Early Years Professional Leadership for England

About this course:
This Higher National Certificate is designed for students who want to develop professional knowledge, practical skills, and reflective practice for work in early years education and care. The course supports progression into employment and higher study, while helping students build confidence in working with babies, toddlers, and young children in a range of settings.

What will i study?:
You will study eight core units at Level 4. These include personal and professional development through reflective practice, protecting children in early education and care environments, play and learning in early childhood, supporting and promoting children’s development for infants and toddlers, supporting and promoting children’s development for young children, promoting healthy living, preparing for research, and promoting inclusive early education and care environments.

Why Study Here?:
The course gives you a strong mix of academic study, professional practice, and workplace experience. It develops knowledge of child development, safeguarding, health, inclusion, and reflective practice, while building the employability and study skills needed for progression. In England, the qualification is recognised as full and relevant for early years educator purposes, subject to Department for Education English and maths requirements.

Entry Requirements:
Students are likely to need a relevant Level 3 qualification, an Access to Higher Education Diploma, A Levels with a suitable profile, or related work experience. GCSE English and Maths at grade 4 or above are strongly recommended, especially for students who want to count in staff to child ratios in England.

What courses can i progress onto?:
Successful completion supports progression to the Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Early Years Professional Leadership for England and other related higher education study.

Career Pathways?
Possible routes include senior practitioner roles in early years settings, teaching assistant roles in early education or pre-school settings, family and community support roles, and wider early education and care positions.

How will I be assessed?
Assessment is through internally assessed coursework and assignments, including a Pearson set unit. Students also complete assessed practice in placement settings.

You will study eight core units at Level 4. These include:

• Personal and professional development through reflective practice
• Protecting children in early education and care environments
• Play and learning in early childhood
• Supporting and promoting children’s development for infants and toddlers
• Supporting and promoting children’s development for young children
• Promoting healthy living
• Preparing for research
• Promoting inclusive early education and care environments.

How will I be assessed?
Assessment is through internally assessed coursework and assignments, including a Pearson set unit. Students also complete assessed practice in placement settings.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS