New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3) and (Level 4)
Gain the core skills and knowledge you need to participate in the education and care of infants, toddlers and young children in entry-level carer roles in a range of early childhood settings. This hands-on qualification includes work placements to fully prepare you for a career in the real world.
Domestic
About the programme
Educators are always in demand and teaching skills are highly transferable.
Working with children is a rewarding, fun, and diverse career and these certificates will prepare you for employment in the early childhood sector.
This Certificate is made up of two programmes - one at Level 3 and one at Level 4.
The Level 3 programme includes 60 hours of work placements and will help you gain the core skills and knowledge needed to participate in the education and care of infants, toddlers, and young children in entry-level carer roles in a range of early childhood contexts. It is worth 60 credits and takes 17 weeks full-time to complete. It starts in February each year.
The Level 4 programme includes 115 hours of work placements and will enable you to build on the skills and knowledge you developed at Level 3. You’ll learn how to practice as an inclusive educator, promoting diversity and the place of Māori as tangata whenua. It's also worth 60 credits and takes 17 weeks full-time to complete. It starts in July each year.
If you meet the Level 4 entry requirements, you can enter directly into that level and just complete the one programme starting in July. To find out more and apply for that option, click here. It’s also possible to just complete the Level 3 certificate if that’s what you want to do.
16-24 years old?
If you are aged 16-24 and feel that school didn’t work out for you, you may be able to study the Level 3 programme via our Youth Guarantee Scheme and pay no fees. This also applies if you are going to be 15 years old at the time that this programme starts and you have an early exemption from school. See more info in the Fees section below.
International
About the programme
Educators are always in demand and teaching skills are highly transferable.
Working with children is a rewarding, fun, and diverse career and these certificates will prepare you for employment in the early childhood sector.
This Certificate is made up of two programmes - one at Level 3 and one at Level 4.
The Level 3 programme includes 60 hours of work placements and will help you gain the core skills and knowledge needed to participate in the education and care of infants, toddlers, and young children in entry-level carer roles in a range of early childhood contexts. It is worth 60 credits and takes 17 weeks full-time to complete. It starts in February each year.
The Level 4 programme includes 115 hours of work placements and will enable you to build on the skills and knowledge you developed at Level 3. You’ll learn how to practice as an inclusive educator, promoting diversity and the place of Māori as tangata whenua. It's also worth 60 credits and takes 17 weeks full-time to complete. It starts in July each year.
If you meet the Level 4 entry requirements, you can enter directly into that level and just complete the one programme starting in July. To find out more and apply for that option, click here. It’s also possible to just complete the Level 3 certificate if that’s what you want to do.
What You Study
Level 3 courses and work placements
You will undertake 60 hours of work placements in various early childhood settings.
Courses
1. Child Learning and Development
Describe your practice as an early childhood educator using the bi-cultural curriculum framework, Te Whāriki, as it applies to the services, contexts, and philosophies of childhood learning and development in Aotearoa New Zealand.
2. Health and Wellbeing in Practice
Learn how to promote the health and holistic wellbeing of infants, toddlers, and young children whilst managing own health, in compliance with legislation and regulations.
3. Professional Practice
Explore the role of an educator within the Early Childhood Education context.
4. Community Engagement
Engage in respectful relationships across the Early Childhood Education environment and acknowledge and promote the unique place of Māori as tangata whenua.
Level 4 courses and work placements
You will undertake 115 hours of work placements in various early childhood settings.
Courses
1. Sociocultural Theories and Practices
Explore the theories and philosophies relevant to the Early Childhood Education context.
2. The Effective Educator
Examine your personal philosophy of practice; use strategies to manage health, wellbeing, and professionalism.
3. Bicultural and Inclusive Practice
Learn how to practice as an inclusive educator, promoting diversity and the place of Māori as tangata whenua.
4. The ECE Profession
Engage effectively with stakeholders within the early childhood education context to protect and support the wellbeing of children and families.
Further study options
This programme will prepare you for a range of careers including:
- Childcare Support Worker
- Childcare Worker
- Home-based Carer
- Nanny
With further training and qualifications, you could choose to become a:
- Education Support Worker
- Tertiary Teacher
- Private Educator
- Industry Educator
- Staff Trainer
Graduates of this programme could undertake further study towards the New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 5) or proceed to commence a Level 7 teacher education (ECE) qualification. Otago Polytechnic currently doesn't offer either of these qualifications but if you wish to speak with someone about further learning opportunities, please email our career advisors - careers@op.ac.nz
Entry
Entry requirements
For Level 3
Academic requirements
- For applicants under 20 years old, we prefer NCEA Level 1 including 10 literacy and 10 numeracy credits OR equivalent.
- For applicants over 20 years old, there are no academic entry requirements.
Special entry
- In exceptional circumstances, an applicant under the age of 20 who does not meet the academic entry requirements may be granted entry to the programme where they supply evidence of their ability to succeed on the programme.
Other requirements
- Learners must be at least 17 years old.
- For all applicants, an interview will be held prior to acceptance to assess your suitability for working with children in the community and to ensure Otago Polytechnic meets the legislative requirements of the Children's Act 2014. In accordance with this Act, you will be required to:
- complete a New Zealand Police consent to Disclosure of Information form
- supply the contact details of two referees who are willing to give a confidential report. Referees must be over 16 and cannot be related to you, be a partner/spouse/friend or live at the same address as you.
- attend an informal interview to discuss your suitability for working with children in the community.
Please note: All applicants with any convictions may be declined entry depending on the severity, recency, age at offending and pattern of offending.
English Language requirements
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.0 with no individual band score lower than 5.0 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).
- If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Please note: This programme is subject to minimum numbers.
For Level 4
If you meet the below requirements, you can apply for entry straight into Level 4. This six-month certificate starts in July every year. Click here for the Level 4 only programme.
Academic requirements
- 40 credits at NCEA Level 2 including 10 Level 2 literacy credits and 10 Level 2 numeracy credits OR the New Zealand Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care (Level 3) OR equivalent.
Special entry
- In exceptional circumstances, an applicant under the age of 20 who does not meet the academic entry requirements may be granted entry to the programme where they supply evidence of their ability to succeed on the programme.
Other requirements
- Learners must be at least 17 years old.
- For all applicants, an interview will be held prior to acceptance to assess your suitability for working with children in the community and to ensure Otago Polytechnic meets the legislative requirements of the Children's Act 2014. In accordance with this Act, you will be required to:
- complete a New Zealand Police consent to Disclosure of Information form
- supply the contact details of two referees who are willing to give a confidential report. Referees must be over 16 and cannot be related to you, be a partner/spouse/friend or live at the same address as you.
- attend an informal interview to discuss your suitability for working with children in the community.
Please note: All applicants with any convictions may be declined entry depending on the severity, recency, age at offending and pattern of offending.
English Language requirements
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.5 with no individual band score lower than 5.5 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
- Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).
If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes.
Fees
Domestic fees
International fees
Fees Free
If you’re a domestic student and this is your first time doing tertiary study in New Zealand (over 60 credits at Level 3 or higher), you may be able to get free tuition fees for this programme.
All the details and criteria are on the Fees Free website and you can check whether you’re going to be able to access funding by entering your National Student Number.
If you can access it, we’ll organise your fees with the Tertiary Education Commission when you’re enrolled to study with us. This funding doesn’t include additional costs or living costs.
Youth Guarantee Scheme information (Level 3 only)
If you are aged 16-24 and feel that school didn’t work out for you, you may be able to study this programme via our Youth Guarantee Scheme and pay no fees. This also applies if you are going to be 15 years old at the time that this programme starts and you have an early exemption letter from school.
To be eligible for Youth Guarantee funding, you must:
- Be a domestic student aged 16-24
- OR be 15 years of age at the time when you commence the programme AND have an early leaving exemption letter from your school
- Don’t already have (or are not about to have) a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in any subject
- Have been thinking about leaving school and getting a job OR prefer to be working towards a career rather than staying at school OR have left school and are not sure how to enter higher education or employment
- Want to learn practical skills
- Be more motivated in a non-school setting and be prepared to enrol in a full-time or part-time programme.
Fees and allowances
The Youth Guarantee Scheme will cover tuition fees, material and equipment costs of your programme of study. Learners aged 18-24 who are enrolled in fees-free Youth Guarantee qualifications will now be able to access the course-related costs part of the student loan and student allowances if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Those under 18 years old will not be able to access any part of the student loans. Funding for travel is available, conditions apply. Please visit the Studylink website for full details. We strongly recommend that you read this carefully prior to applying for this programme.
The process
- There is not a separate Youth Guarantee application form. Please apply for this programme by using our standard Otago Polytechnic application form. To apply online, or to download a paper version, click the blue 'Apply' button at the top right-hand corner of this page.
- If you meet the criteria for Youth Guarantee funding you will be offered the funding if it is available. We will ask you to let us know within two weeks if you do not wish to take up the funding.
- If there is no Youth Guarantee funding available, we will send you a letter advising you of this. Along with this letter, you will receive an invoice, terms and conditions, a Studylink brochure and an equipment list advising what you will need to purchase before starting your programme.
Student Services Fee
For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.
Tuition fees
The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied.
Domestic full-time students can apply for a student loan through Studylink. Some support may be available for domestic part-time students. Apply at the same time as you apply for your course (you can withdraw your application anytime).
Application
A change for 2023 enrolments
When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic in 2023, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people, and you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.
Disclaimer
While every effort is made to ensure that this sheet is accurate, Otago Polytechnic reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw any of the contained information. The fees shown in this document are indicative only. Both domestic and international fees are subject to change and are dependent on the development and implementation of Government policies. Please note that additional fees may from time to time be required for external examination, NZQA fees and/or additional material fees.
