Parent Education

Federation
Playcentre Education is a sub-committee of the New Zealand Playcentre Federation and is a Private Training Establishment (PTE) registered with the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA).

Association
The Education Executive team consists of: The Education Co-ordinator, Course 1 Co-ordinator, Course 2 Co-ordinator, Course 3 Co-ordinator, Course 4 Co-ordinator, Curriculum Development representative and He Waka Eke Noa Co-ordinator and Librarian.

“The Playcentre Education Diploma” is a multi-level programme, consisting of 6 course levels. It builds on the skills, knowledge and experience parents bring with them to a Playcentre setting. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) approves this training course.

The Education Executive team encourages parent education through Association courses, and provides approved facilitators and tutors for workshops and discussions throughout the different levels of the training programme. The team works within the Quality Management System (QMS) guidelines, while ensuring that the requirements of “The Playcentre Education Diploma” are met.

The Education Executive team offers educational help to parents through the Somerset Days programme-workshops and discussions for courses 1 and 2, named after Gwen Somerset, a Playcentre founder from Canterbury. The team actively encourages and supports students working towards completing the entire Diploma. Students are given a tutor at each course level beyond course 2. The Education team assesses the work each the student has done and after approval from Education Executive, students receive a certificate on completion of each course.

The team provides in-service training and professional development for the supervision teams at centres through the “Learning Together Days” held each year, and provides a supervisors support network.

The Education Executive team takes into account feedback and evaluations from students and facilitators when planning training events. The contents of the training programme are continually reviewed. Records are kept of all training.

The Education Executive team is responsible for tutors and facilitators, and holds regular support meetings them. Tutors may seek the opinion of other tutors and may request further assignments from students. Tutors complete moderation of students work. To ensure moderation is completed consistently and to a high standard, at least 1 piece of work is moderated by another tutor and a selection is sent in for national moderation.