Higher Certificate in Pre-School Education

The STADIO Higher Certificate in Pre-School Education is a formal qualification in early childhood development (ECD), aimed at people who want to work in an ECD centre, or who are already working and want to achieve a qualification on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). ECD is the phase between birth and Grade R (0–5 years), where the child’s foundational cognitive abilities, attitudes and skills develop.

As an ECD practitioner, you play a vital role in developing young children. It is your care, oversight and attention to detail that will help little ones grow to their full potential.

 

SCHOOL-BASED TEACHING PRACTICE 

Teaching practice is an integral part of teacher education that provides you with the opportunity to experience the excitement of a classroom environment and contributes to your professional development as a future teacher. Teaching practice is compulsory in the Higher Certificate in Pre-School Education programme. Various teaching practice assessment methods are used during this time to evaluate the student, including reports from the school, the School of Education (SOE) teaching practice assessor, the school mentors, and your eventual Portfolio of Evidence. In addition, the SOE monitors and verifies the placement of all students at schools.

It is the responsibility of the student to arrange for leave from an employer for the required number of weeks for teaching practice in schools. A student can only commence with teaching practice once the placement has been verified by the Teaching Practice Department of the SOE.

Please note the following:
You will have to spend a total of 3 consecutive weeks (15 days) in a school under the supervision of a mentor teacher as part of your studies. You are required to attend the school from Monday to Friday for the full duration of the school day. You have to do teaching practice in Semester 2 in a Grade 00 and/or Grade 000 and/or Grade R class. Transport costs to and from school are to the account of the student.

If you are already employed at a school or pre-school, your school or pre-school must meet the minimum requirements for a functional school and your mentor teacher must be suitably qualified. You are required to provide a letter of employment from the school to the Teaching Practice Department. If your school or pre-school does not meet our minimum requirements or you don’t have a suitably qualified teacher in your school who can act as a mentor teacher, you will have to spend your teaching practice weeks in another school or pre-school.

You will be required to video-record some lesson presentations and upload these to the Learning Management System for marking, so you have to ensure that you have a suitable tablet or laptop device with sufficient storage space and data, as stipulated in the Minimum System Requirements section of this Information Pack.

You will receive full details of how your teaching practice sessions will work during the course of your studies.

 

FURTHER STUDY OPPORTUNITIES

Once you have successfully passed the Higher Certificate in Pre-School Education, you may continue your studies towards the Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching or the Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching qualification. You will have to complete a bridging year, after which you will continue with your second year of studies in the Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching or the Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching qualification. The credits will depend on the modules you elect in the Higher Certificate qualification.

 

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES FOR DISTANCE LEARNING 

Out of sight does not equal out of mind at STADIO! 

• C4SS - CENTRE FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

The Centre for Student Success supports students with academic, psychological and financial wellness.

• SAS - STUDENT ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT

Student Administration & Support is the first port of call for all student queries and requests, they can channel your requests to the right individuals.

THE ADMISSION CRITERIA FOR THE HIGHER CERTIFICATE IN PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION ARE:

 

• a Senior Certificate (SC); OR

• a National Senior Certificate (NSC), with a minimum of 40% in three modules including a Home Language, and a minimum of 30% in three other modules; OR

• a National Senior Certificate – Vocational Level 4 (NC(V)), 

with 

• a minimum of 40% in English Home Language or 50% in English First Additional Language.

 

In addition, applicants will be required to submit a Teaching Affidavit with their application. You may download it HERE and submit upon application.

 

OTHER ACCESS PATHWAYS

• Recognition of prior learning may lead to entry or an advanced credit standing at the discretion of the School.

 

STADIO is committed to achieving inclusion and to overcome barriers to access and success in higher education. Applicants who do not meet the stated admission criteria, but who have relevant work experience and/or prior learning may apply for admission under the policy on Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). STADIO admits a maximum of 10% per cohort via RPL. The implementation of RPL is context-specific, in terms of discipline, programme and level.  Further information may be obtained from your Student Recruitment Advisor.