owned education and care service that operates in the grounds of St Andrews Church. A qualified owner manages the centre and leads a team of four qualified teachers. Children attending the centre are from diverse backgrounds. A small number of children are Māori.
Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities in a language-rich environment. Their choices are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning experiences.
The curriculum respects and supports the right of each child to be confident in their own culture and encourages children to understand and respect each other. Children have opportunities to develop an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Consistent implementation and monitoring of practice is required to meet and maintain regulatory standards.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Any windows or other areas of glass accessible to children are either made of safety glass; or covered by an adhesive film designed to hold the glass in place in the event of it being broken; or effectively guarded by barriers which prevent a child striking or falling against the glass (PF7).
Having a procedure outlining how the service ensures hygiene and infection control outcomes are met when washing sick or soiled children (PF26).
Furniture and items intended for children to sleep on that will be used by more than one child over time are securely covered with or made of a non-porous material that protects them from becoming soiled; allows for easy cleaning (or is disposable); and does not present a suffocation hazard to children (PF30).
Having a procedure for the hygienic laundering (off-site or on-site) of linen used by the children or adults (HS2).
Maintaining a record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults at least every 5 to 10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs (HS9).
Checking equipment, premises, and facilities daily for hazards that include all considerations of hazards required for this criterion (HS12).
Maintaining a record of all medicine (prescription and non-prescription) given to children that includes evidence of parental acknowledgement (HS28).
Having a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 (HS31).
Ensuring all children’s workers who have access to children are safety checked in accordance with the Children’s Act 2014, including maintaining a record of all safety checks and the results. (GMA7A).
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Filivaifale Jason Swann
Director Review and Improvement Services (Northern)
Northern Region | Te Tai Raki
24 January 2023
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Early Childhood Service Name |
St Andrews Epsom Early Childhood Centre |
| Profile Number | 10268 |
| Location | Epsom, Auckland |
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Service type |
Education and care service |
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Number licensed for |
27 children over two years of age |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
100% |
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Service roll |
32 |
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Review team on site |
October 2022 |
|
Date of this report |
24 January 2023 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, April 2019; Education Review, April 2015 |
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.
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.
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.
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Not well placed |
Requires further development |
Well placed |
Very well placed |
St Andrews Epsom Early Childhood Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
St Andrews Epsom Early Childhood Centre was established in 2001. It operates in a building in the grounds of St Andrews Church, and is licensed for up to 27 children aged between two and five years.
The current owner established the centre and continues as the manager and an active member of the teaching team. The supervisor has also been in her role for a significant number of years. The owner, supervisor and all other teachers are registered teachers.
The centre offers a play-based curriculum with an emphasis on the visual arts and laying a sound foundation for early literacy and numeracy learning. The 2015 ERO report noted the attractiveness of learning areas and the high quality of resources. It commented on the collegiality of teachers and their complementary skills. These features continue to be evident in the centre.
Over time, the owner has adapted centre operations in response to changing expectations. This included an extension of operating hours in 2018. Parents can choose for their children to attend morning sessions, or between 9am and 3.45pm.
Children demonstrate a sense of belonging in the centre. They are confident and articulate. The small group size supports them to know each other and the adults well. They play cooperatively, and are encouraged to consider others and to problem solve. They have good opportunities to be leaders in formal and informal situations, and confidently ask for and offer help. Well-established friendships are evident in their imaginative and explorative play.
The learning environment is thoughtfully presented. Children have access to a good variety of activities and quality resources. They have ample opportunities to sustain their interests and develop their independence.
The very good range of books and annotated displays prompt an interest in the purpose of print. Storytelling is a well-integrated feature of the programme. The centre's emphasis on the visual arts is reflected in the variety and presentation of both children's and adults' art in the environment. In these ways the learning environment supports children to develop both verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and to discover different ways to be creative and expressive.
Care has been taken in the appointment of teachers, to ensure that their skills and interests are a good fit with the centre philosophy and the local community. Teachers' shared understanding is evident in the ways they work with and alongside children. They invite children's involvement in activities and model the use of resources, particularly in the arts. Their conversations with children build on their understanding of the child's interests, and reflect their knowledge of the child's family and community. A deliberate focus on strengthening the bicultural curriculum is supporting both teachers and children to develop their knowledge and skills in te reo and tikanga Māori.
Centre leaders emphasise the importance of strong partnerships with families and connecting with the community. Parents are well informed about the centre's philosophy, and have regular opportunities to discuss their goals for their children. Well-presented portfolios provide very good information about their child's learning progress and their engagement in the programme.
Small groups of four year olds (Discovery Groups) regularly visit places of interest in the community and record their perspectives of these experiences. Recent evaluation of transition processes have prompted teachers to more clearly articulate the child's learning at the point of transition to school, and the links between the centre and school curricula. Parents who spoke to ERO expressed their appreciation for what the centre offers their children.
The experienced leadership team provides support for teachers. Provision has been made for teachers to meet for planning and professional discussions. Effective use of external professional learning and development has resulted in the establishment of sound processes for appraisal and internal evaluation. Well-articulated strategic goals guide the ongoing development of the centre. It is timely for centre leaders to update policies, procedures and record-keeping templates, to ensure that documentation matches, and supports the consistency and sustainability of, articulated good practices.
Centre leaders agree that next steps for centre development include:
strengthening both appraisal and programme evaluation processes by placing a greater emphasis on children's learning outcomes
more clearly documenting observations of teachers' practice with regard to their individual inquiry goal and the Standards for the Teaching Profession
providing more opportunities for parent/whānau perspectives to inform internal evaluation.
Before the review, the staff and management of St Andrews Epsom Early Childhood 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:
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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
18 April 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.
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Location |
Epsom, Auckland |
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Ministry of Education profile number |
10268 |
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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 |
27 children aged over 2 years |
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|
Service roll |
33 |
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Gender composition |
Boys 21 Girls 12 |
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Ethnic composition |
Māori |
3 |
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Percentage of qualified teachers |
80% + |
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Reported ratios of staff to children |
Over 2 |
1:9 |
Better than minimum requirements |
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Review team on site |
March 2019 |
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Date of this report |
18 April 2019 |
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Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review |
April 2015 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2012 |
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|
Education Review |
April 2009 |
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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:
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:
Very well placed
Well placed
Requires further development
Not well placed
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.