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; Introduction to Research; Critical Reflection and Problem Solving; Research Essay; Social Science.

In Year 1, you will typically study areas including: Safeguarding and Children's Rights; The Social Construction of Childhood; An Introduction to Reflective Practice; Child Development; Policy and Curriculum in the Early Years: National and International Perspectives.

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

In Year 3, you will typically study areas including: Dissertation; Professional Reflective Practice; Child-Centred Learning and Teaching: Embedding Innovative Proposals; Working in Partnership and Leading Others..