Whitford Early Learning Centre

Education institution number:
25349
Service type:
Education and Care Service
Definition:
Not Applicable
Total roll:
94
Telephone:
Address:

633 Whitford Road, Whitford

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Whitford Early Learning Centre

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.

ERO’s Judgement

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.

Background

Whitford Early Learning Centre is owned and governed by a qualified centre manager. She is supported by nine qualified teachers and 12 staff including a cook and an administrator. There have been significant staffing transitions since the previous ERO review in 2020. Small numbers of children attending the service, are of Māori or Pacific heritages.

Summary of Review Findings

Children experience meaningful, positive interactions that enhance their learning and nurture their relationships. The curriculum acknowledges and reflects the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua. Children have opportunities to develop knowledge and an understanding of the cultural heritages of both parties to Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Children are supported to be confident in their own culture and encouraged to understand and respect other cultures. They access a language-rich environment and range of experiences that extend their learning and development. 

An increased level of monitoring of service practices is required, to ensure that the service continues to meet compliance with the regulatory standards.

Key Next Steps

Next steps include:

  • increasing shared understanding of how teachers can respond to children’s interests and dispositions through planning and evaluation information
  • continuing to build on existing relationships with parents to seek and respond to whānau aspirations for their child’s learning.

Actions for Compliance

Since the onsite visit, the service has provided ERO with evidence that shows it has addressed the following non-compliances: 

  • Having a tempering valve or other accurate means of limiting hot water temperature is installed. 
  • Having a procedure outlining how the service will ensure hygiene and infection control outcomes are met when washing sick or soiled children.
  • Ensuring the premises, fittings, materials are kept safe and hygienic and maintained in good condition.
  • Ensuring heavy furniture, fixtures, and equipment that could fall or topple and cause serious injury or damage are secured.
  • Having a written emergency plan that includes a list of safety and emergency supplies and resources sufficient for the age and number of children and adults at the service and details of how these will be maintained and evidence of review of the plan on an, at least, annual basis and implementation of improved practices as required.
  • Keeping a record of emergency drills evidencing that adults providing education and care carry out each type of drill with the children (as appropriate) on an at least three-monthly basis.
  • Having a procedure for monitoring children’s sleep that ensures that children do not have access to liquids while in bed and are checked for warmth, breathing, and general wellbeing at least every 5-10 minutes, or more frequently according to individual needs; and a record of the time each child attending the service sleeps, and checks made by adults during that time.
  • Having a documented risk management system to ensure equipment, premises, and facilities are checked daily for hazards to the children. Consideration of hazards must include but is not limited to cleaning agents, medicines, poisons, vandalism, dangerous objects, and foreign materials (e.g., broken glass, animal droppings) and the placement of learning, play and other equipment.
  • Ensuring water stored in any hot water cylinder is kept at a temperature of at least 60° Celsius.
  • Keeping a record when children leave the premises on a regular excursion, the record of excursions must include the names of adults and children involved, and assessment and management of risk.
  • Maintaining a record of serious illnesses that occur at the service including actions taken and by whom and evidence that the parents have been notified/informed.
  • Keeping a record of the written authority from parents for the administration of Category 3 medicine, a record of all Category 3 medicine given to children, and evidence of parental acknowledgement.
  • Having a record of training and/or information provided to adults who administer medicine to children (other than their own) while at the service.
  • Ensuring there is a written child protection policy that meets the requirements of the Children’s Act 2014.
  • Ensuring written information is provided to parents about any planned reviews and consultation.
  • Having evidence of opportunities provided for parents to contribute to the development and review of the service’s operational documents.
  • Ensuring that before a person is employed or engaged as a children’s worker, a record of safety check and the results are completed.
  • Having an annual plan that identifies how key tasks will have regard to the Statement of National Education and Learning Priorities (NELP).
  • Maintaining enrolment records for each child currently attending and for those who have attended in the previous 7 years. Records meet the requirements of the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook and include details of any chronic illness/condition that the child has, and of any implications or actions to be followed in relation to that illness/condition.
  • Maintaining attendance records that meets the requirements outlined in the Early Childhood Education Funding Handbook.  

[Licensing Criteria for Early Childhood Education and Care Services 2008; PF24, PF26, HS1, HS6, HS7, HS8, HS9, HS12, HS14, HS17, HS27, HS28, HS29, HS31, GMA3, GMA4, GMA7a, GMA8, GMA10, GMA11]. 

Next ERO Review

The next ERO review is likely to be an Akarangi | Quality Evaluation. 

Patricia Davey
Director of Early Childhood Education (ECE)

26 February 2024

Information About the Service

Early Childhood Service NameWhitford Early Learning Centre
Profile Number25349 
LocationWhitford, Auckland
Service typeEducation and care service
Number licensed for107 children, including up to 25 aged under 2
Percentage of qualified teachers80-99%
Service roll85
Review team on siteDecember 2023 
Date of this report26 February 2024
Most recent ERO report(s)Education Review, March 2020; Education Review, April 2016

General Information about Assurance Reviews 

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. 

ERO undertakes an Akanuku | Assurance Review process in any centre-based service:

  • 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.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

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. 

Whitford Early Learning Centre March 2020

1 Evaluation of Whitford Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Whitford Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

Whitford Early Learning Centre is well placed to promote positive learning outcomes for children.

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Whitford Early Learning Centre is a well-established, semi-rural service. It provides full-day education and care for children from three months to five years of age. The centre is licensed for 107 children, including 25 up to the age of two years. Five percent of the children enrolled are Māori and nearly 20 percent are Chinese.

The owner, who has recently qualified as an early childhood teacher, governs the centre and provides overall financial management. She employs a centre manager who has oversight of day-to-day centre operations.

Children are catered for in four age-based groups. The Fantails and Tui rooms provide for infants and toddlers. Children from approximately two-and-a-half to three-and-a-half years are in the Pukeko room and older children are in Kiwi Kindergarten. Children have access to outdoor areas connected to their rooms. There are also more extensive outdoor spaces that children visit with their teachers on excursions.

The centre's philosophy is consistent with the intentions of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum. It is influenced by Reggio Emilia practices and the RIE approach to the care and education of infants and toddlers. The philosophy promotes positive and supportive relationships, acknowledges the bicultural heritage of Aotearoa New Zealand and the value of working in partnership with parents.

The 2016 ERO report commented positively on relationships and the quality of teaching, including provision for children under two years of age. Progress has been made in establishing an improvement focused appraisal system. Teachers have taken part in professional learning to support their understanding and use of Te Whāriki 2017. Further work needs to be done to address some areas for improvement identified in the 2016 ERO report.

The Review Findings

Children learn in well-resourced indoor and outdoor environments that support their education and wellbeing. They experience positive relationships with adults and each other and explore their environment with confidence. Children's interactions with teachers support their language development. During conversations, children's contributions are respected by teachers and they are given time to respond. Teachers support children to develop their social skills.

Care practices for infants and toddlers are carried out with respect and reflect the routines and needs of each child. The 'primary care' approach helps to establish, maintain and support a strong sense of belonging and wellbeing for children. Along with regular communication with parents/whānau this approach helps establish strong partnerships that focus on children's care and learning.

Children's transitions into and through the centre and on to school, continue to be well managed. Infants in the Fantail room get to know the Tui room teachers and children through daily contact.

There are many opportunities in the programme for children to be creative, develop early literacy and numeracy skills and explore aspects of science and technology. Teachers encourage children to problem solve and follow their interests.

Teachers are well supported to grow professionally and improve their practices. Some staff are currently increasing their knowledge of te ao Māori, te reo and tikanga Māori. This professional learning will strengthen the capacity of the centre to provide a bicultural curriculum and increase the use of te reo Māori.

The assessment of children's learning, programme planning and evaluation have been identified as an area for further development. Staff should review the effectiveness of each room's current practices, identify indicators of best practice, and then plan strategically to implement high quality assessment and planning across the centre.

Centre operations are guided by a policy framework. The owner is taking a more hands-on approach to managing the centre. She recognises the importance of establishing a clearer strategic plan to guide ongoing improvement, and systems to ensure that policies and procedures are more closely followed.

Internal evaluation would be strengthened by making greater use of evaluative questions to guide the centre's inquiries. Staff are considering how they can adopt a more cohesive approach across the four rooms for some aspects of their work.

The teacher appraisal system and related policies have been reviewed. When the system is fully enacted it will meet the requirements of the Teaching Council.

Key Next Steps

Key next steps include strengthening:

  • internal evaluation and strategic planning
  • assessment of children's learning, programme planning and evaluation
  • monitoring adherence to policies and procedures that guide centre operations
  • the provision of a bicultural curriculum.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Whitford Early Learning 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:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

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.

To improve practice, the manager should improve systems for emergency drills including lockdown procedures.

Steve Tanner

Director Review and Improvement Services Northern

Northern Region

13 March 2020

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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.

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service

LocationWhitford, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number25349
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for107 children, including up to 25 aged under 2 years
Service roll110
Gender compositionBoys 55% Girls 45%
Ethnic compositionMāori 
NZ European/Pākehā 
Chinese
other ethnic groups
5% 
69%
18%
8%
Percentage of qualified teachers80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:7Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteOctober 2019
Date of this report13 March 2020

Most recent ERO report(s)

 

Education ReviewApril 2016
Education ReviewNovember 2012
Education ReviewMarch 2009

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement

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.

Review Coverage

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.

Whitford Early Learning Centre - 08/04/2016

1 Evaluation of Whitford Early Learning Centre

How well placed is Whitford Early Learning Centre to promote positive learning outcomes for children?

Not well placed

Requires further development

Well placed

Very well placed

ERO's findings that support this overall judgement are summarised below.

Background

Whitford Early Learning Centre is located on a rural property in East Auckland. The owner/service provider manages the centre. The centre licence was extended in 2013 to merge the three centres onsite, Whitford Early Learning Centre, Whitford Pre-school Centre and Whitford Private Kindergarten, under one licence. The centre provides care and education for a maximum of 107 children including no more than 25 up to two years of age. This is the first review for the amalgamated centre under the new licence.

Children are mostly from the local community and parents appreciate the centre’s provision for daily outdoor learning experiences. These include walks through the rural property, gardening, feeding animals and swimming lessons.

The centre is organised into four rooms across three nearby buildings. Each room is led by a head teacher. Children from three to 18 months attend the Fantail room. It is adjacent to the Tui room which caters for children from 18 months to two and a half years. Pukeko Cottage, in the original farmhouse, caters for children from two and a half to three years of age. The oldest children, three to five years of age, attend the Kiwi kindergarten.

Over the last three years the centre has continued to experience change. The owner has undertaken self review in response to the new team and to improve the centre’s sustainability. A new curriculum manager was appointed in 2015. The centre employs 19 teachers, five of whom hold full practising certificates. Most teachers are working towards their full practising certificates. One of the four unqualified staff is undertaking teacher training.

The owner and staff have made positive progress since the 2012 ERO review. 

The Review Findings

Children are happy and settled. They have warm and trusting relationships with adults and interact confidently with their friends. Children are respected as capable learners and are well supported to be good communicators and active explorers in their environment. Children have many opportunities to engage in creative play and make choices. They often lead their own learning and independently select resources. Staff are flexible in applying the age guidelines for rooms so that they place children to best meet their individual needs and stages of development.

Infants and toddlers experience a welcoming environment with a flexible and relaxed tone. Teachers support children’s learning and development by responding to their interests and providing a curriculum that engages them in play. Infants’ and toddlers’ need for strong and secure attachments are well supported. The youngest children receive responsive caregiving that is consistent to Fantail’s and Tui’s philosophy of respect.

High quality teaching practices are evident. Teachers are committed to enhancing their reflective, professional practice. They implement an inquiry approach providing open-ended resources for children to lead their own learning and reviewing how well they support children’s free choice throughout the programme. The Kiwi room offers a transition to school programme that could be strengthened by teachers reviewing the alignment of the programme with the aims and principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum.

Collaborative team approaches to planning are helping to build shared understanding and capability in providing for children’s current learning and interests. Teachers are improving the analysis and interpretation of children’s learning, identifying learning dispositions that they will extend and strategies to do this. Teachers have strengthened the way that they are linking and showing continuity in children’s learning. Clear links to Te Whāriki and children's aptitudes for learning are evident in learning stories. Teachers regularly evaluate programmes.

Teachers work well together to integrate te reo me te ao Māori into the programme. The outdoor classroom is well used to provide children with a bicultural curriculum that includes environmental education, science and physical activity. Teachers continue to share their knowledge and expertise, building their capacity to use te reo and to implement authentic learning.

Managers are taking a strategic approach to developing an ongoing cycle of improvement. The team have made a very good start to building a shared understanding of the centre philosophies and vision. They are now poised to develop centre values. Effective curriculum leadership is improving teaching practice and resourcing. Positive impacts of initiatives are already apparent.

Centre managers have identified the need to enhance collaborative self review that continues to grow a shared team culture throughout the centre. A sound policy framework is in place and managers are implementing ongoing review with the new team to strengthen consistency in understanding and practice. Appraisals and policies have recently been reviewed to meet Education Council requirements. Teachers are beginning to build their capacity to reflect on their practices. Future development should assist teachers to deepen self-review by evaluating the effectiveness of outcomes for children. 

Key Next Steps

Centre managers agree that priorities for improvement include:

  • implementing evaluative self-review that makes effective use of indicators of best practice
  • continuing professional development to enhance teachers' understanding of the principles of Te Whāriki, the early childhood curriculum, regarding programme planning, assessment, evaluation and practice.

Management Assurance on Legal Requirements

Before the review, the staff and management of Whitford Early Learning 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:

  • curriculum
  • premises and facilities
  • health and safety practices
  • governance, management and administration.

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.

In order to improve practice, managers should regularly monitor and review staff practices to ensure consistency with centre policies. 

Next ERO Review

When is ERO likely to review the service again?

The next ERO review of Whitford Early Learning Centre will be in three years. 

Graham Randell
Deputy Chief Review Officer Northern

8 April 2016 

The Purpose of ERO Reports

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. 

2 Information about the Early Childhood Service 

LocationWhitford, Auckland
Ministry of Education profile number25349
Licence typeEducation & Care Service
Licensed underEducation (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008
Number licensed for107 children, including up to 25 aged under 2
Service roll136
Gender compositionGirls       51%
Boys      49%
Ethnic compositionMāori
Pākehā
Chinese 
Indian
Dutch
South African
other ethnicities
  7%
75%
12%
  3%
  1%
  1%
  1%

Percentage of qualified teachers

0-49%       50-79%       80%+

Based on funding rates

80% +
Reported ratios of staff to childrenUnder 21:4Better than minimum requirements
Over 21:7Better than minimum requirements
Review team on siteJanuary 2016
Date of this report8 April 2016
Most recent ERO report(s)Education ReviewNovember 2012
Education ReviewMarch 2009

3 General Information about Early Childhood Reviews

ERO’s Evaluation Framework

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.

ERO’s Overall Judgement and Next Review

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:

  • Very well placed – The next ERO review in four years
  • Well placed – The next ERO review in three years
  • Requires further development – The next ERO review within two years
  • Not well placed - The next ERO review in consultation with the Ministry of Education

ERO has developed criteria for each category. These are available on ERO’s website.

Review Coverage

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.