Teaching and Learning

The Foundation Degree is a blended, work-based programme that combines practical learning with live online teaching and occasional campus sessions. You will attend online classes twice a week in real time, with five in-person teaching days across the academic year, making it possible to continue working or volunteering while you study.

Over the two-year programme, you will build on your existing experience of working with learners and apply it to your studies. In your first year, you will explore key learning principles to support your transition into higher education. You will also examine how your practice links to theoretical concepts, helping you to understand the needs of learners and to reflect on and support your professional development. In your second year, you will study important topics such as inclusion, equality, diversity, learning, and assessment. You will also learn about different approaches to teaching (pedagogy) and how to reflect on your own practice.

Throughout the two-year programme, you will also have opportunities to collaborate with students from other related courses, such as early childhood and youth. This collaboration will help you broaden your understanding of working with learners across a range of ages and settings and strengthen your future career prospects.

Students on the programme work in a range of settings that support learning, including Early Years Foundation Stage classes, primary and secondary education, further and adult education, or in support-based roles, including special educational needs and disability (SEND). The programme welcomes applicants from across these diverse contexts.

This Foundation Degree is a recognised qualification that can help you progress in your career. It can support your development towards becoming a teacher, advancing in your current role, or taking on more senior or specialist positions. The course also offers a number of progression routes to help you achieve your career ambitions.