Our ECE Programmes
ECE programmes for Centre Owners and Leaders in New Zealand
Astute Education runs three ECE programmes for early childhood leaders in Aotearoa.
Business coaching for owners, independent due diligence for buyers, and Professional Growth Cycle support for Centre Managers.
A licensed early childhood service is one of the most regulated small businesses in New Zealand. Most owners learn it alone. These three programmes mean you do not have to.
They sit alongside our consulting work rather than replacing it. If you need help with one specific thing, like a compliance gap, an ERO review or a systems overhaul, that is consulting. You can find it under What We Do.
The ECE programmes below are for people who want structured, ongoing support or a defined piece of specialist work.
Astute Leaders Circle
Strategic business coaching and accountability for ambitious centre owners.
Acquisition Advisory
Independent due diligence for people buying a childcare centre.
PGC Network
A facilitated network for Centre Managers and ECE Professional Leaders.
Which one is right for you?
"I am about to buy a centre."
Acquisition Advisory. Get the review done before you go unconditional, not after. Every problem you did not find before then is yours to pay for.
"I own a centre and want it performing better."
Astute Leaders Circle. Particularly if you are profitable but stretched, or the numbers could be better and there is no regular time set aside to look.
"I am a Centre Manager and my PGC is due."
PGC Network. Especially if you are the most senior person in your service and there is nobody obvious to hold those conversations with.
"I need help with one specific thing."
Then a programme is probably not the right fit, and that is fine. Compliance, ERO preparation, systems and in-centre audits are consulting work. Start here:
Still not sure which one fits?
That is a normal place to start. Book a free call and we will talk through where your service is at and which of these (if any) is the right next step.
There is no obligation and no pitch. If the answer is that you do not need a programme right now, we will tell you that.
What sits behind all three
Every programme here is run by people who have owned and operated early childhood services, not by generalists who picked up the sector along the way. That is the whole difference. It is why the Acquisition Advisory report flags the risks a business broker will not see, and why the coaching in the Leaders Circle starts from your actual roster and your actual wage percentage.
Supporting ECE owners, operators and MoE SELO clients since 2009
More than 1,000 clients supported across Aotearoa
More than 200 childcare acquisition reviews completed nationwide
A Ministry of Education SELO provider
Frequently Asked Questions
What programmes does Astute Education offer?
Astute Education runs three programmes for early childhood leaders in New Zealand. The Astute Leaders Circle is an ongoing business coaching and accountability membership for centre owners. Acquisition Advisory is independent due diligence for people buying a childcare centre. The PGC Network is a facilitated group for Centre Managers and ECE Professional Leaders working through their Professional Growth Cycle.
What is the difference between the Astute Leaders Circle and the PGC Network?
The Leaders Circle is about the business. Occupancy, wage percentage, profitability, systems and strategy, and is aimed at owners. The PGC Network is about your professional practice as a leader, and exists to support the Professional Growth Cycle that registered teachers and leaders complete each year. Owners tend to join the Leaders Circle; Centre Managers tend to join the PGC Network. Some services have people in both.
Which programme suits a first-time centre owner?
If you have not bought yet, Acquisition Advisory. If you have just taken over a service and inherited systems you did not build, the Astute Leaders Circle gives you structured support through the first year, which is when most of the expensive mistakes happen.
Do I need to be an existing client to join a programme?
No. All three programmes are open to any early childhood service in New Zealand, whether or not you have worked with Astute Education before.
Are the programmes available throughout New Zealand?
The Astute Leaders Circle and Acquisition Advisory are nationwide. The PGC Network runs as regional face-to-face cohorts, currently in Hamilton with Auckland opening next. Enquiries from other regions are welcome and help us decide where to run the next cohort.
Can I be in more than one programme at once?
Yes. The most common combination is an owner in the Astute Leaders Circle with their Centre Manager in the PGC Network, which means both parts of the service are being developed at the same time.
"Ko koe ki tēnā, ko ahau ki tēnei kīwai o te kete"
You take that handle, I'll take this one.
We carry it together, each doing our part.
