You've made it through another year in ECE. If you're an owner, manager or head teacher, you've probably spent 2026 juggling staffing, compliance, families, budgets and the day-to-day running of your service, often all at once.
The end of the year can feel like a time to simply get through. But it's also the best time to look ahead.
The ECE landscape keeps changing. Expectations are shifting, costs keep rising and the pressure on leaders to run services that are both high quality and financially sustainable isn't going away. Services that stand still risk being caught out. Services that plan ahead go into the new year with clarity and confidence.
The good news? Getting ready for 2027 doesn't have to be overwhelming. Here are four places to start.
1. Start with a plan, not a wish list
Most services have big hopes for the new year. Fewer have a clear, practical plan that turns those hopes into action.
A strong annual plan gives your whole team direction. It connects your vision and philosophy to the everyday decisions you make, and it helps you focus on what matters most instead of reacting to whatever lands on your desk.
An effective annual plan should:
Set out a small number of clear priorities for the year
Break each priority into practical actions, with owners and timeframes
Link to your strategic goals, internal evaluation and professional growth cycles
Be reviewed regularly, not filed away after the first staff meeting
Tip: Involve your leadership team early. A plan people help shape is a plan they're far more likely to follow through on.
2. Know your numbers
Many ECE leaders are passionate educators first and business managers second. That's a strength, but it can also mean the financial side gets less attention than it needs until something goes wrong.
You don't need to be an accountant to lead a sustainable service. You do need to know which numbers to watch, and what they're telling you.
Key questions to ask:
Occupancy: How full is your service, and how does that change across the week and the year?
Staffing costs: What share of your income goes on wages, and is that sustainable?
Income per child: Do you understand how your funding and fees combine, and where the gaps are?
Cash flow: Can you see pressure points coming before they arrive?
When you understand your numbers, you can make decisions with confidence rather than guesswork. You'll spot problems early and see where action is needed.
3. Focus on the quality indicators that matter
Quality and sustainability go hand in hand. A service that's financially healthy but losing sight of quality won't thrive for long, and neither will a high-quality service that can't pay its bills.
As the landscape changes, it's worth stepping back to ask what a successful service really looks like. Think about:
Teaching and learning: Are children's learning and wellbeing at the heart of your decisions?
Your people: Are your teachers supported, growing and likely to stay?
Relationships: How strong are your connections with whānau and your community?
Leadership and self-review: Do you have clear systems for checking how you're going and acting on what you find?
Compliance: Are you confident you're meeting your regulatory requirements, not just hoping you are?
Knowing where you're strong, and where you need to focus, means you can put your energy where it will make the biggest difference in 2027.
4. Don't lead alone
Leadership in ECE can be isolating. Many owners and managers carry the weight of big decisions on their own, with little time to step back or talk things through with people who understand.
Connecting with other ECE leaders makes a real difference. You'll find that others face the same challenges, and you'll pick up practical ideas you can use straight away. Sometimes just hearing "we're dealing with that too" is enough to lift the load.
If you can, bring your leadership team into the conversation as well. When everyone shares the same picture of where you're heading, it's much easier to move forward together.
Get ready for 2027, together
If this all feels like a lot, you don't have to work through it on your own.
Our end-of-year workshop, Get Ready for 2027: The Changing Landscape of ECE, brings all four of these together in one practical afternoon. It's designed for ECE owners, managers, head teachers and anyone in a leadership role.
You'll:
Work through the key parts of an effective annual plan, and take home our Annual Planning Template
Learn which financial and operational metrics to watch, and what they're telling you
Explore the quality indicators that matter most as you prepare for 2027
Connect with other ECE leaders over a generous grazing table, and celebrate making it through another year
Event details
Date: Wednesday 25 November
Time: 2:00pm to 5:00pm (doors open 1:45pm)
Venue: Theatre Room, Nathan Homestead, 70 Hill Road, Manurewa, Auckland
Parking: Free on site
Tickets: $129 + GST for the first attendee,
$89 + GST for each additional attendee booked at the same time
Bring your leadership team and use the afternoon to get everyone aligned and ready for the year ahead.
Places are limited to 80. Book now to secure yours.
