Participation Intensity Measure

Using administrative data drawn from the Early Learning Information (ELI) system and population projections from StatsNZ, we are able to calculate the percentage of children attending early childhood education for 10 or more hours a week on average at age 3 and at age 4.

Results for 2017 to 2019 are presented here.

Prior Participation in ECE

Data on prior-participation show how many children have regularly attended Early Childhood Education (ECE) in the six months prior to starting school. This is collected through the Ministry of Education's ENROL system. For further information on this see the indicator Prior participation in early childhood education.

This spreadsheet provides numbers and rates of prior participation across time.

Enrolments in ECE

The Early Childhood Education (ECE) census is administered every year and provides a snapshot of high level statistics for ECE in New Zealand. Data captured is for a one week period, typically the last week in June and includes information about the services, enrolment/attendance numbers, teaching staff, and the use of languages.

From 2000 to 2013, all ECE Census data was collected from paper-based RS61 returns. On these forms, enrolment data described regular enrolments in ECE licensed services regardless if children was absent during the return week. In 2014, the method for data collection changed and around 40% of services completed the Annual Census using the Ministry's new electronic collection tool for ECE: ELI.  In 2019, the proportion of licensed services using ELI rose to 90%. For these services, the data collected relates to attendances in ECE licensed services, not enrolments. Only Te Kōhanga Reo, casual and hospital-based services filed paper-based RS61 returns. This is a change to the definition of the data and means that the data should not be compared to previous years.

The following document gives an overview of key findings from the latest ECE census.

Pivot Table

This spreadsheet allows you to create your tables by any combination of variables.  It includes the option of displaying number of enrolments in ECE by service type and regional type variables.

Please note: use of this spreadsheet requires MS Excel version 2007 or later.

Time Series Data: Enrolments

This spreadsheet provides numbers of Enrolments in ECE across time in a simple, easy to use format.

Time Series Data: Hours of Participation

This spreadsheet provides information on average weekly attendance hours in ECE across time in a simple, easy to use format.