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Children's Development and Learning

FdEd · 2 Years · Full-time · 10/2026 · UndergraduateBerkshire College of Agriculture

Course options

2026-2027
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Course summary

The Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning course enables you to develop the skills to progress in your career working with children, alongside your job.

This course is aimed at education practitioners who are working with children in an educational setting for at least 2.5 days per week. You will study at one of our partner colleges for half a day each week.

This vocational award is a work-based course, and your assignments and lessons are all designed to benefit your professional development. You'll build upon your experience through topics such as child development, safeguarding, creativity and critical thinking, and working in partnership with parents. College sessions include lectures, as well as tutorials and seminars. The course also incorporates a great deal of group work, which will be an opportunity to share experiences with fellow professionals working in a range of settings.

For more information, please visit the course page: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/subject-area/education-ug/foundation-degree-in-childrens-development-and-learning

Modules

Modules may include:

  • Professional Skills in the Children’s Workforce
  • Partnership with Parents
  • Learning Spaces
  • Creativity and Critical Thinking
  • The Child in Society (1).

*Please note that all modules are subject to change. Check our website for more details about the course structure.

Ways to study this course

Campuses

  • Berkshire College of Agriculture

Study options

  • FdEd • Full-time • 2 Years

Start dates

  • 10/2026

Apply by
14 January

This is the equal consideration deadline. You can still apply after this date, but your application may not receive guaranteed consideration.

Application codes

Course code:
X310
Institution code:
R12
Campus name:
Berkshire College of Agriculture
Campus Code:
B
Points of Entry:
Year 1

University of Reading has participated in the Teaching Excellence Framework. These ratings were awarded in 2023, for four years.

See why these ratings were awarded
What does this TEF outcome mean?

How to apply

Apply by
14 January

This is the deadline for applications to be completed and sent for this course. If the university or college still has places available you can apply after this date, but your application is not guaranteed to be considered.

Application codes

Course code:
X310
Institution code:
R12
Campus name:
Berkshire College of Agriculture
Campus Code:
B

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - Not accepted

A level - Not accepted

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - Not accepted

Access to HE Diploma - Not accepted

Scottish Higher - Not accepted

You must be working/volunteering at least 2.5 days a week in a school or relevant setting, and are normally expected to have obtained:

  • An NQF Level 3 qualification in a work-related area;
  • GCSE English Language at a grade C or Level 2 equivalent.

Any candidate who does not fully meet the entry criteria (for example, who does not have Maths GCSE or the specified amount of full-time work experience but may have part-time and/or volunteering experience) is invited to submit their application, which will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Contextual admissions

Universities and colleges consider more than grades when assessing applications and may make offers based on a range of criteria. Learn more about contextual offers.

We issue offers to best fit the different circumstances and experiences of our applicants. We take a tailored and holistic approach, considering extenuating circumstances on a case-by-case basis. We recognise that some students are more likely than others to face barriers to fulfilling their academic potential at school, through no fault of their own. More information on our supportive offer making approaches can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/ready-to-study/study/what-offer-will-i-get

Learn more on the University of Reading website

Historical entry grades data BETA

This section shows the range of grades students (with UK A-Levels or Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diplomas) who received offers were previously accepted with (learn more). It is designed to support your research but does not guarantee whether you will or won't get a place. Admissions teams consider various factors, including interviews, subject requirements, and entrance tests. Check all course entry requirements for eligibility.

Not enough data available

We are unable to show previous accepted grades for this course. This could be because the course is new, it's a postgraduate course, there isn't enough historical data, or the provider has opted out of sharing their entry grades data for this course - learn more.

Student Outcomes

Operated by the Office for Students

70 Employment after 15 months (Most common jobs)

100 Go onto work and study

The number of student respondents and response rates can be important in interpreting the data – it is important to note your experience may be different from theirs. This data will be based on the subject area rather than the specific course. Read more about this data on the Discover Uni website.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£8145Year 1
Northern Ireland£8145Year 1
Scotland£8145Year 1
Wales£8145Year 1
Channel Islands£8145Year 1

Tuition fee status depends on a number of criteria and varies according to where in the UK you will study. For further guidance on the criteria for home or overseas tuition fees, please refer to the UKCISA website.

Additional fee information

No additional fees or cost information has been supplied for this course, please contact the provider directly.

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