Education: Early Years Teaching and Learning

Why choose this course? This degree provides real-world experience in Early Years education through taught content and workplace learning/placements. You will develop critical, analytical and transferable skills that employers value.

Taught sessions are on campus one day a week, with a minimum of 16 hours in paid or voluntary work per week in an appropriate Early Years setting. Applicants not working in the sector, will be provided with a suitable placement.

Our course has been developed for both practitioners and those new to the Early Years sector. There is an emphasis on developing professional practice, play, pedagogical approaches, leadership, sustainability, equality, diversity and inclusion. There are opportunities for you to develop your own unique interests and philosophy within the programme through cross disciplinary discussions.

Your module learning, teaching and portfolio work align with the working practices outlined in the Early Years Educator criteria (subject to confirmation), Graduate Practitioner competencies and the Early Childhood Studies Subject benchmark.

If you do not already hold Early Years Educator Status from your Level 3 qualification, we offer the pathway: Early Years Teaching and Learning (with Early Years Educator), which is classified as a 'full and relevant' qualification by the Department for Education, subject to approval (UCAS code: X001). This route will enable you to gain the professional 'Early Years Educator' status.

The Graduate Practitioner Competencies (GPC) Pathway allows you to showcase the nine competencies defined by the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN) in a practical setting. This route empowers you to demonstrate leadership by using your knowledge and skills to apply innovative and critical thinking to a range of professional situations. It helps you to position yourself as a leader, to advocate and promote the best interests of children and their families.

To take part in the Graduate Practitioner Competencies Pathway, during the course you will need to be assessed in your workplace and access alternative placements/work settings/community settings outside your usual place of work, to provide evidence practice across the 0–8 age range (25 days).