Enrolment information

To enrol in the Playcentre Education programme you must:

• Be at least 17 years old
• Complete a safety check as per the Children’s Act 2014. It will be carried out confidentially.
• The certificate is an English-language qualification – a sufficient level of English is required to study at Level 4
• Provide evidence that you are a ‘domestic student’
• Be attending or affiliated with a Playcentre
• Not already hold a level 5 or higher Early Childhood Education qualification

A ‘domestic student’ is a citizen of New Zealand (including students from the Cook Islands, Tokelau, or Niue) or a person who holds a New Zealand resident class visa or a citizen of Australia or holder of a resident visa for Australia who is residing in NZ.

The evidence required for a citizen is one of the following: A Birth certificate with place of birth stated as New Zealand, Cook Islands, Tokelau, Niue or Australia or a NZ or Australian Passport.

The evidence for a resident class visa is the NZ residency stamp in the Overseas Passport or a letter from Immigration New Zealand stating the person has a resident class visa.

Special provisions apply to certain overseas military personnel, diplomatic staff and their families or persons associated with Operation Deep Freeze and for refugees.

Playcentre Education cannot enrol non-domestic (International) students. This also applies to non-residents in NZ on a work or visitor visa. Other providers are accredited to accept international students.  Please contact the Education team to discuss options for whānau who do not meet eligibility requirements.

Please contact the Education team to discuss available options.

When you sign up for PE1, you will receive a link to download the enrolment forms and further instructions.  You can fill these out electronically online or print and scan.  All forms should be emailed to [email protected]

If you have previously been enrolled in Playcentre Education and are returning to study, contact the Education team to find out your next steps.

You only need to submit a request for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) if you already hold a qualification relevant to the Level 4 Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care.

Common examples include:

• Primary teachers – find out more here: Primary Teachers in Playcentre
• Secondary teachers can also often have one or two modules credited
• A qualification in te reo me ōna tikanga Māori

Those with a Playcentre Course 4, 5 or 6 from the Playcentre Diploma in Early Childhood and Adult Education programme or a level 5, 6 or 7 Early Childhood qualification from another Tertiary Provider are not eligible to enter the level 4 programme. If you have a level 4 qualification in Early Childhood or a related field (e.g. a Nanny certificate) you should seek advice from the Education Lead as to whether you can enter this programme.

A safety check is required by the Children’s Act 2014 for learners in an early childhood educational or vocational training programme involving practical experience in a licensed early childhood service (Playcentre). It will be carried out confidentially.

All learners will be police vetted under the mandatory requirements of the Children’s Act 2014 as a learner on practicum and as a core worker in an early learning centre. Te Whānau Tupu Ngātahi o Aotearoa – Playcentre Aotearoa is the agency who makes the application to the NZ Police vetting Service. A designated person will process the police vet application and the safety check. Your information will be treated confidentially, as required by the Privacy Act 2020.

This check requires confirmation of your identity. Two forms of ID must be sighted, one primary and one secondary, one of which must be photographic. Verified copies of these identity documents must accompany the completed safety check forms.

A list of valid primary ID, secondary ID and name change documents can be found on page 2 of How to verify identity documents for police vets. Examples include:

• Primary ID documents: Passport or full Birth Certificate issued after 1990 or Citizenship Certificate.
• Secondary ID documents: NZ Drivers licence or 18+ card or Community Services Card.
• If the documents are in different names or your National Student Number (NSN) is in a previous name, you will need a change of name document, e.g. marriage or civil union certificate

There is a schedule of very serious offences which would exclude someone from working with children. You will find these listed as Schedule 2 in The Children’s Act 2014 (formerly the Vulnerable Children’s Act 2014) which can be read at http://www.legislation.govt.nz. Anything that is not related to children’s wellbeing will not be flagged during these checks.

Verification of ID documents for Safety Checking for staff and students can be carried out by a Playcentre employee preferably, or by a Person Responsible at any centre, following this procedure: 7.2.3c – How to verify identity documents for police vets

Verification of ID documents is a requirement of the Safety Checking process for both Playcentre employees and students participating in the Playcentre Education Programme, as provided under the Children’s Act 2014 and the Ministry of Education regulations.

For those attending face-to-face workshops, you can bring your ID documents to your workshop along with a photocopy and your workshop tutor can verify the copies (sight the original and sign the photocopy) to accompany your forms for processing.

Alternatively, you can contact a Student Support Coordinator to set up a time to verify your ID via a 1-minute video call.

Practical experience will take place in a Playcentre or pre-arranged early learning service.  Before enrolling the Playcentre Education programme, complete an induction to your local Playcentre.

To complete the Level 4 certificate, you will need to participate in 40 Playcentre sessions from enrolment in the programme. At least 20 of these sessions need to be completed while you are enrolled in the Playcentre Leader (PL) modules.

The easiest way to record your attendance at session is by signing in AND out of Discover every time you attend Playcentre.

Visit  Playcentre Education Resources | Playcentre to find out more about Playcentre Education resources and support for ākonga with additional learning needs.

The NZ Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care Level 4 with Playcentre Education is free (Zero Fees). From January 2023 government policy is that learners will not consume fees free eligibility credits for study where a learner is enrolled in a Zero Fees programme for a level 3 or above course which would be eligible for fees free provision if fees were charged.   Any questions about Zero Fees or study funding – contact Glenda Caradus.

While we do not charge tuition fees, weekend courses or training events sometimes attract extra accommodation, travel, or food costs you may be asked to meet.  If there are such costs you will be advised of costs and the policy about refunds if you cancel before the event. Some centres may support travel and babysitting costs while you progress through your study, but this is not always possible. Your centre education officer will be able to tell you of any financial assistance available.

Reading resources are provided as electronic copies or available at your local Playcentre library and a limited number of Chromebooks are available on loan to online learners.