Pourato for Early Learning

Pourato for Early Learning

Funding information for early learning providers

Overview

Pourato, the Ministry of Education's funding system, will enable early learning service providers to receive funding information from 30 June 2025. This will replace the current PDF funding notices in the Secure Data Portal. Pourato will provide up-to-date funding information and a greater level of transparency between the Ministry and early learning service providers.  

Getting ready for Pourato

  • Your funding contact is the person who will receive access to Pourato on 30 June. Make sure they register for a Pourato preview session in June (sent to them via email - see section below). If your funding contact did not receive an email about Pourato with links to register, please contact pourato@education.govt.nz   

  • If you need to update your funding contact, please submit an EC8 form to the Ministry of Education: 

    Changing your early learning service details - Ministry of Education

  • Make sure your funding contact has access to the Secure Data Portal (SDP), where some funding information will still be available. Submit this form to the Ministry of Education to request access: ESL-39.pdf 
  • Continue to submit returns to the Ministry of Education as you normally do. Submit your next RS7 by 9 June 2025.  

Register for a Pourato preview session

We’ll be holding online preview sessions via Microsoft Teams to demonstrate how Pourato will work, and how to navigate and access your funding information, before the Pourato launch on 30 June.  

Funding contacts are invited to register for one of the Pourato preview sessions below. Choose a session according to whether you have 1-2 services, or multiple services.   

Providers with 1-2 services 

Providers with multiple (3+) services 

The preview sessions will be hosted on Microsoft Teams. If you haven’t used Microsoft Teams before, you will need to download it beforehand to attend the webinar. It’s available for free from the Microsoft website.   

Timeline

Here's what you can expect over the next few months:

1

Mid May

Funding contacts will receive an email about Pourato with an invitation to register for online preview sessions in June. Register for a session using the links above

2

Mid June

Pourato preview sessions for funding contacts will be held online via Microsoft Teams – we’ll cover how to navigate Pourato and access your funding information. Register for a session using the links above

3

30 June

Pourato goes live

4

July

There will be multiple online drop-in sessions for funding contacts to ask questions and get help using Pourato

Key points

  • Pourato will provide up-to-date funding information for early learning service providers.  
  • Pourato will be accessed at any time by service providers through the Education Sector Login (ESL). Service providers will be able to set up additional logins before the November funding round.
  • There is no change to how service providers currently submit returns and provide child funding data to the Ministry of Education.
  • There is no change in funding payment dates throughout the year. 
  • Pourato is designed to align with standard business and accounting practice, which is that payment information will show the GST-exclusive amount, the GST amount and the GST-inclusive amount.
  • Notification emails will be sent to the funding contact when an RS7 request is received, and when new funding information is available in Pourato.
  • Some funding information, including teacher information for Waha Rumaki/PITA allowances and Targeted Funding Eligibility letters, will continue to be published on the Secure Data Portal.

Benefits of Pourato

  • list item bullet Access to up-to-date funding information that does not have a six-month expiry like the Secure Data Portal.
  • list item bullet Greater transparency of payment details between the Ministry and early learning services.
  • list item bullet Easy download of funding details as CSV files, to PDF format or direct printing.
  • list item bullet Timely notifications when there is new approved funding to view in Pourato.

Meaning of Pourato

The name Pourato is made from two parts:

Pou - which means to direct, guide or support, and

Rato - meaning to provide, service or distribute

The name reflects the purpose of the system, which is ensuring education providers have all the resources they need, delivered in the most effective way, so they can focus on helping children thrive.