The specific needs of part-time students are catered for through flexible approaches to learning that encourage core reading to be examined and questioned in the students' setting.
Each level of the programme involves a strand of practice-based enquiry that enables and promotes learning from and through practice.
The programme recognises the needs of part-time, mature students engaged in full-time employment in the following key ways:
- Current and relevant content enabling work related reflection
- Varied and practice-related assessment
- One attendance on campus each week
- Delivery pattern to fit in with school holidays
- Active encouragement to analyse and reflect on students' own practice
- Online resources to support distance learning between sessions
Why study this course?
This course may be for you if you already work as an Early Years Practitioner and would like to develop your career. If you want to develop your professional knowledge and understanding while still working, or you wish to progress further with your career, then the Foundation Degree in Early Years Practice is a valuable next step.
Features
This course is matched to the Common Core of skills and knowledge and also to the standards for Early Years Professional Status. For parts of your course you will work alongside other Children's Services professionals to help develop the kinds of integrated planning, and multi-disciplinary working advocated by the Children Act 2004.
Programme Structure
Modules for this foundation course as follows:
Year 1 (Level 4)
ED4501 Practice-based Enquiry 1
This module aims to help students develop a clear understanding of their role in supporting children's learning and development in their setting. Their role within the context of the assessment and planning cycle will be explored and students will be expected to identify developmental targets to improve their personal performance. Meeting the needs of individual children whilst working within the policies and practices of the setting and their role in the professional team will be explored. The module introduces participants to basic enquiry methods and observation techniques and examines the strengths and weaknesses of a variety of approaches to child observation, assessment and planning.
ED4502 Personal and Collaborative Learning
This module aims to provide the opportunity to audit learning skills and to help students establish development targets that can be achieved in subsequent modules. The theoretical perspectives explored in this module will enable students to reflect upon and share their own experience as a learner and to relate this to current thinking. The taught sessions and assignments also aim to provide opportunities for professional collaborative and cooperative working.
ED4503 Promoting Positive Relationships
This module aims to focus attention on the central role of effective communication in the development of positive relationships within a setting, with the community and with other professionals. Through critical reflection on practice, and analysis of the modes and methods of communication, the module aims to develop participants' understanding of the features of positive relationships and promote the ECM agenda.
ED4504 Safeguarding Children
This module will explore ways in which child protection is an essential and complex area of inter-professional practice. Students will be prepared by this module to appreciate the importance and mechanism of child protection for children at risk, and the support system for children and their families within a legal framework and society. It aims to enable students to recognise risks and hazards to children's safety and understand the roles and responsibilities of professionals in reducing them.
ED4515 The Developing Child
This module aims to provide a grounding in child development for understanding growth and learning. Students will explore, through their own experiences, their observations, reading and discussion, ways in which theories of development and learning can affect development and the impact upon practice.
ED4516 Play in the Early Years Foundation Stage
The main focus of this module is play, creativity and imagination. It will identify how key curriculum and other documentation support the holistic learning and development of young children. It aims to explore the aims and principles which underpin the approach to young children's learning and development outlined in key curriculum documentation. This module makes links between key aspects of theory from early years pioneers and curriculum documents and examines the key features of an effective physical and social learning environment and the importance of creative play in the early years. This module will support students with their developing personal philosophy of play and its contribution to learning and development.
Year 2 (Level 5)
ED5501 Inclusive Practice
This module aims to support the role of the professional in meeting the needs of all children, by examining the broader issue of inclusion, whilst having regard for current legislation. Meeting the needs of all children is a fundamental principle and the content of this module reflects the complexities surrounding a modern, diverse and inclusive Britain.
ED5503 Children's Health and Well-being
The concept of health education in early childhood connects the areas of physical, personal, social and cognitive development. Maximising child health is paramount in supporting children in achieving their full potential in society. This module aims to examine the importance of health and well-being for children aged 0-16 years.
ED5504 Practice-based Enquiry 2
This module will build further on the work undertaken so far in this programme by focusing on the application of theory and principles in a workplace context. Although there are no prerequisites, the module aims to build on the Level 4 Practice Based Enquiry module through a negotiated workplace action research project which will enable students to further their understanding of their role in shaping practice and identify areas of expertise. Action research has been selected as a starting point for professional practice-based research for Foundation Degree students. The module aims to help students to critically review policies and practices in their setting and to identify targets for future developments both personally and in relation to workplace practice. They will develop relationships with colleagues in their setting and also with other professionals.
ED5505 Special Needs and Inclusion
The aims of this module are to build on previous study of inclusive practice in education and extend practitioners knowledge and understanding of types of disabilities to prepare them for including children with a wide range of Special Needs into settings. This module focuses upon the systems, characteristics, behaviour, diagnosis, assessment, teaching methods and legislation involved when working with a child with additional needs. It aims to prepare practitioners to plan personalised learning experiences, which take account of a range of different needs.
ED5512 Enabling Environments
This module will build on students' knowledge of young children learning through consideration of what learning looks like in early years settings and the way in which this is informed by the Early Years Foundation Stage guidance. It aims to develop students' knowledge and understanding of creative ways of enabling children's holistic development in Early Years settings.
ED5516 Communication and Early Years Practice
This module aims to explore and analyse key theories of language acquisition and early communication. It will enable students to reflect on the importance of communication for the young child and analyse how young children communicate. It also aims to develop the students' understanding of how to become skilful communicators with children, parents/carers and professionals, using verbal, non-verbal and symbolic representation. The social and cultural contexts affecting communication will also be explored and the relationship between young children's thinking and communication in the early years, investigated.
Assessment is designed to help you demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of the course content and identify the next steps in your learning.
Learning, teaching and assessment are inter-related and all are planned to help support and develop highly effective practitioners.
The programme adopts the following principles:
- A range of assessments, including case studies, portfolios, evaluative reports, reflective essays and presentations, are used to enable opportunities for all students to display their strengths
- All assessments are used formatively to help students develop action plans to support their learning
- Assessments allow students to utilise their professional settings as a context for assignment tasks
Many students gain promotion or secure new jobs while they are undertaking part-time study. It is not just the additional qualification but also the act of studying for further professional development that is attractive to employers.
In addition to the obvious endorsement that the FdA Early Years Practice gives to those working in Early Years settings, the course has also served as a bridge for those wishing to progress via a Level 6 qualification (the BA Early Childhood Studies for example) to become a full honours graduate.
With an honours degree, professional postgraduate programmes for many sectors of the Children's Workforce become accessible, like Early Years Professional Status or the PGCE Early Years or the Graduate Teacher Programme, for those wishing to enter the teaching profession.
We will consider applications from candidates who hold one of the following qualifications:
- An NQF/QCF level 3 qualification in Early Years or a related subject.
- English and (ideally) Mathematics at GCSE (or equivalent), grade C or above.
- Approximately 2 years experience of working in an early years setting either voluntarily or employed.
- Support of their employer to undertake the programme with a satisfactory reference
- A recent CRB check.
Accreditation for prior learning (APL)
If you already have a relevant sector-endorsed Level 4 qualification then you may be able to apply for advanced credit on this programme.
You must also be working for at least the equivalent of a half-time post in work with young children in an early years setting, e.g. nursery, nursery centre, playgroup, pre-school, accredited childminder in approved childminding network, nursery or reception classes in schools in the independent, private or voluntary sector in either a voluntary or paid capacity.
Those who wish to progress to a programme of teacher training will require, at that time, a GCSE at Grade C (or equivalent) in English Language, Mathematics and Science.
