C-series modules
Once you have finished the Playcentre Educator Award you can apply to enter the C-series. C405 “Theory guides practice” is the largest module and must be done first. It is the foundation for the rest of the C-series learning. It is currently being adapted for a lot of the ‘workshops’ to be available on-line. This will mean less workshops to physically attend and will extend access to many more students at the same time in different locations. We anticipate it being ready in term 3.

Be assured other C-series modules will be ready by the time students have worked through the C405 module. Realistically it will take a student about 3 terms to complete the C-series.

Practical requirements (Practicum)
There are practical experience requirements to be met for the award of the NZ Certificate in ECE and Care (level 4). Playcentre sessions, when you are part of the duty team, will meet this requirement. By the time you complete all the other requirements for the certificate you will need to have recorded your involvement on 40 sessions. Everyone must do at least 20 sessions at a licensed Playcentre while enrolled in the C-series. Space sessions which are comparable to regular licensed Playcentre sessions in the 3rd and 4th term of a SPACE programme series can be counted.

If you are in an unlicensed session or only involved in the SPACE programme delivering to the parents in the first parts of the SPACE programme approach your Regional Manager and/or Centre Support Co-ordinator (CSC) to find a centre to work in voluntarily to met the minimum 20 fully licensed Playcentre sessions while working on the C-series. If you need advice or help you can also talk to national or regional Playcentre Education staff (contact details on the Playcentre website).

We recommend that you always ‘sign in’ when working as part of the supervision team on a session so you can show you have met the practical requirement. You don’t have to be rostered on for the session to count – But you do need to be a full member of the supervision team involved in the pre-session preparation, fully involved during the session and contribute to the post session activities including the evaluation for the session. Start counting sessions from your first enrolment in the new programme – from when you start or started the Playcentre Introductory Award. If you have RPL or transitioned from C2 or C3 you will have some sessions credited. A transitioning C2 will only need 36 in total and a transitioning C3 will need 30 sessions in total.