Recognition of Primary Teacher, Secondary Teacher, and Overseas Early Childhood Qualifications
Primary School Trained Teachers.
Qualified primary school teachers can work in early childhood education. Although you have not been trained for this, the Ministry of Education and Government recognise you as knowledgeable and competent to care for and teach babies through to when they start school.
A primary teaching qualification will also enable you to apply for head teacher positions/ manager positions and be the person responsible for all qualified ECE teachers, unqualified staff, and children at a licenced early childhood service.
You will count as a member of the teaching team and your employer will receive funding from the Ministry of Education to go toward paying your salary or wage as a certificated teacher.
So if you are a primary school teacher you can apply for teaching positions in early childhood education.
Secondary School Teachers
Secondary teaching qualifications are not recognised for teaching in early childhood education.
You will be classed as an unqualified teacher. Secondary teachers who wish to work in ECE may choose to undertake a recognised university-level graduate ECE or primary teaching qualification if they do not wish to be treated as unqualified to work with children under 6 years.
Overseas Qualifications
Contact the NZ Qualifications Authority for information and clarification of recognition for your particular qualification. NZQA assesses applications on a case by case basis.
For an overseas qualification to be recognised by the NZ education system for the purpose of working in early childhood education it must be assessed as at least equivalent to a NZ Level 7 qualification or as containing core components of a NZ Graduate Diploma of Teaching (ECE) qualification.
Overseas qualifications assessed by NZQA as equivalent to a Level 7 ECE qualification and approved by the Teaching Council, are recognised by the Ministry of Education for ECE staffing and service funding purposes.
