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Early Years Professional Leadership for England

Course details
  • HND
  • 2 Years
  • Full-time
  • 09/2026
  • Undergraduate
Course location
Mansfield

Course summary

Designed with a strong emphasis on employer engagement and work readiness, the Higher National Diploma (HND) Early Years Professional Leadership for England course reflects the increasing demand for highly qualified practitioners working in the Early Years Sector.

Studying with NTU at Mansfield, you’ll enhance your knowledge, skills and behaviours to improve the quality of learning and development in your setting. You’ll become a proactive and influential Early Years practitioner – advocating play-based learning and supporting others to develop your own practice.

The HND Early Years Professional Leadership for England course is designed for those working or aspiring to work with and caring for children from 0–5 years, with knowledge of 5–8 years. The course is suitable for those already working in, or aspiring to work in Early Years childcare, with responsibility for leading other practitioners or groups who hold a Level 3 qualification in Early Years.

In year one, you'll undertake stimulating learning required by all early childhood practitioners in the Level 4 Higher National Certificate (HNC). In year two, you'll build on this through the Level 5 Higher National Diploma (HND) with specialist modules relating to the leadership and management pathway.

Why study Early Childhood Education and Care: Leadership and Management at NTU in Mansfield?

  • ** NTU in Mansfield is your alternative route into higher education**. We've built this qualification with the local job market in mind. Each of our higher education courses is relevant, hands-on and work-focused.

  • An assessed practice element in this qualification is recognised by the Department for Education (DfE), allowing students in England to count in the staff: child Level 3 ratios.

  • Benefit from top-class teaching and respected research at an award-winning university.

  • Learn in our state-of-the-art Early Childhood Simulation Suite throughout your studies.

Accreditation
An assessed practice element in this qualification is recognised as full and relevant by the Department for Education (DfE). Students holding this qualification in England can count in the staff: child Level 3 ratios in an early years care or education setting as outlined in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

Modules

Level 4 modules:
Personal and Professional Development through Reflective Practice (15 credit points);
Protecting Children in Early Education and Care Environments (15 credit points);
Play and Learning in Early Childhood (15 credit points);
Supporting and Promoting Children's Development (Infants and Toddlers) (15 credit points);
Supporting and Promoting Children's Development (Young Children) (15 credit points);
Promoting Healthy Living (15 credit points);
Preparing for Research (15 credit points);
Promoting Inclusive Early Education and Care Environments (15 credit points);

Level 5 modules:
Investigating Childhood: Action Research for early Childhood Practitioners (30 credit points);
Improving Quality in Early Education and Care Environments (15 credit points);
Current and Emerging Pedagogies in Early Childhood Education and Care (15 credit points);
Advanced Practice in Safeguarding and Child Protection for the Early Childhood Practitioner (15 credit points);
Managing and Leading People in Children’s Early Education and Care Environments (15 credit points);
Managing Children’s Early Education and Care Environments (15 credit points);
Mentoring and Supervision in Early Childhood Education and Care Practice (15 credit points);

Assessment method

Students will be assessed throughout the two years as per the assessment requirements for the HND units – the assessments will include written reports, essays and presentations.

Qualified teacher status (QTS)

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

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:
X365
Institution code:
N91
Campus name:
Mansfield
Campus Code:
9

Points of entry

The following entry points are available for this course:

  • Year 1

Open days

Entry requirements

Qualification requirements

UCAS Tariff - 64 points

64 UCAS Tariff points from three A-Level or equivalent qualifications

A level

64 UCAS Tariff points from three A-Levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016) - MPP

MPP from a BTEC Extended Diploma

Access to HE Diploma

Pass your Access course with 60 credits overall with a minimum of 45 credits at level 3

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

64 UCAS Tariff points from your BTEC Level 3 National Diploma and one A-Level or equivalent qualification

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Certificate (first teaching from September 2016)

64 UCAS Tariff points from your BTEC Level National Extended Certificate and two A-Levels or equivalent qualifications

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE English grade C/4 or equivalent GCSE Maths grade C/4 or equivalent

T Level

We will consider T Levels for entry to this course, either as stand-alone qualifications or in conjunction with other Level 3 qualifications, in accordance with the specified course tariff points.

We also consider equivalent qualifications and combinations. Please contact Nottingham Trent University Admissions team for further information.

Additional entry requirements

Criminal records declaration (DBS/Disclosure Scotland)

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.

NTU makes contextual offers for this course to give everyone a fair chance to access their chosen degree.

Contextual offers are lower than our standard entry criteria or may be an unconditional offer for courses that require a portfolio. We also take individual circumstances into account when we receive results and may accept grades lower than our published criteria.

We use a range of data from UCAS to make our offers and more information on our approach is available at the link below.

Learn more on the Nottingham Trent University 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.

Fees and funding

Tuition fees

LocationFeeYear
England£9790Year 1
Northern Ireland£9790Year 1
Scotland£9790Year 1
Wales£9790Year 1
EU£17950Year 1
International£17950Year 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

The tuition fees above are subject to parliamentary procedure. They haven't been confirmed yet, but we expect them to be finalised by May 2026. The level of tuition fees for the second and subsequent years of your undergraduate course may increase in line with inflation and as specified by the UK government.

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