As the end of the year approaches, many early learning leaders face a familiar and often complex decision: Should we move our educators into different rooms next year? While often treated as a routine process, sometimes even celebrated with reveal parties or colourful announcements, this decision carries weighty implications for staff morale, team dynamics, and, most importantly, the continuity of care for children.
This blog explores the deeper considerations behind room changes and provides practical recommendations for making these transitions smoother, safer, and more intentional.
Why Room Changes Matter More Than We Think
Changing rooms is not just a scheduling or rostering issue. For educators, these changes affect professional identity, confidence, and relationships with children and families. Without a clear rationale or preparation, educators can feel disempowered, frustrated, or even betrayed, especially if they’ve worked hard to build relationships and mastery in a particular room.
Conversely, when done thoughtfully, changes can promote growth, refresh team dynamics, and build organisational agility. The key lies in how, and when, these changes are introduced.
Pros and Cons of Moving Educators
Potential benefits:
- Professional growth and cross-skilling — expanding an educator’s experience across age groups or roles.
- Rebalancing team dynamics — aligning staff with complementary strengths and personalities.
- Supporting transitions — following children as they move up rooms to maintain attachment and consistency.
Common drawbacks:
- Disrupted relationships with children, families, and colleagues.
- A return to the “storming” phase of team development in every room.
- Increased workload on Room Leaders, who must retrain and induct new team members.
- Morale drops for educators moved against their will or without explanation.
Red Flags to Avoid
- Demoting educators without performance management and proper support.
- Moving staff without adequate training or induction — it breaks trust and undermines team cohesion.
- Allowing too much choice — preference forms should inform decisions, not dictate them.
- Providing no explanation — changes must be linked to skills, capabilities, and service needs.
- Making too many changes at once — even in large teams, organisational change should be staged.
- Failing to consult leadership — decisions made in isolation often miss key dynamics.
A Smarter Approach: Staggered, Purposeful Movement
Educator development is important, and so is stability. The ideal approach is slow, deliberate, and tied to professional growth, not just staffing logistics.
Try this model:
- Move one educator at a time, ideally mid-year.
- Frame the move as a development opportunity (e.g. “I’d like to cross-skill you in the toddler room.”)
- Provide thorough induction and real-time support.
- Avoid wholesale changes in January unless absolutely necessary.
Support Transitions with a 3-Week Plan
If you do decide to move multiple educators, consider creating a scaffolded transition plan for your Room Leaders:
- Week 1: Relationship building
Activities like “Two Truths and a Lie,” or “Secret Skills” help teams bond. - Week 2: Systems and expectations
Review processes, complete a team self-assessment, and identify training needs. - Week 3: Feedback and communication norms
Agree on how to give and receive feedback, how decisions will be made, and how success will be celebrated.
This kind of onboarding reduces stress, builds cohesion, and ensures teams get off to a strong start.
Strengthen Leadership First
While educator placements matter, the success of any room ultimately hinges on leadership.
Room Leaders should:
- Be selected based on performance, not urgency.
- Receive training before they are appointed, not after.
- Be crystal clear on their responsibilities (e.g. giving feedback, managing conflict, mentoring others).
The structure around them matters too. Every service should have:
- Room Teams led by capable Room Leaders.
- A Leadership Team (Room Leaders, Community Leaders, Nominated Supervisor) that speaks with one voice.
- Project Squads (e.g. RAP, sustainability, wellbeing) that offer junior educators a chance to build leadership skills.
This kind of collaborative leadership model builds succession pipelines, boosts morale, and fosters high accountability at all levels.
Final Thought
Changing teams can be an incredible opportunity, or an operational risk. The difference lies in the why, how, and who behind the decision.
Start with clarity. Anchor your choices in growth, care continuity, and team function. And above all, move with intention, not just tradition.
Author: Adrian Pattra-McLean is a management consultant and founder of Farran Street Education with a Master of Education (Ed. Psychology). He is currently facilitating the series "Educator Accountability - A Complete Step-by-Step Guide" 
Love this Adrian. Great timing as I am just about to announce to my team where they are in 2026. Your words in this blog will help me explain my decisions. Thanks for all your work with these blogs :)
Thank you. Good luck!
Thank you.
Very timely and thought provoking especially when dealing with a small team in a small centre.
Thank you. Small teams can sometimes be harder than larger teams.
Thank you, yes it's a tough choice, hopefully with the right team culture everyone respects the leaders perspective.
It's true! If trust and respect are high, the changes should be smooth sailing.
Thank you Adrian, a good read.