149 Kamo Road, Kensington-Whangarei, Whangarei
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 non-compliances and is now taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
St John’s Progressive Childcare is a community-based service that is governed by a board of trustees comprising of parents. A qualified centre manager leads a team of eight qualified teachers, eight unqualified teachers, a cook, and an administrator. A quarter of the children enrolled are of Māori heritage.
The service curriculum is consistent with Te Whāriki, the New Zealand early childhood curriculum. Adults engage in meaningful, positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
Leaders and teachers acknowledge the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children are given the opportunity to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that fosters children’s developing social competence and understanding of appropriate behaviour. Children are provided with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend their learning and development both indoors and outdoors, individually and in groups.
Service leaders must improve how they implement and monitor systems, to maintain regulatory standards.
Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances:
Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, PF7, PF30, HS4, HS6, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS11, HS12, HS17, HS28, GMA1, GMA3, GMA6.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)
10 April 2024
| Early Childhood Service Name | St John’s Progressive Childcare |
| Profile Number | 11512 |
| Location | Kensington, Whangarei |
| Service type | Education and care service |
| Number licensed for | 70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 |
| Percentage of qualified teachers | 80-99% |
| Service roll | 83 |
| Review team on site | February 2024 |
| Date of this report | 10 April 2024 |
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review, February 2020; Education Review, March 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 |
St John's Progressive Childcare is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.
St John's Progressive Childcare is an established community-based centre that caters for 70 children from three months to school age. The centre is governed by a volunteer board of trustees and managed by a centre manager.
The purpose-built centre consists of two adjacent buildings. One building caters for infants and toddlers, and the other for older children in two age-related groups. Team leaders manage the day-to-day running of each space.
The centre's philosophy is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It acknowledges every child as an individual with their own unique identity and culture. The philosophy promotes a friendly welcoming environment where manaakitanga and aroha are important. Teachers respect children's contributions and nurture their interests and knowledge. Teachers working with the younger children focus on building relationships in a calm learning environment.
The 2016 ERO report noted quality conversations that promote children's oral language, thinking and development of social and self-help skills. These aspects continue to be present. Good progress is being made with planning, assessment and evaluation of children's learning, and with the implementation of the appraisal process.
Children are very settled in this inclusive centre. Positive and supportive relationships are evident between teachers and children. Teachers listen and respond to children. Children demonstrate caring and collaborative friendships and tuakana/teina relationships.
Key primary caregivers support infants' and toddlers' needs for strong and secure attachments. They respond sensitively to each child's changing needs and preferences. Teachers form trusting relationships with parents.
Teachers know children well as learners. Most teachers use their observations of children's interests, strengths and learning skills to inform individual planning. Older children are encouraged to co-construct their learning programmes with teachers. They lead their own learning with teachers working alongside them. Leaders and teachers could now develop greater consistency in implementing these good practices.
The learning environment is very well resourced and encourages exploration. Children have easy access to learning spaces and demonstrate care for the environment.
Children use digital devices and books to research their interests. Shared pleasure in literacy is evident in the centre. Teachers promote oral language skills and the love of reading for enjoyment. Children model this behaviour both independently and in groups.
Children's individual assessment portfolios show that teachers support children to represent their learning in a range of different media. Children have opportunities to be creative and develop their working theories. Literacy, mathematics and science are incorporated in meaningful ways within play to extend learning skills and dispositions.
Leaders invest well in professional learning and development (PLD) for staff. It would be timely now for leaders to align teacher PLD with the centre's strategic priorities to help drive improvement. Leaders could strengthen their capacity by building leadership networks to assist them in their roles as curriculum and personnel leaders for change and improvement.
Leaders agree that key next steps to improve practice are for leaders and teachers to:
Before the review, the staff and management of St John's Progressive Childcare 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.
Steve Tanner
Director Review and Improvement Services Northern
Northern Region
7 February 2020
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 | Kensington, Whangarei | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 11512 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 83 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 53 Girls 30 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori NZ European/Pākehā other ethnic groups | 20 54 9 | |
| 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 | October 2019 | ||
| Date of this report | 7 February 2020 | ||
Most recent ERO report(s)
| Education Review | March 2016 | |
| Education Review | March 2012 | ||
| Education Review | November 2008 | ||
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.
Not well placed | Requires further development | Well placed | Very well placed |
ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.
St John’s Progressive Childcare Centre is an established community-based centre in Whangarei City. This purpose built centre caters for 70 children from three months to school age. The centre is governed by a volunteer board of trustees and managed by a centre manager and team leaders. In 2012 St John’s Progressive Childcare Centre was reviewed by ERO under two Ministry of Education licences. It now has one licence for both centres. There have been many staff changes since the 2012 ERO reviews.
Children’s education and care is provided within five age-related groups in two adjacent buildings. A team leader manages the day to day running of each building. In one building there are three groups for infants and toddlers, and in the other building the older children are in two groups. While each age group has a designated area and staff, there is a lot of movement and connection between the groups.
The centre’s philosophy is consistent with Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It promotes a friendly welcoming environment where manaakitanga and aroha are important. Teachers are encouraged to learn alongside children, respecting their contributions and nurturing their interests and knowledge. Teachers working with the younger children focus on building relationships in a calm learning environment.
The 2012 ERO reports commented positively on the centres’ commitment to relationships and a bicultural curriculum. Good progress is being made in development areas noted in these reports related to planning and assessment, performance management and self review.
Children’s education and wellbeing are well catered for by the centre. Teachers promote children’s learning through play. The values of whanaungatanga, manaakitanga and aroha are evident in the relationships and interactions among the staff, children and parents/whānau. Parents are encouraged to be part of their children’s learning at the centre.
Children and teachers have high quality conversations that promote their oral language, thinking and the development of social and self-help skills. Children are settled, confident and play well together. They are very respectful of each other and their environment.
The curriculum is becoming increasingly bicultural. Te reo Māori is becoming an integral part of conversations and written communication as teachers gain knowledge in the language. Centre managers could now review the extent to which the curriculum supports the identity of children from other cultures who attend the centre.
The education and care of infants and toddlers are well provided for. Teachers ensure that the routines for these children are consistent with their routines at home and are used as learning opportunities. Children are well supported in their transition to the centre and through to their next age group.
The environment is well organised and resourced and promotes learning. Children have easy access to resources and move freely most of the day between the indoor and outdoor areas. Wall displays support children’s current interests and help parents’ understanding of their children’s learning. The outdoor areas encourage physical activity.
Teachers are developing effective ways of recording and sharing their planning and assessment of the learning programme. Their planning supports children to develop their dispositions and interests individually and as part of groups.
The centre is well lead by knowledgeable and experienced leaders and managers. They are improvement focused and provide strong support for teachers to develop their professional practice. There are good processes in place to manage the health and safety of children and adults. A new appraisal system is in the early stages of being introduced. This system encourages reflection on practice and is being adapted to meet new requirements.
All staff and parents are encouraged to contribute to reviewing aspects of the centre and to make suggestions for improvement. A strategic plan identifies goals for the year. The manager could now develop plans outlining the steps to be taken to achieve these strategic goals. Action plans could specify resources, personnel and timelines to complete tasks.
In order to sustain and clarify the work of the board, trustees could document the role of the board and how its work is to be conducted. Such guidelines would be useful when new trustees are inducted and could also provide a self-review tool against which the board could review its practice.
Centre leaders have identified appropriate development priorities that include:
Before the review, the staff and management of St John's Progressive Childcare 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 practice the centre manager should strengthen the recording of procedures relating to personnel management so that effective systems are sustained. The board of trustees should ensure that the induction of new trustees is well supported by a guiding governance document.
The next ERO review of St John's Progressive Childcare will be in three years.
Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern
9 March 2016
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 | Kensington, Whangarei | ||
| Ministry of Education profile number | 11512 | ||
| Licence type | Education & Care Service | ||
| Licensed under | Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 | ||
| Number licensed for | 70 children, including up to 20 aged under 2 | ||
| Service roll | 85 | ||
| Gender composition | Boys 56 Girls 29 | ||
| Ethnic composition | Māori Pākehā Samoan Asian African other | 30 44 2 3 2 4 | |
Percentage of qualified teachers 0-49% 50-79% 80%+ Based on funding rates | 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 | November 2015 | ||
| Date of this report | 9 March 2016 | ||
| Most recent ERO report(s) | Education Review | March 2012 | |
| Education Review | November 2008 | ||
| Supplementary Review | November 2005 | ||
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 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.