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Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
The OECE is a national organisation for the ECE sector and public adviser, championing high-quality education and care for every child
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- Provides membership support to ECE services, teachers, researchers, and community partners
- Actively contributes to sector analysis, research, and policy development
- Advances evidence-based best practices that prioritise children’s interests and wellbeing
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Teacher Member Posts
Co-construction, Problem-Solving, Scaffolding and Hypothesising
The early childhood years are a busy, exciting time. New discoveries, skills and competencies are a regular part of life for a young child. Early childhood teachers have the opportunity to optimise these amazing and important years. In this article, I will discuss teaching strategies, such as co-construction, that can turn children’s possibilities into realities.
The practices that will be discussed involve expanding thinking, problem-solving and developing hypotheses. These teaching strategies can build on children’s learning dispositions and their strengths and interests to put the ‘wow factor’ into learning.
The ‘wow factor’
It is probably safe to say that most of us who choose to become teachers do so because we enjoy knowing that our work can make a meaningful contribution to children’s lives.
Most teachers I talk to are passionate about teaching and seeing young children learn.
Say Sorry – Asking a Child to Apologise
Ask a Child to Say Sorry. By Warwick Marshall
Some early childhood service teachers do not want to ask a child to say sorry. They avoid this.
But why?
And what if anything is wrong with supporting children to say ‘sorry’?
Here is some reasoning on the matter.
No doubt there’s some kind of reasoning for it but this articl
What’s all the Fuss About Playdough?
Playing with playdough is an everyday occurrence at many ECE services, but the humble activity is subject to frequent debate with suggestions that playdough and other food based play ideas are culturally insensitive.
The debate is not new – it is revived every few years and has been around for at least the past 30 years.
One debate was
Children with Coughs and Colds
Coughs and Colds – Administration of Medicine and Communication with Parents about Best / Safe Practices.
Health authorities warn against the use of cough and cold medicines for children under the age of 6 years- except for those containing only bromhexine or intra-nasal decongestants (such as oxymetazoline and xylometazoline) and the
Service Provider Member Posts
Internal Evaluation and How to Please ERO
Internal Evaluation and the Education Review Office.
Ongoing reflection and review of practice has always been a priority for ECE teachers to ensure that they are the best teachers they can be and are providing best outcomes for children.
From their initial teacher registration, teachers are taught to reflect on their practice and this is
90-day Trial Period
All employers in New Zealand, no matter their size, are able to use 90-day trial periods. 90-day trials will not affect other aspects of employment relations, such as the requirement to act in good faith. It can be used for any staff – including and not limited to teachers, cleaners, cooks, administrators).
If you wish to put a new staff me
Safeguarding Children from Abuse in Childcare
Safeguarding Children from Abuse.
Does your early childhood service have a whistle-blowing policy? Having a whistle-blowing policy can help to give confidence in the safety of an early childhood setting and keep it safe for children.
Furthermore, there are some additional ways to ensure a service is a safe place from abuse for children.
The Risks of Implicitly Endorsing Third Party Schemes to Parents
Endorsing Third Party Schemes and Products.
What happens when parents see flyers / pamphlets and posters displayed in the entrance way of ECE services or when advertising material is sent home in children’s bags?
These might be from the Ministry of Education to promote the choices that it wants parents to make, or a new government scheme
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Being Agreeable? A Critical Examination of Communication Among IP Groups in Early Intervention
In New Zealand each child with an inclusive early intervention programme is supported by a group of adults: the child’s parent(s), teachers, early intervention specialists, and education support worker (teacher-aide). The group’s joint task is to prepare an individual plan (IP) for the child to follow in their regular early childhood education
“It Pushes You Beyond the Boundaries”: The Paradox of Setting Teaching Goals in a Field-based Early Childhood Teacher Education Programme
This paper reports on a section of a research study into the teaching practice experiences of early childhood student teachers in a field-based teacher education programme. Goal setting was one of the four research themes of that study and is the focus of this paper. Eleven student teachers were initially interviewed in 2008 with ten of the origina
Strengthening Policy Implementation and System Coordination for Equitable Early Childhood Development in Fiji
Full reference: Tiko, L. (2025). Strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable early childhood development in Fiji. NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal, 27, 83-96.
Login to read the full research paper below. Or order a pdf copy of the article from the main NZIRECE Journal page.
Abstract
This paper critically explores the challenges and opportunities in strengthening policy implementation and system coordination for equitable Early Childhood Development (ECD) in Fiji. It interrogates the effectiveness of the 2024 to 2028 National ECD Policy and the 2025 Pre-Primary Policy, focusing on persistent disparities in resource distribution, professional development, and infrastructure between urban and rural ECE centres. The paper highlights fragmented inter-ministerial coordination among the Ministries of Education, Health, and Women and Children, revealing operational silos and inconsistent planning mechanisms. Situated within the broader context of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the analysis emphasises the importance of culturally grounded, community-led approaches rooted in Indigenous knowledge systems. The commentary calls for a paradigm shift in ECD policy implementation, one that centres equity, resilience, and local agency to build inclusive and sustainable early childhood systems across Fiji and the Pacific.
Key words: Early Childhood Development, Policy Implementation, System Coordination.
Beyond Partnerships with Parents in ECE: A Legacy of Adult Experiential Learning in Playcentres
Research on adult learning in ECE settings and outcomes for parents of being involved. Read the full paper below. Or to order a pdf copy of the article go to the main NZIRECE Journal page.
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