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Objectives
Funding is provided to support playgroups to meet the following objectives:
- to enable a community-initiated response to increase participation in early childhood education
- to support playgroups to provide quality educational programmes consistent with any curriculum prescribed by the Minister of Education, and
- to assist playgroups to be sustainable over time.
Report on met objectives
Playgroups are required to provide the Ministry of Education with a report on how the funding received has been used to meet these objectives.
Playgroups must ensure that the use of their playgroup operational funding is allocated appropriately to meet the 3 objectives.
See the Playgroup funding report page in this handbook for more details of this requirement.
Examples of inappropriate spending
Example 1
It would not be appropriate for a playgroup to spend their entire allocation on paying for a playgroup coordinator if there were inappropriate or inadequate curriculum resources.
Example 2
It would not be appropriate to use the majority of funding for overheads and transport costs if there was insufficient equipment for children.
Expenditure justification
Playgroups need to carefully consider the rationale and justification for any expenditure.
This information can then be used to complete the playgroup funding report (PG5).
Objective 1: Increase ECE participation
Objective 1 spending is for premises and facilities or ensuring children’s health and safety.
The following examples support this objective:
- to assist with the playgroup’s operating costs, such as rent and electricity
- to support children’s health and safety by installing products like safety matting and sunshades
- to make or contribute to repairs or additions to the building used by the playgroup as appropriate.
Objective 2: Quality educational programmes
Objective 2 spending is for learning opportunities and experiences that support the prescribed curriculum framework.
Education (Playgroups) Regulations 2008 – New Zealand Legislation
The following examples support this objective:
- to purchase curriculum resources and a range of children’s equipment
- to purchase language and culturally specific resources
- to improve learning spaces used by the playgroup
- to support training programmes relevant to the playgroup.
Objective 3: Sustainable playgroups
Objective 3 spending is for the playgroup’s management and administration costs.
The following examples support this objective:
- to purchase resources for the sound financial and administrative management of the playgroup
- to recruit and maintain membership to ensure the ongoing success of the playgroup
- to pay wages or fees to a playgroup coordinator
- to promote the availability of the service within the community.
Administrative requirements
To receive funding, playgroups are required to:
- maintain a separate bank account either in the name of the playgroup or the affiliated organisation
- have 2 signatories to sign off all expenditure
- maintain accurate and verified records of income and expenditure and make these available to the Ministry of Education on request
- complete the playgroup funding report (PG5) to account for the expenditure of government funding
- maintain enrolment and attendance records and make these available to the Ministry of Education on request.
Conditions on closure
Funding is provided to playgroups on the condition that, upon closure:
- all remaining funds received from the Ministry of Education are returned to the Ministry of Education, and
- all equipment purchased with Ministry of Education funding may be reclaimed by the Ministry.
Restrictions on funding
Funding must not be claimed for:
- children enrolled in a licensed home-based service who attend the playgroup with their home-based educator
- children over the age of 6 or who are enrolled in school.
