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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

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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

early childhood education in NZ Aotearoa

An Example of a ‘Teaching Story’

In this article, I take a critical, but slightly light-hearted gaze at the professional learning benefits of developing a teaching story. I recommend that by…
Teacher with girls in outdoor playground feeding baby doll teacher-led centres

Children Attending Multiple Early Childhood Services

Attending Multiple Early Childhood Services in NZ. Children can attend more than one ECE service. But this was not always recommended. When a child attends…
Boy has found a stick and considers what to do next in his kindy play.

Gun Play?

Do You Allow (Or Even Encourage) Gun Play? By Tim Kahn. Tim Kahn writes his thoughts about the superhero and weapon’s play that is often…
Scholarships and Professional Qualified Teachers in Early Childhood Education

Student Teachers in Your Centre: A Practical Guide

If you’re ready to start supporting student teachers as an Associate Teacher, we’ve got some helpful information to make the experience rich and rewarding for…
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Service Provider Member Posts

child holding adult's hand

HIV and AIDS Childcare and Confidentiality Guidelines

HIV / AIDS Children and Adults At Early Childhood Services. In May 2012 a Northland Childcare Centre was publicly slammed when it decided to send…
job description for early childhood teacher educator manager staff

Job Description: Qualified Teacher

Here's not only a template for a qualified ECE teacher job description but also a sample JD for you to use and adapt. If you…
behavioural disorders

Disciplinary Process

There may be a time that you find an employee is underperforming or an employee is engaging in misconduct or serious misconduct. You may not…
teddy teddies care love

Toddler Left in Car Seat Died

Unexplained absence. A 16-month-old was found dead after his mum went to work, accidentally leaving him sleeping in his car seat in her car parked…
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Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education journal

Screens or No Screens: Understanding Young Children’s Use of Digital Technologies

FULL REFERENCE: Robinson-Kennedy, M. (2019). Screens or no screens: Understanding young children’s use of digital technologies.  NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education Journal. Special issue…
NZ International Research in Early Childhood Education journal

Children as Photographers: Joyful Exploration

NZ Research on what happened when children in early childhood centres were supported to document their own views using a camera. FULL REFERENCE: Lee, C.…
early childhood research journal online

Characteristics of Optimal Early Childhood Centre Outdoor Environments: Spaces and Places in which Children and Adults Want to Be

The purpose of this project was to investigate what teachers deemed optimal in their provision of an outdoor environment. This research involved 46 teachers from…
child climbing ladder of fort in ECE playground

Designing An Early Childhood Study and Starting It!

Designing Your Study and How to Get Started Here are articles we think will help advise you best on designing early childhood research and support…
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What We Do

The Office of ECE drives high-quality care, learning and teaching for all infants and young children and high-quality working environments for teachers and service providers.
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Teacher supervising infant and young child playing in playground at ECE centre.

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