ECE playground compliance with NZS5828:2015 with supporting documentation
Adriana van Altvorst made this Official Information request to Ministry of Education
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From: Adriana van Altvorst
Dear Ministry of Education,
Request for Information under the Official Information Act 1982
I am writing to request specific information under the Official Information Act 1982 regarding a complaint received by the Ministry of Education in 2018 concerning Kids Count Pukekohe, located in Pukekohe, New Zealand.
My request pertains to the details of the complaint, specifically whether it referenced deficiencies in the playground(s) at the facility, and related matters concerning compliance with the New Zealand Standard NZS5828:2015 for playground equipment and surfacing.
Please provide the following information:
1. Details of the 2018 Complaint Regarding Playground Deficiencies
• Confirmation of whether the complaint received by the Ministry of Education in 2018 specifically referenced deficiencies in the playground(s) at Kids Count Pukekohe.
• If the complaint did reference playground deficiencies, please provide a detailed description of the specific areas or issues notified in the complaint, including but not limited to equipment, surfacing, or other playground-related matters.
2. Compliance of the Permanent Playground Surface with NZS5828:2015
• Documentation or evidence held by the Ministry confirming whether the permanent playground surface at Kids Count Pukekohe met the requirements of NZS5828:2015 at the time of the complaint or following any subsequent inspection or assessment in 2018.
3. Playground Area Compliance with NZS5828:2015
• Confirmation and any relevant documentation demonstrating that the area covered by the playground at Kids Count Pukekohe met the requirements set out in NZS5828:2015 for the specific equipment installed at the time of the 2018 complaint.
4. Use of Gym Mats as Playground Surface
• Information regarding whether gym mats were used as a playground surface at Kids Count Pukekohe in 2018.
• Any evidence or documentation provided to the Ministry (e.g., certificate of compliance or test results) demonstrating that the gym mats met the requirements of NZS5828:2015 for playground surfacing, including critical fall height and impact attenuation specifications.
5. Compliance of Swings with NZS5828:2015
• Documentation or evidence confirming that the swings installed at Kids Count Pukekohe in 2018 met the requirements of NZS5828:2015, including details of any certificates of compliance, manufacturer specifications, or inspection reports.
6. Lower Playground Compliance with NZS5828:2015
• Specific information regarding the lower playground at Kids Count Pukekohe, including:
• Evidence that the playground surface in the lower playground complied with NZS5828:2015 requirements, including critical fall height and impact attenuation.
• Details of any hard obstacles within the lower playground that required a playground surface under NZS5828:2015, and evidence of compliance for both the surface and obstacles.
7. Requirement for Inspection by a Qualified Playground Inspector
• Confirmation of whether an inspection by a qualified playground inspector (e.g., a certified Level 3 inspector accredited by the Register of Playground Inspectors International or equivalent) was required by the Ministry of Education as a result of the 2018 complaint or as part of the licensing assessment process for Kids Count Pukekohe.
• If such an inspection was required, please provide details of the inspection, including the date, the qualifications of the inspector, and the findings or recommendations made.
I request that the information be provided in electronic format (e.g., PDF or Word document) where possible.
If any part of this request is likely to be refused under the provisions of the Official Information Act 1982, please provide a clear explanation of the reasons for withholding the information under section 19 of the Act.
If clarification is needed regarding any part of this request, please contact me
I would appreciate a response within the statutory timeframe of 20 working days as outlined in the Official Information Act 1982.
Thank you for your assistance in providing this information.
Ngā mihi maioha,
Adriana van Altvorst
Ngati Kahu ki Whangaroa
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
Kia ora Adriana van Altvorst
Thank you for your request for information below. The Ministry will consider and respond to your request in accordance with the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act).
Under section 15(1) of the Act, we are required to make and inform you of our decision on your request as soon as reasonably practicable and in any case not later than 20 working days after the day on which your request is received. You can therefore expect to receive our decision on your request on or before the 26 of August 2025. If more than 20 working days are needed due to the potential workload and/or consultations involved in answering your request, we will notify you accordingly.
The Ministry may publicly release on our website the response to your request five days after you have received it. Any personal information will be removed.
In the interim, if you have any questions about your request, please email [email address].
Ngā mihi
Enquiries National Team | Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education | IB
8 Gilmer Terrace, Wellington
education.govt.nz
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent outcomes
show quoted sections
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]
Tçnâ koe Adriana
OIA: 1351778 - ECE playground compliance with NZS5828_2015 with supporting
documentation
Thank you for your email of 29 July 2025 to the Ministry of Education
requesting the following ‘specific information under the Official
Information Act 1982 regarding a complaint received by the Ministry of
Education in 2018 concerning Kids Count Pukekohe, located in Pukekohe, New
Zealand’.
My request pertains to the details of the complaint, specifically whether
it referenced deficiencies in the playground(s) at the facility, and
related matters concerning compliance with the New Zealand Standard
NZS5828:2015 for playground equipment and surfacing.
Please provide the following information:
1. Details of the 2018 Complaint Regarding Playground Deficiencies
o Confirmation of whether the complaint received by the Ministry of
Education in 2018 specifically referenced deficiencies in the
playground(s) at Kids Count Pukekohe.
o If the complaint did reference playground deficiencies, please provide
a detailed description of the specific areas or issues notified in the
complaint, including but not limited to equipment, surfacing, or other
playground-related matters.
2. Compliance of the Permanent Playground Surface with NZS5828:2015
o Documentation or evidence held by the Ministry confirming whether the
permanent playground surface at Kids Count Pukekohe met the
requirements of NZS5828:2015 at the time of the complaint or following
any subsequent inspection or assessment in 2018.
3. Playground Area Compliance with NZS5828:2015
o Confirmation and any relevant documentation demonstrating that the
area covered by the playground at Kids Count Pukekohe met the
requirements set out in NZS5828:2015 for the specific equipment
installed at the time of the 2018 complaint.
4. Use of Gym Mats as Playground Surface
o Information regarding whether gym mats were used as a playground
surface at Kids Count Pukekohe in 2018.
o Any evidence or documentation provided to the Ministry (e.g.,
certificate of compliance or test results) demonstrating that the gym
mats met the requirements of NZS5828:2015 for playground surfacing,
including critical fall height and impact attenuation specifications.
5. Compliance of Swings with NZS5828:2015
o Documentation or evidence confirming that the swings installed at Kids
Count Pukekohe in 2018 met the requirements of NZS5828:2015, including
details of any certificates of compliance, manufacturer
specifications, or inspection reports.
6. Lower Playground Compliance with NZS5828:2015
o Specific information regarding the lower playground at Kids Count
Pukekohe, including:
o Evidence that the playground surface in the lower playground
complied with NZS5828:2015 requirements, including critical fall
height and impact attenuation.
o Details of any hard obstacles within the lower playground that
required a playground surface under NZS5828:2015, and evidence of
compliance for both the surface and obstacles.
7. Requirement for Inspection by a Qualified Playground Inspector
o Confirmation of whether an inspection by a qualified playground
inspector (e.g., a certified Level 3 inspector accredited by the
Register of Playground Inspectors International or equivalent) was
required by the Ministry of Education as a result of the 2018
complaint or as part of the licensing assessment process for Kids
Count Pukekohe.
o If such an inspection was required, please provide details of the
inspection, including the date, the qualifications of the inspector,
and the findings or recommendations made.
o
Your request has been considered under the Official Information Act 1982
(the Act).
The Ministry did not receive a complaint in 2018 regarding deficiencies in
the playground(s) at Kids Count Pukekohe.
Your request is therefore refused under section 18(e) of the Act as the
information requested does not exist or cannot be foud.
Thank you again for your email. You have the right to ask an Ombudsman to
review my decision on your request, in accordance with section 28 of the
Act. You can do this by writing to [1][email address] or to
Office of the Ombudsman, PO Box 10152, Wellington 6143.
Nâku noa, nâ,
Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | CM
[2]education.govt.nz
He mea târai e mâtou te mâtauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ôna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[3]Te Tâhuhu o te Mâtauranga
show quoted sections
From: Adriana van Altvorst
Dear Enquiries National,
I am writing in response to your letter regarding OIA request 1351778, concerning complaints about Kids Count Pukekohe in 2018. I am extremely concerned by your claim that the Ministry of Education has no record of my complaint detailing deficiencies at the centre.
I find it difficult to believe that the Ministry has no record of a complaint that resulted in Kids Count Pukekohe being placed under a provisional license, especially considering the level of oversight involved. My complaints were not only extensive but were also overseen by the Secretary of Education, Iona Holsted, and the Deputy Secretary of Education, Katrina Casey. Furthermore, I had a face-to-face meeting with senior management from the MoE to discuss these issues.
While my complaints covered a range of issues beyond just playground deficiencies, they certainly included concerns such as the shallow bark depth, exposed matting, and conditions that relate directly to NZS5828:2015 standards, even if I didn't specifically reference the standards at the time. These were serious safety concerns that I raised directly with the Ministry.
I request an immediate and comprehensive investigation into the whereabouts of these records. The Ministry has a responsibility to maintain accurate records of complaints, especially those concerning the safety and well-being of children and involving such high-level oversight.
I require a detailed explanation of the steps you will take to locate these records, including who will be responsible for the search and the timeframe for completion. Should the records remain 'unfound', I expect a full account of the Ministry's record-keeping procedures and why they failed in this instance, given the involvement of the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Education.
Please be aware that I am prepared to pursue this matter further, including contacting the Ombudsman, if the Ministry is unable to provide satisfactory evidence of having properly investigated my complaint
Yours sincerely,
Adriana van Altvorst
From: Enquiries National
Ministry of Education
[IN-CONFIDENCE - RELEASE EXTERNAL]
Tēnā koe Adriana
We write further to your email below in response to the Ministry's refusal
of your OIA request on the basis that we found no information in scope of
your request. While we are aware of your complaints made in 2018, we did
not consider that these were within scope of your request. Nor did we
consider that you would want more copies of your own complaints,
information that has previously been provided to you at considerable time
and expense to the Ministry.
If you remain dissatisfied with our response, we invite you to seek review
with the Office of the Ombudsman.
Nāku noa, nā,
Official and Parliamentary Information | Ministry of Education | CM
[1]education.govt.nz
He mea tārai e mātou te mātauranga kia rangatira ai, kia mana taurite ai
ōna huanga
We shape an education system that delivers equitable and excellent
outcomes
[2][IMG]
show quoted sections
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