Childhood Studies Care and Education HTQ

Foundation Degree in Childhood Studies, Care and Education, awarded by the University of Gloucestershire and regulated by the Office for Students.

The FdA Childhood Studies, Care and Education will equip you with the specialist knowledge and skills needed to support your continued development across a range of Early Years, Education, and Childhood Professions. It is suitable for those working with children under 11yrs and their families, including in Early Years, Primary School, or Family Support provision, to further develop skills to Level 5. The course is a recognised Higher Technical Qualification (HTQ) which means it has been reviewed and approved for ensuring learners gain the skills that employers want, and employers can be confident that learners have the knowledge, skills, and behaviours for a particular specialist role.

Level 4 (year 1 for full-time students ) allows students to develop skills to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of well-established theories, concepts, and historical origins of theory. Students will develop understanding in taking responsibility for personal and professional development, using reflection and feedback to analyse their own capabilities, and be able to implement actions for improvement.

Level 5 (year 2 for full-time students) begins the process of being able to work appropriately with a variety of interdisciplinary groups and teams, showing a critical insight in leadership and management skills. Beyond this, students will be able to consistently employ appropriate pedagogical and andragogical approaches to achieve the best outcomes when working with children, professionals, colleagues, parents, and carers.

This course is available on a full-time and a part-time basis and is taught in-person at our Yeovil College campus.

The full-time course is studied over 2 academic years, and students are typically timetabled for one day per week.

You will study a range of units that will develop your specialist knowledge and skills. Each module is worth a specified number of credits. Modules currently offered include:

Level 4
• Theories of Thinking and Learning (15 Credits)
• Documenting Children’s Learning (15 Credits)
• The Promotion of Personal, Social and Emotional Development
through Positive Interactions (15 Credits)
• Understanding Curriculum Development (30 Credits)
• Child Development and the Life Course (15 Credits)
• Personal Academic Development (30 Credits)
Level 5
• Safeguarding (15 Credits)
• Introduction to Research (15 Credits)
• Supporting Additional Needs within Inclusive Practice (30 Credits)
• Curriculum in Practice (30 Credits)
• Leadership and Management (15 Credits)
• Working with Parents (15 Credits)
Alongside developing a range of subject-specific skills, this course also gives you the opportunity to develop important transferable skills such as critical analysis, academic writing, time management, and communication.

Please be aware that modules studied may change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline, in response to student or stakeholder feedback, or as a result of regulatory body requirements. However, no significant changes to modules would be implemented without student consultation and feedback. Enrolled students can always find the most up-to-date information about their modules and who is teaching them in their course handbook.

An assessment schedule, outlining all assessments and deadlines, will be issued to you at the start of each academic year. The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that each module requires. There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. Each module has its own assignment brief and assessment method; you will be assessed using a range of methods which will reflect the requirements of the subject, including essay, report, seminar, presentation, and academic poster. You will receive feedback on all practice assessments and on formal assessments undertaken by coursework. Feedback is intended to help you learn and you are encouraged to discuss it with your module tutor.