In June, the Trustees of Reggio Emilia Aotearoa New Zealand (REANZ) came together in Auckland for our annual planning meeting. It was an opportunity to reflect on the past year, celebrate what we have achieved, and begin shaping our direction for 2027.

Our discussions were grounded in the REANZ values of Joy, Curiosity, Participation, Confronto, and Transformation. These values continue to guide our work and are especially significant as teachers navigate an increasingly complex and changing educational landscape.

It has been a rewarding year for REANZ. We have offered a wide range of intellectually engaging professional learning opportunities, including ‘Introduction to the Reggio Emilia Approach’, the ‘Leadership Series’, Study Groups to Reggio Emilia and Melbourne, and much more.

We are now looking forward to our Infant and Toddler Series, which begins on Wednesday 29 July. Details and registration information can be found below.

We also focused on planning for our October conference

If you are a primary or early childhood teacher seeking intellectually stimulating professional learning, the REANZ Conference, 9 – 11 October, offers a unique opportunity to deepen your thinking and practice. Online presentations from educators in Reggio Emilia, alongside keynote speakers and workshop presenters from Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia, will inspire new ideas and encourage thoughtful reflection on teaching and learning.

Held in Auckland, the conference will support educators to think critically about curriculum implementation and the role of materials in children's learning, offering fresh perspectives that can enrich everyday practice. For more information and to register, visit the conference page on our website.

It's been wonderful to see registrations continuing to grow, and thank you to those of you who have been in touch asking for an extension to the early bird rate. We realised the original deadline came around a little too quickly, so we've extended the early bird registration until 30 August. We hope this gives you a little more time to plan and we look forward to welcoming you to the event.

Conference speakers will support participants to view materials as active partners rather than passive tools, and to see new possibilities for inquiry, creativity, and relationship-making in educational settings.

Early Bird rate before 30 August $495.00

We received an exceptionally high calibre of applications. The quality of the submissions made the selection process incredibly difficult, and we only wish we could have offered every applicant the opportunity to join us at the conference in October.

We are delighted to announce that Mary Li is this year's recipient. Mary has been actively involved in REANZ professional learning opportunities for many years. She is a dedicated and thoughtful early childhood teacher, and we know she will gain so much from attending the conference while also bringing valuable insights back to her community.

Thank you to everyone who applied for the award. We deeply appreciate the care and commitment reflected in each application. Wendy would have loved to have known each of you, and we know her family is touched that this award continues to honour her memory and the lasting impact she had on our community.

At our annual general meeting our Officers and Trustees were re elected;

Helen Aitken - Chairperson

Karen Liley - Treasurer

Chris Bayes - Secretary

Trustees:

Lorraine Manuela. Diti Hill. Dr Rachel Denee. Lindi Newth. Kylie Morgan. Chrissy Lepper. Kerri Fallon. Adrienne Thomson, Logan Burson. 

Patron: Dr Anne Meade. Kaiarahi: Brenda Soutar.

We were delighted to welcome an online address from Federico Ruozzi, the President of the Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres - Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.  REANZ has been a member of Reggio Children International Network since it’s inception in 2006.

He had many important messages for us, reminding us that education is political. Ann Pelo reiterates Carla Rinaldi’s views when she says that “early childhood education is a political act, and that it necessarily involves values and vision” (p. 2).  Embracing a Vision of Social Justice in Early Childhood Education. Pelo (2008).

This is an excerpt Federico Ruozzi read to us from the regulation for Infant centre’s and preschool’s of the municipality of Reggio Emilia, which captures a principle that remains central to the everyday life of the schools in Reggio;

“… education is the right of all children, and as such, it's a responsibility of the entire community. Education is an opportunity for personal and collective growth and emancipation. It's a resource for knowledge and for living together. It's a space where freedom, democracy, solidarity, and the promotion of peace are practiced. Within the diversity of cultural, political, and religious perspectives, education thrives on listening, dialogue, and participation. It's committed to respecting and valuing the unique identities, skills, and knowledge that each individual carries, and thus qualifies itself as secular, open to discussion, and oriented toward cooperation”.  

Across Aotearoa New Zealand, the education sector is undergoing significant change at every level. These reforms are likely to have long-term implications for the education and wellbeing of children. Current initiatives include a curriculum stocktake in primary schools, with a strong emphasis on mathematics and literacy, and a review of funding for early childhood education. As these changes unfold, an important question is being asked:

Are teachers' voices being heard and valued in the decisions that shape education policy?

Early childhood teachers and interested parents may have seen the recent report from the Funding Review Advisory Group, which was tasked with examining how the Government's annual $3 billion investment in early childhood education could be redistributed through cost-neutral changes. The current funding system is complex, with multiple layers and funding streams, making this an appropriate time to review whether the existing arrangements remain fit for purpose.

One aspect of the review that has attracted attention is the composition of the advisory group, whose members predominantly represent early childhood education service owners. It is important that the perspectives of teachers are also heard as part of this process.

The advisory group has presented a range of options for consultation with the early childhood sector and the wider community on what future funding could look like. At a time when the sector is working to strengthen quality, retain experienced teachers, and achieve the best outcomes for young children, it is important that teachers, parents, and other stakeholders engage in the consultation process.

The Newsroom article below outlines the key issues and provides valuable information to help readers make an informed submission before feedback closes on 6 August. The article includes insights from Dr Mike Bedford and Dr Sarah Alexander who highlight important questions about quality and the current state of early childhood education, while the Chair of the Funding Review Advisory Group, Linda Meade, also explains the group's perspective.

Please take the time to read the article, consider the proposals carefully, and add your voice to this important discussion.

Click on the images below to read about proposed changes and have your say.