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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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Teacher Member Posts

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volcano-eruption-jpg
Outside‑the‑Box Play Ideas

Making Volcanoes

Making Volcanoes with Children.

Children find volcanoes intriguing. 

Here are some key facts and simple information to share with children about volcanoes and geysers, along with a ‘recipe’ for making your very own fun miniature demonstration volcano. Introducing knowledge and understanding of volcanoes is a common part of teaching and

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Wages exploitation and bullying of early childhood teaching staff
Job Guidance

Working More Hours than You are Being Paid

Not Being Paid for Hours Worked.

A teacher’s work is never done. This is a phrase that are heard all too often in early childhood education when referring to unpaid work that is done by teachers. It is almost an expectation in some services that teachers spend hours of their own time setting up, cleaning, attending staff meetings, attending w

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Children supported in their Maori cultural development - learning a haka.
Professional Learning & Development

Noho Marae – What’s involved and making the most out of your overnight stay at a marae

If you’ve attended noho marae before, you will likely have some knowledge of the pōwhiri or mihi whakatau process, and of the specific tikanga of the marae.

If it’s your first time, you may feel nervous and keen to ensure you know what to do, to show respect to the haukainga. 

Noho marae are a unique and powerful experience of learning and connectedness. 

Many ECE teams attend noho marae. This may be for professional development, team building, wānanga, connecting with tangata whenua or all of these reasons! Noho marae are also usually included in initial Teacher Education programmes. 

Pōwhiri Process

Pōwhiri are important welcoming ceremony which welcome manuhihi onto a marae.

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Teacher with girls in outdoor playground feeding baby doll teacher-led centres
Professional Learning & Development

Professional Growth Cycle

The Professional Growth Cycle PGC is the new requirement for registered teachers. The Teaching Council have acknowledged that it will continue to be developed and improve over time.

Contents

What does the Professional Growth Cycle (PGC) mean for ECE services? And what should ECE service managers/ leaders do?Does this mean that teachers will n

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Service Provider Member Posts

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job description for early childhood teacher educator manager staff
Employer Guides and Staff Management

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

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Scholarships and Professional Qualified Teachers in Early Childhood Education
Employer Guides and Staff Management

Staff Discipline and Competence Policy

DISCIPLINE AND COMPETENCE POLICY.  

A template to use for your discipline and competence policy.

Date Effective: __/__/20__

Review Date: __/__/202_

Rationale

<Service Name> is committed to providing children, staff and whānau with an environment which is safe and welcoming and promotes positive outcomes for all childr

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first aid for an injured or hurt child
Health and Safety Management

First Aid Qualifications and Staffing Requirements – All ECE Services

Number of first aid qualified staff and which staff must be first aid qualified in which services

From 26 February 2024, all persons designated the ‘person responsible’ in teacher-led education and care centres, including kindergartens must hold a first aid qualification from a training provider recognised by New Zealand Qualifications Authority

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taking notes about early childhood education matters
Advertising and Marketing / Promotion

Using the Internet to Benefit Your Service

Ways to use the Internet for parent and staff communication, and promoting your service.

With billions of pages and more being added every day, the internet can be a great source of inspiration and ideas for activities to do with children or for improving your service.

The internet can also be a great way to communicate with staff and within

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Research Library – Today’s Featured Articles

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Adults talking about early childhood education and childcare.
How-to-do Research Articles and Thesis Library

An Ethical Guide to Doing, Writing and Disseminating Research

The Ethics of Doing, Writing and Disseminating Research.

By Joy Cullen, Helen Hedges and Jane Bone. Republished by the Office of Early Childhood Education First Published in our NZ Research in ECE Journal, Volume 12, pp. 109-118.

This statement is intended to guide academic researchers, teachers, postgraduate students, managers, licensees

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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.
Teacher supervising infant and young child playing in playground at ECE centre.

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