Recognising Registered Primary Teachers in Teacher-led ECE Services
The Government is committed to quality early childhood education, which gives our youngest New Zealanders the best start to life and their education journey. ECE qualified and registered teachers play an important role in providing a quality early childhood education. The Government also recognises the valuable skills and knowledge that primary qualified teachers can bring to ECE. Many primary teachers already make a significant contribution to ECE - around 300 are currently working in the ECE sector.
From 1 November 2010, New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers in teacher-led ECE services can be counted as a registered teacher for funding purposes. This means that registered primary teachers can be included in the staff hour count. Teacher-led ECE services that employ New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers may now be eligible for higher funding rates. Over four years, $19.5 million has been set aside to cover this additional cost.
This change does not affect staffing requirements set out in the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 or the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 or the person responsible requirements. Teacher-led ECE services still require at least 50% of their staff to hold a recognised early childhood teaching qualification. ECE regulations require that the person responsible in teacher-led early childhood education services must hold a recognised early childhood teaching qualification.
Further information on how to count New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers in staff hour counts can be found in the Funding Handbook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers count towards ECE services’ staffing requirements for licensing purposes?
No. New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers can only be counted by ECE services in their funding claims. No changes have been made to the staffing requirements set out in the Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 or the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008.
Teacher-led ECE services still require at least 50% of their staff to hold a recognised early childhood teaching qualification (one staff member in their final year of study towards a recognised ECE qualification can still be counted towards this total).
Can a New Zealand qualified and registered primary teacher be a person responsible in an ECE service?
No. Person responsible requirements remain unchanged. The Education (Early Childhood Centres) Regulations 1998 or the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008 require that the person responsible in teacher-led ECE services must hold a recognised early childhood teaching qualification.
Can an overseas qualified primary teacher be counted towards funding for an ECE service?
An overseas qualified primary teacher must have a New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) assessment completed on their overseas qualification. If the NZQA assess the overseas qualification as comparable to a NZ primary qualification, and that teacher holds NZ teacher registration, then they can be recognised as a registered teacher for funding purposes.
Will services have to attest to paying New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers at a certain salary level?
Yes. Higher funding rates are only available to teacher-led ECE services that agree to pay all registered teachers employed by their service at least at the levels stated in the current Education Circular Attestation: Registered Teachers’ Salaries. The levels stated in this circular are based on the minimum levels of the Early Childhood Education Collective Agreement.
From 1 November 2010, no new services will be able to access the 80-99% or 100% funding rates. What happens when a centre employs a New Zealand qualified and registered primary teacher and moves up to one of these funding bands?
Recognising New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers for funding purposes in ECE services will not affect the funding rates of services already in the higher (80-99% and 100%) bands. Services in the 50-79% band that are affected by recognising New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers will be able to move up to the new 80% + funding band from 1 February 2011.
Can employing a New Zealand qualified and registered primary teacher move a service to a higher band that is less than the 80-99% funding band?
Access to the lower funding bands has not been restricted. From 1 November 2010, employing a New Zealand qualified and registered primary teacher may mean a service moves up the lower funding band from, for example, the 25-49% band to the 50-79% band.
What do these changes mean for primary qualified teachers who are enrolled in a Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)?
ECE qualifications are recognised for more purposes. Completing a recognised ECE qualification will mean a teacher can be recognised for licensing requirements and can become a person responsible in an ECE service.
New Zealand qualified and registered primary teachers in an ECE service will only be recognised for funding purposes.
Are provisionally registered teachers with primary qualifications eligible for the support grant for provisionally registered teachers?
No. Qualified primary teachers with provisional registration who are employed by an ECE service will not be eligible.
How can provisionally registered primary teachers working in ECE services gain access to teacher registration support?
The decision to employ a teacher is for individual ECE services. It is a matter between employers and employees to decide what additional training and support teachers receive, including primary teachers.
I have studied to be a teacher in a secondary school but want to work in ECE. Will my qualification be recognised for funding purposes in ECE services as well?
No. Secondary teaching qualifications can be quite specialised in content. Therefore secondary teachers would require further training to teach in an ECE setting.
Will the change have an impact on quality ECE provision?
Registered primary teachers bring a range of skills and knowledge to ECE services. Many primary teachers already make a significant contribution to ECE services. This change recognises this contribution.
No changes have been made to the staffing requirements set out in the Education (Early Childhood Services) Regulations 2008. Teacher-led ECE services still require at least 50% of their staff to hold a recognised early childhood teaching qualification, ensuring that services maintain a body of specialist ECE knowledge.