Information for Early Childhood Education Services and Kōhanga Reo

We’re resetting the system that governs, manages, administers and supports schools so that all learners get the same chance to succeed.

These changes are designed to build a more accessible, responsive and supportive education system for our learners, including for those in our early learning services and kōhanga reo. These changes, along with those in the upcoming Early Learning Action Plan, will mean the best start for every learner. (See note below.)

These changes are all central to the goal of the Government’s Child Youth and Wellbeing Strategy, namely, to make New Zealand the best place in the world to be a child or young person.

Key changes of interest to Early Childhood Education

Recognising the significant role that ECE plays in preparing young children for their entry to schooling, the newly established Educational Service Agency within the Education Ministry (a key component of the reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system) will provide responsive, accessible, and integrated local support to early learning services.
The Education Service Agency will work with local early childhood providers and kōhanga reo to implement the actions and changes arising from the release of the Early Learning Action Plan 2019-2029, and the resulting changes for services and kōhanga reo in the forthcoming Education and Training Bill.
Further information about the Early Learning Action Plan will be available shortly.

What’s next?

The Government acknowledges the reset to further strengthen the education system will be significant. Changes related to governance and management of schools need to work in a complex system that also includes early learning and tertiary education. They will require ongoing investment of both time and resource, and will need to be managed in a coherent and connected way over the next ten years.

A detailed timeline can be found in Appendix 1 of the Government’s position document, ‘Supporting all schools to succeed: Reform of the Tomorrow’s Schools system’.

Full report: Supporting all schools to succeed: Reform of Tomorrow’s Schools system [PDF, 2MB]

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Information for Early Childhood Education Services and Kōhanga Reo [PDF, 561KB]

NOTE: In November 2018, He taonga te tamaiti - Every child a taonga: Draft strategic plan for early learning 2019-29 was launched for public consultation.

Overall, there was a high level of agreement with the recommendations of the draft strategic plan, with many respondents urging a focus on immediate action.

To signal the Government’s commitment to leading improvements for our early learning system, the soon to be released final plan will be entitled He taonga te tamaiti - Every child a taonga: early learning action plan 2019-29.