25 Hinemoa Street, Whakatane
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 |
At the time of the review, ERO found the service was taking reasonable steps to meet regulatory standards.
The Tree House is privately owned and operated. The centre owner leads a team of seven teachers across two aged-based areas. Of the children enrolled at the time of this review, the majority identify as Māori. The service philosophy places value on a bilingual Montessori approach to early education.
The service’s philosophy guides a curriculum that is inclusive and responsive to children as confident and competent learners. Children’s preferences are respected, and they are involved in decisions about their learning. Adults providing education and care engage in meaningful positive interactions to enhance children’s learning and nurture reciprocal relationships.
Māori are acknowledged as tangata whenua within a language rich environment. Children have opportunities to develop knowledge of both parties to te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The design and layout of the premises supports different types of indoor and outdoor experiences. Suitable health and safety procedures are in place.
Next steps include:
Improve the extent to which assessment information shows children’s progress and learning overtime, in relation to valued outcomes for learning from Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.
Increase the visibility of how kaiako are responding to children’s life contexts, interests, and dispositions, and to parents’ aspirations, in assessment, planning and evaluation information.
The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation.
Phil Cowie
Director Review and Improvement Services (Central)
Central Region | Te Tai Pūtahi Nui
1 March 2023
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
The Tree House |
|
Profile Number |
45094 |
|
Location |
Whakatane |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
47 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80-99% |
|
Service roll |
36 |
|
Review team on site |
January 2023 |
|
Date of this report |
1 March 2023 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Akanuku | Assurance Review, January 2021; Education Review, March 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.
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 |
Not 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.
The Tree House in Whakatane is a privately owned and operated service. The staff work across two Montessori inspired, age-based spaces. The service was placed on a provisional license in November 2019 by the Ministry of Education and has now returned to a full licence.
The service is not meeting the regulatory standards in health and safety, premises and facilities, and governance, management, and administration. Consistent implementation of practices in these areas is required to meet all aspects of regulatory compliance.
The service 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 to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
The service curriculum provides a language-rich environment that supports children’s learning. It provides children with a range of experiences and opportunities to enhance and extend learning and development.
ERO found areas of non-compliance in the service relating to:
[Licencing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Centres 2008, HS4, HS7, HS9, HS16, HS17, HS27, HS28, PF7, 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
20 January 2021
|
Early Childhood Service Name |
The Tree House |
|
Profile Number |
45094 |
|
Location |
Whakatane |
|
Service type |
Education and care service |
|
Number licensed for |
47 children, including up to 18 aged under 2 years. |
|
Percentage of qualified teachers |
80%+ |
|
Service roll |
40 |
|
Ethnic composition |
Māori 33 |
|
Review team on site |
December 2020 |
|
Date of this report |
20 January 2021 |
|
Most recent ERO report(s) |
Education Review, March 2015; Education Review March 2012. |
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: