Early Childhood Studies with Early Years Practitioner Status with a Foundation Year

The BA Early Childhood Studies with Early Years Practitioner Status (EYPS) offers a holistic and critically informed approach to understanding children from birth through to the age of eight. It will develop your understanding of early childhood as a foundational period, where children are recognised as capable, competent and active members of society. The programme is rooted in inclusive, ethical and rights-based teaching methods that value children’s agency, voice and diverse lived experiences.

The Foundation Year gives you an exciting introduction to Higher Education, setting you up with the skills, confidence, and knowledge that you’ll need to be successful on your undergraduate degree. It’s ideal if you need a little more support after Further Education or are returning to education after a gap.

As a student on this degree, you will undertake a minimum of 700 hours of professional placement in early childhood settings, structured as two days per week across the programme. These placements are designed to develop your practical competencies, aligning with the National Occupational Standards and Social Care Wales (SCW) requirements, including leadership and management capabilities.

Upon successful completion, you will qualify with Early Years Practitioner Status (EYPS), enabling you to work with children from birth to eight years, across a range of early years and community contexts, including Leadership and Management in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development (Theory), which will be integrated into the programme, in alignment with sector frameworks, pending formal recognition by SCW.

In Year 0, you will typically study areas including: Academic Writing and Skills Development, Introduction to Being Human, Critical Reflection and Problem Solving, Social Science.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Safeguarding and Children's Rights, An Introduction to Reflective Practice, Child Development, The Social Construction of Childhood.

In Year 2, you will typically study areas including: Play Throughout the Early Years, Embedding and Extending Reflective Practice, Communication, Language and Literacy, Protecting and Promoting Wellbeing in Education.

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Professional Reflective Practice, Child-Centred Learning and Teaching: Embedding Innovative Proposals, Working in Partnership and Leading Others. You will also undertake a Research Project.

We offer a variety of assessment methods within our programmes. In addition to traditional coursework and essays, examples of other assessment include:

• Group and independent presentations
• Creating a vlog or blog
• Written reports and reflections

Throughout your undergraduate Early Childhood Studies with Early Years Practitioner Status with a Foundation Year degree, you will develop excellent research and analytical skills and learn to present your ideas effectively both verbally and in writing.

For full breakdown of course structure and assessment please visit our course webpage https://www.swansea.ac.uk/undergraduate/courses/social-sciences/education-childhood-studies/ba-early-childhood-studies-eyps-foundation-year/ or get in touch with us at study@swansea.ac.uk