What we offer
Te Wāhanga Mātauranga | Playcentre Education offers the NZ Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 4).
The Level 4 Certificate programme is designed as hands-on learning for parents, grandparents & caregivers to upskill as parents and kaiako educators. A key part of the programme is participating in Playcentre sessions as kaiako, and this can be completed with your tamariki children alongside you. The programme includes ten small modules, grouped into the Playcentre Educator (PE) & Playcentre Leader (PL) modules. The Level 4 Certificate is nationally recognised, NZQA-approved, and Zero Fees
Within the L4 Certificate, the Playcentre Introductory Award (PIA) and Playcentre Educator Award (PEA) are awarded along the way. The Playcentre Primary Teacher Bridging Award is a stepping-stone award for NZ primary teachers. These internal awards are recognised as part of Playcentre’s licensing and funding agreements with the Ministry of Education.
The Playcentre Education programme has been designed to accommodate part-time study around the lives of our typical ākonga learners – multi-tasking parents, grandparents and caregivers who have responsibilities on top of being a learner. Ākonga have the option of studying continuously or doing a module at a time as it suits them. It is possible to complete the certificate with five months; however, most ākonga spread it out over 1-2 years.
The programme incorporates blended delivery options. It is a mix of kanohi-ki-te-kanohi (face-to-face) and webinar workshops, self-paced online modules and independent reading. A large part of the programme hours involve supporting children’s learning through Playcentre sessions in the important role of parent, grandparent or caregiver.
Playcentre Education’s Performance
Playcentre Education is Playcentre Aotearoa’s Private Training Establishment accredited by NZQA to deliver the New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 4) to domestic students. The most recent NZQA External Evaluation Review (EER) rating is a Category 1 tertiary education provider. This is the top level of performance. You can read NZQA’s 2024 External Evaluation Review (EER) here.
Playcentre Education upholds the NZQA’s Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice and carries out regular self-review, evaluation and planning to ensure the wellbeing and safety of learners. Playcentre Education’s 2024 Code Self-Review Report for NZQA is available here.