EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
NZ Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5)
Duration
34 weeks with 2 weeks break
Campus
Nationwide
Delivery
Online
Credits
120
Work placement
120 hours
Programme overview
Are you passionate about looking after and teaching children? Light up your life and the lives of others with a New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5). Through NZSE’s ECE diploma programme, you’ll further your ECE teaching career by becoming a skilled and sought-after educator. From here, you can choose to work in ECE or progress to a bachelor’s degree to gain ECE teacher registration.
This highly accessible, engaging and creative online programme will give you the required skills and knowledge to become a competent Early Childhood Kaiako who can work within a range of early childhood contexts providing support and education to infants, toddlers and young children and enhance community outcomes. To enrol in this programme, you must have a certificate in Level 3 ECE or equivalent, are already working in the sector as an unqualified reliever at an ECE centre, or you are currently a home-based educator needing to become qualified at Level 5.
Start date by campus
Start Date
- 14/04/2025
- 11/08/2025
End Date
- 19/12/2025
- 1/05/2026
What you study
Develop the skills to work with tamariki and ensure both their wellbeing and development in crucial stages of their upbringing. Our programme covers best practices and theory to apply to your work, including:
- Te Whāriki – bicultural curriculum; ethics and professionalism; professional behaviours; nutrition needs of infants, toddlers and young children; parent and whanau communication; culturally safe environments
- Tikanga Māori and te reo; tikanga concepts including ako and whanaungatanga
- Treaty of Waitangi; Whakapapa and heritage of families;
- ECE philosophies; Diverse ECE contexts in Aotearoa New Zealand; Legislation and regulations; Operation of an ECE service
- Relationships; attachment; transitions; child development; value of play; resources; observations; planning; learning plans;
- Pasifika Education Strategy;
- Models of Early Childhood
You will undertake 120 hours of work placement (spread over the fourth and eighth courses). Work placement can be undertaken in a licensed home-based service, an ECE Centre, a kindergarten, or a language nest.
Career opportunities
- Childhood educator
- Kindergartens or playgroup worker
- Teacher aide
Entry requirements
- Students enrolling are recommended to hold either NCEA Level 2 or 3 or the New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3) or equivalent knowledge, skills and experience
- A compulsory criminal record check
- Two referees (not family or friends)
- An interview and a short statement of intent on why the learner wishes to pursue an Early Childhood Education qualification
- This programme requires students to have access to a laptop/desktop that can connect to the internet with a web browser (Must have access to the internet at home) and a required minimum screen size of 10 inches. For device specifications, please talk to your Course Advisor.
- This programme is not available for international students.
Enquire now
NZSE provides a student-centered approach to your learning and full support to your life as a student. Request information here:
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