Tēnā koutou katoa
Welcome to the Office of Early Childhood Education
National and public adviser on ECE, the OECE is a sector body representing teachers and all types of licensed services driving safer, higher‑quality education for every child
View our positions
- 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
View the Code of Conduct for ECE Services
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Teacher Member Posts
Beach Trip
Taking children for a trip to the beach can offer opportunities for all kinds of learning – from discovering creatures to practising building skills. Just check first that you have prepared safety plan for the excursion, including sun protection, and have more than sufficient adults to the number of children.
Try these ideas when you take a t
Cooking with Children – Using a Slow Cooker
Using a Slow Cooker for Teaching Children about Cooking and Preparing Kai
As a responsible teacher or educator you role model and pass on good nutritional dietary habits… don’t you? Well…, in front of the children anyway! But does this mean leaving a wonderful learning opportunity consigned to the pantry? It probably mean
Bullying Experienced by Teachers – Personal Stories
Bullying Experienced by Teachers.
In the following accounts, teachers real names have not been used for fear of reprisals.
The stories below were told individually to us and come from people working in different parts of the early childhood sector, for different employers.
The teacher accounts are hard to read. For some teachers the bullying was so bad it broke them.
Are Learning Stories Working? Educators Share their Views
It is now some years since the Learning Stories approach to assessing children’s learning caught on and was widely and uncritically adopted by early childhood professionals in NZ.
Here we open up discussion and reflect on the use of the Learning Story approach to child assessment and how well it is working for teachers and children.
There
Service Provider Member Posts
Associate Teacher and Centre Information on Supporting Student Kaiako & Payment
If you’re a qualified, registered teacher and you’re ready to start supporting student kaiako as an Associate Teacher, we’ve got some helpful information to make the experience as rich and rewarding for everyone involved.
Supervision Basics: Four Skills Every Adult Working With Children Must Demonstrate
Active supervision is the single most effective way to prevent harm – this article shows teachers, services, and regulators the essential skills needed to keep children truly safe, not just watched.
Optimal Outdoor Environments
By Cheryl Greenfield.
Young children have the right to inhabit optimal early childhood outdoor environments.
Optimal outdoor environments have the potential or power to promote and sustain meaningful relationships.
The location of spaces and equipment, and how welcoming the outdoor area is for adults, along with the aesthetics are highly influential on what children do. Poorly designed and maintained environments can be detrimental to children’s development.
This article focuses on the characteristics of optimal outdoor environments within a New Zealand context.
It is based on the findings of the qualitative research I have done over the years on early childhood outdoor environments.
Job Description for a Centre Manager or Home-based Coordinator
Here is a template you can use and adapt for a manager job description – or centre supervisor, or home-based coordinator who is responsible for one group of visiting teachers.
If you would like more guidance and ideas go to the main article about writing JDs.
Service name or Logo
Position description
POSITION/ROLE:
E.g. Manag
Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2017, Vol 20, No. 1
This issue explores diverse curriculum perspectives, from debates about Te Whāriki’s role to Indigenous Fijian knowledge pathways, Bangladeshi curriculum development, multi‑dimensional pedagogical growth, inclusive practice, and children’s creative meaning‑making through photography.
Contents – NZ International Research in ECE Journal, 2018, Vol 21, No. 2
This issue examines emergent literacy across socioeconomic contexts, strengths‑based approaches for supporting vulnerable families, school‑starting age debates, early literacy perspectives for children under three, professional standards in ECE, and inquiry‑driven STEM learning.
Touch in Early Childhood Education: Do No‑Touch Policies Belong?
The article explores how no‑touch policies in ECE emerged and why they continue to shape teacher behaviour, raising important questions about what kinds of touch are appropriate, safe, and developmentally necessary for young children. It’s a thought‑provoking read on how fear and policy can influence caring relationships at the heart of ECE.
The Descriptive Quality of Kindergarten, Kōhanga Reo, Childcare, and Playcentre
Most research on early childhood programmes focuses on developmental measures, but this study takes a values‑based approach instead. By examining the unique ‘heartbeats’ of eleven diverse services, it explores what truly makes programme quality distinctive.
What We Do
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