WHY CHOOSE THIS COURSE?

This foundation degree considers the child and childhood through the areas of sociology, education and psychology. At the same time it draws upon the National Occupational Standards for Early Childhood to ensure the content is vocationally relevant.

This course:

• is delivered online so can be studied in the comfort of your own home around work and life
• combines academic study with work-based learning
• develops higher-level learning within both the institution and the workplace
• is offered on a full-time or part-time basis
• is designed to enable students to study alongside their working hours, allowing a student studying full-time to meet their work commitments

YEAR 1 - LEVEL 4

 Level 4 modules have been developed to encourage knowledge, understanding and professional development in the core childhood study concepts. Students are supported to understand the meaning of childhood and to develop knowledge, professional understanding and competency around child development, learning, safeguarding, and reflective practice. Throughout the modules students are expected to develop key academic and professional development skills.

MODULES

• Understanding the Child and Childhood: This module aims to explore the discipline of the Sociology of Childhood as a lens through which to explore childhood and different dimensions of children’s lives. You will examine the concept of childhood as a social construction to understand how childhood changes over time, place and space, and the role of children as active participants who both shape and are shaped by their social worlds.
• Understanding Child Development and Learning: This module aims to explore the integrated nature of young children’s development. It will consider how cultural and social contexts impact on children’s development and learning. This will enable students to develop an awareness and understanding of how children learn and develop including a knowledge of key theorists and how their concepts inform understanding of behaviour, play, language and transitions within the early years.
• Learning and Development in Practice (Part 1): This module aims to identify the domains which constitute children’s learning and development and to analyse the range of resources, methods, activities to successfully support these areas within early childhood practice. It will consider the curriculum frameworks, legislation, guidance and policies as they apply to practice and the role of the practitioner in supporting children, parents and other practitioners in an effective environment.
• Safeguarding Children: This module aims to explore and examine the safeguarding system, including its impact on and involvement of children and families with reference to relevant literature, research and legislation.
• Academic Skills for Practitioners: This module aims to explore the essential academic study skills to succeed as a student of Higher Education. It will develop the skills of being an independent learner and completing a personal development plan. The module will also guide students through their assignments, especially when completing an assignment type for the first time. It will help students to understand the role of feedback and feedforward as a means to evaluate and improve their own work and that of others. It will also consider the ethics of working with children in an academic context and the value of being critical and analytical in academic work.
• Reflecting on Practice: This module aims to develop knowledge and understanding of the role of reflection in early childhood practice. It supports the practitioner to explore personal beliefs and values and how this will impact on the learning and practice of themselves and others. It will consider professional development frameworks as a means to develop competence in their own role and to facilitate and reflect on the role of others.

YEAR 2 - LEVEL 5

Level 5 modules have been developed to enable students to challenge their own practice, concepts and values around working within the children’s workforce. Students are supported to explore leadership, communication, play and research skills alongside further exploration of child development and learning.

MODULES 

• Leadership in Practice: This module aims to explore the nature of leadership in early childhood practice and considers the key issues of leadership, teamwork and management in the early years. You will critically evaluate leadership theories and current perspectives on the distinctive features of leadership within early childhood practice including equal opportunities and children’s rights.
• Communication for Leadership: This module aims to explore the centrality of effective communication skills for practitioners working with children in the early years, and to develop an effective knowledge and understanding of the unique features of communication processes, systems and structures essential for leadership in working with children, parents/carers, key people, and a range of multi-disciplinary professionals. You will investigate and evaluate the concepts, values, and principles of communication in relation to best practice in the early years, and develop an understanding of how to monitor and evaluate your personal communication for leadership, your own communication style and performance, in supporting and maintaining professional relationships with others.
• The Playing Child: This module aims to explore the role of play in children’s lives considering historical and contemporary concepts of play and the playing child. You will investigate the foundations and principles of play practice to enable you to identify appropriate strategies and interventions to support the needs and preferences of children, to create spaces and places for children’s play, and develop an understanding of the management of children’s ‘risky’ play.
• Exploring Research Skills: This module aims to examine the role of research in childhood practice, including an understanding of its importance to innovation and future practice.
• Leading Safe Practice: The aim of this module is to allow the practitioner to understand and competently lead in aspects of health and safety within early childhood practice.
• Learning and Development in Practice (part 2): This module aims to take the practitioner further into an exploration of learning and development. It will consider the role of planning, observation, assessment and recording in relation to a curricular framework and also the role children and families should take within this process. The module will consider the role of play as a means to support children’s learning and development, specifically in relation to number and language skills. Finally, it will critically analyse the role of the environment in relation to a child’s health and well-being and the implications for practice.

As a guide students will be expected to spend around 9hours per week studying the online materials and a further 9 hours relating the course materials to practice within a setting. In addition, students will be expected to engage in reading around the subject they are currently studying and writing assignments at certain times of the year.