Need-to-know | Me mātua mōhio#
New service types#
We have introduced four new licensed service types within the centre-based, teacher-led category for Māori medium and Pacific bilingual and immersion services.
These new classifications will enable us to better identify and group these services, allowing for more visible and meaningful reporting.
This change supports improved monitoring of outcomes in Māori-medium and Pacific language education and care services. It will also help us assess the impact of initiatives targeting these services, their educators and learners.
Read more about the service types at:
New early learning service types introduced – Ministry of Education
Eligibility for the new service types#
Four new service types are available to existing and newly establishing education and care services that can attest to meeting the description of one of the four new service types. Services self-attest to meeting the minimum language requirements.
Services currently receiving the Waha Rumaki allowance or PITA need to transition to one of the four new service types by 1 August to continue to receive the allowance funding.
Services will still need to comply with the ECE regulatory requirements, and funding conditions, set out for education and care services.
There is no change for Te Kōhanga Reo.
The following service types are not eligible to change to one of the four new service types:
- Homebased
- Kindergarten
- Hospital-based
- Te Kura
- Playcentre
- Whānau-led kōhanga reo managed by the Te Kōhanga Reo National Trust.
Changing to one of the new organisation types#
Eligible services can complete an EC8 form and send it their local Te Mahau office:
EC8 form – Application to amend a centre-based early learning service's details
For an updated list of licensed service types, visit:
Centre-based, parent and whānau-led services – Ministry of Education
Playcentre funding#
Budget 2024 allocated funding to support a greater proportion of playcentres to access quality funding rates, via a new additional access mechanism.
As of 1 May, the new mechanism enables the quality improvement of having more parents on session to be recognised and funded.
We have made changes to chapters 3-C-2 and 3-C-3 of the ECE Funding Handbook to reflect this. The EC11 playcentre form has also been updated.
3-C-2 quality funding rates for parent/whānau-led services – Ministry of Education
3-C-3 playcentres – Ministry of Education
Forms and documents – Ministry of Education
Playcentres wanting further information can contact Playcentre Aotearoa New Zealand or their regional office.
Heads-up | He kupu puaki#
Pourato access and preview#
In preparation for implementation of the new funding system, Pourato, we’ll be inviting funding contacts to preview Pourato through online demonstrations in June. The preview sessions will demonstrate how Pourato works and how to access your funding information.
Your funding contact will be the person given access to Pourato when it launches on 30 June and they will be able to view your funding information for the July payment.
To prepare, please:
- check the funding contact for your service is up to date
- submit an EC8 form if you need to update your funding contact.
EC8 HB Application to amend a licensed home-based education and care [PDF, 399KB]
EC8 CB Application to amend an early childhood and care service details [PDF, 399 KB]
- check your funding contact has access to the Secure Data Portal (SDP), where some funding information will still be available. Complete this form to request SDP access:
Secure data portal user request form [PDF, 178KB]
- submit your RS7 return and any other forms and data as you normally do.
Next week we will email your funding contact with details on how to register for a Pourato preview session.
For more information, visit:
Pourato for Early Learning – Applications and Online Systems
Pacific eLearning modules available#
You and your kaiako working in Pacific bilingual and immersion services can find resources on our AKO learning platform that help weave Te Whāriki with Pacific pedagogies and values. They include:
- five eLearning modules that share different ways you can bring Pacific language, culture, and values into your service
- facilitation tipsheets designed to help you share learning from the modules with your team and community.
Explore them here:
