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Preschool Education in New Zealand - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Jack Fahey Jack Fahey Melbourne, Australia Last Updated: June 2024 ANZSIC P8010NZ

Revenue

$1.7bn

2024-25

$1.7bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

33,541

Businesses

1,720

Wages

$X.Xbn

Preschool Education in New Zealand industry analysis

Educating children between three and five years old is at the heart of preschool education. The Ministry of Education's (Te Tahuhu o Te Matauranga) 20 Hours ECE scheme is key to the preschool services on offer, as it reduces the cost barrier to early childhood education and raises demand. The New Zealand tradition of sending preschoolers to their local kindergarten continues to lose ground, as more working parents have been opting for all-day care that comes with a more educational component. The number of kids enrolled in education and care centres has trended upwards in the past five years, while growth in the number of children attending kindergartens is slowing. Similarly, the number of children attending playcentres is under 10,000. The rise of education and care centres presents an ongoing threat to kindergartens’ and preschools’ revenue models.

Trends and Insights

  • Competition is constraining revenue as daycare centres are capturing an increasing share of enrolments. Kindergartens are being forced to respond to working parents' needs, extending their operating hours and moving to an all-day operating basis.
  • Children aged under five are the target market for preschools, as preschools aim to get them ready for school. Preschools are welcoming younger kids by opening to children aged two and under to grow their enrolment rates.
  • Preschools set up where there’s demand and therefore lots of children and parents. Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato and Wellington – four of New Zealand's most populated regions – are home to the most preschools and play centres.
  • Preschools are facing fierce competition from day care centres and early childhood centres. Early childhood centres offer full-time education and care that tends to suit working parents more.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 1.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $1.7bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Government policies aim to give New Zealand children access to ECE services before starting school

  • Licensed ECE services, including preschools and kindergartens, are eligible for the 20 Hours ECE subsidy.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Preschool Education in New Zealand
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Kindergartens will continue to fight with child care services for enrolments

  • New Zealand's ECE sector has indirectly benefited from government policies designed to ensure that all children have access to preschool services prior to commencing primary school.

Biggest companies in the Preschool Education in New Zealand

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($short_0)
2025

There are no companies that hold a large enough market share in the Preschool Education in New Zealand industry for IBISWorld to include in this product.

Products & Services Segmentation

Preschool Education in New Zealand
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Public kindergartens, Playcentres and Private preschools and kindergartens. Public kindergartens is the largest segment of the Preschool Education in New Zealand.

Trends and Insights

Public preschools and kindergartens are government funded

  • These kindergartens are community-based, not-for-profit entities and most offer 20 hours of free early childhood education for children from three years of age, with a daily maximum of six hours.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Industry participants primarily provide accredited pre-primary school education. Preschool programs are educational in nature and designed to introduce children to ideas, attitudes and behaviour required in a school environment. The programs are usually directed at children between three and five years of age. Preschools that also provide child minding or day nursery services are not included in the industry.

What's included in this industry?

Public preschools and kindergartensPrivate preschools and kindergartensPlaycentres

Companies

Purchase this report to view all major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION (ECE)KINDERGARTENSPLAYCENTRESKOHANGA REO

Industry Code

ANZSIC 2006

ANZSIC 8010 - Preschool Education in New Zealand

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Competition is constraining revenue as daycare centres are capturing an increasing share of enrolments. Kindergartens are being forced to respond to working parents' needs, e...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Children aged under five are the target market for preschools, as preschools aim to get them ready for school. Preschools are welcoming younger kids by opening to children ag...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Preschools set up where there’s demand and therefore lots of children and parents. Auckland, Canterbury, Waikato and Wellington – four of New Zealand's most populated regions...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each region
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each region in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each region accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each region in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across Asia Pacific, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Preschools are facing fierce competition from day care centres and early childhood centres. Early childhood centres offer full-time education and care that tends to suit work...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

No preschools command a large market share, including community kindergarten groups governed by regional kindergarten associations. AKA kindergartens and Whanau Manaaki Kinde...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024

Detailed analysis

    External Environment

    Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

    Analyst insights

    Government funding decisions, birth rates and disposable income drive changes in volatility. Steady birth rates ensure demand for preschool is relatively stable from year to ...

    In this chapter

    • External Drivers
    • Regulation & Policy
    • Assistance

    Key metrics

    • Regulation & policy level and trend
    • Assistance level and trend

    Charts

    • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
    • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

    Detailed analysis

    • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
    • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
    • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

    Financial Benchmarks

    View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

    Analyst insights

    Wages have grown faster than revenue over the past few years. Pay rises for kindergarten teachers in line with primary school teachers drove growth in wages, while funding le...

    In this chapter

    • Cost Structure
    • Financial Ratios
    • Key Ratios

    Key metrics

    • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
    • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
    • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
    • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

    Charts

    • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
    • Investment vs. share of economy

    Data tables

    • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
    • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
    • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • Average Wage (2014-2029)
    • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
    • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
    • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
    • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

    Detailed analysis

    • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

    Key Statistics

    Industry Data

    Data Tables

    Including values and annual change:

    • Revenue (2014-2029)
    • IVA (2014-2029)
    • Establishments (2014-2029)
    • Enterprises (2014-2029)
    • Employment (2014-2029)
    • Exports (2014-2029)
    • Imports (2014-2029)
    • Wages (2014-2029)

    Top Questions Answered

    Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

    What is the market size of the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand in 2024?

    The market size of the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand is $1.7bn in 2024.

    How many businesses are there in the Preschool Education in New Zealand industry in 2024?

    There are 1,720 businesses in the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand, which has grown at a CAGR of 2.2 % between 2019 and 2024.

    Has the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand grown or declined over the past 5 years?

    The market size of the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand has been declining at a CAGR of 1.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

    What is the forecast growth of the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand over the next 5 years?

    Over the next five years, the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand is expected to grow.

    What does the Preschool Education in New Zealand include?

    Public preschools and kindergartens and Private preschools and kindergartens are part of the Preschool Education industry.

    How competitive is the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand?

    The level of competition is moderate and increasing in the Preschool Education industry in New Zealand.

    Related Industries

    Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

    View all industries in New Zealand

    Methodology

    How are IBISWorld reports created?

    IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

    Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

    IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

    What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

    Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

    Key data sources in New Zealand include:

    • Statistics New Zealand
    • New Zealand Company Register
    • Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment

    Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

    These sources include:

    • Industry and trade associations
    • Industry federations or regulators
    • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

    Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

    How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

    IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

    IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

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