Early learning services as immunisation hubs
If you want your service to become an immunisation hub to offer on-site immunisation services to your community, the National Public Health Service at Te Whatu Ora can help you organise this.
Email [email protected] for assistance.
Safe sleep
We have worked with Te Whatu Ora to update our guidance on safe sleep at early childhood services.
SUDI (Sudden Unexpected Death of an Infant) – Ministry of Health
This is available on our website:
New learning support priorities
In April Education Minister Hon Erica Stanford announced six priorities for education, including targeting effective learning support interventions for students | ākonga and children | tamariki with additional needs:
Education priorities focused on lifting achievement – Beehive.govt.nz
Key features of this work include:
- operational changes to make the system easier to navigate and to improve data collection
- creating a data-driven funding model that is focused on delivering high-quality interventions, programmes, and supports
- optimising the learning support workforce
- building teacher capability to meet diverse learning need
- developing a network plan for specialist and alternative provision.
This work was informed by insights and information from the Highest Needs Review. Development of the work programme for this priority is underway and we will provide updates here:
ECE census week
The ECE census week is from 17–23 June. All ECE services need to submit their completed census by 11 July. Information submitted is crucial for service monitoring and policy development.
It is expected that services will submit electronically through an approved student management system (SMS) or the early learning information (ELI) system.
Playgroups, casual and hospital-based services that are not connected to ELI have been emailed a link to complete their census return digitally via an online survey. If you have not received this link, or for any other queries or issues regarding the ECE census, contact [email protected].
For more information see our website:
Late RS7 submissions
RS7 returns received after 10 June, but before 9 July, will be processed for payment on 22 July.
Resubmissions
Each service is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of the data submitted. Resubmissions are available to correct genuine errors or oversights that emerge.
Resubmissions:
- for the February 2024 to May 2024 period should be made electronically
- for the October 2023 to January 2024 period should be submitted using a paper based RS7 form.
Resubmissions relating to any time before June 2023 will not be processed. Please ensure that all records are documented and filed for auditing purposes.
Pay parity
If you are changing the pay parity salary scale that your service has attested to for the advance period of the July funding round, please contact the ECE funding team at [email protected].
2025 kindergarten head teachers’ sabbatical applications
These applications will be open from 10 July to 7 August. 20 sabbaticals of 10 weeks paid leave are available. For more information see here:
Kindergarten Head Teachers' Sabbatical – Education Workforce
Te poipoi kaiako | Mentor support programme
The programme provides guidance for mentors and mentees on their journey towards full certification and ongoing professional learning development.
There will be three webinars between 26 June and 2 July. In these webinars, a panel of experienced mentors will share their experiences establishing induction programmes for provisional teachers and Pia and discuss what has and has not worked for them.
To register and find out more visit the Tātai Aho Rau Core Education website:
Te poipoi kaiako | Mentor support programme – Tātai Aho Rau Core Education
Ventilation in early learning services
Making sure indoor spaces are well ventilated and have lots of fresh air is recommended. Good ventilation helps slow the spread of a range of viruses including COVID-19, flu and measles.
The best way to maximise ventilation is to open windows and doors as much as possible, whenever it is practical to do so. The exception to this is spaces that are fitted with ducted air conditioning systems (excluding heat pumps), which bring in fresh air.
Follow our guidance on how to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures while achieving good ventilation:
Laundering requirements
We have received a query about the rules around water temperature when doing laundry.
Our licensing criteria (HS2) do not set a temperature that your laundry must be washed at, but you need to have a procedure for how you will hygienically launder your linen.
