Early Years Studies

If you work with young children in a setting such as pre-school, childminding, day nursery or children’s centre, this Foundation degree has been designed to fit around your work commitments. It combines academic study with your work experience, preparing you to work in multi-disciplinary teams in early years settings. On completion, you also have direct entry to one of our one year top-up pathways (Early Years, SEND or Education), enabling you to gain a full BA (Hons) degree.

This course offers opportunities for students to study through blended learning in which 60% is online and 40% attending Saturday study days (six per academic year).

Facilities and specialist equipment

• Mock classrooms with specialist technology including a resourced early-years classroom leading to our Forest School and garden space

• Designated online classroom and learning space

• Forest School where you can deepen your understanding of the long-term educational benefits of outdoor learning opportunities

• Specialist Early Years and Sensory Centre to support your understanding of how teachers teach and children learn, within early years and SEND contexts

• Multimedia space for webinars and podcasting

• Designated study space and activity agenda for all Saturday study days

Career-powered links

As one of the largest providers of teacher education in the eastern region, we have well-established partnerships with more than 500 schools and other associated organisations, including lead training partnership agreements for closer collaborations; this network puts us at the forefront of educational developments.

Your student experience

Learn with tutors who have a wealth of experience in building student competence and confidence.

Our Bedford campus is a small, thriving academic community where academic staff get to know you well and offer personalised, student-centred learning.

Benefit from the support of your own personal tutor and the additional support of our experienced library staff, all of whom will help you throughout your student journey.

Attend weekly sessions online that are enhanced and supported by the independent tasks your unit tutors allocate to you.

The weekly sessions are extended during your Saturday study days, of which there are six across the academic year; these offer a unique mix of group work, tutor-led sessions and cross-course collaboration.

Work-based learners also have a unique opportunity to be a purposeful and active part of the Students’ Union-affiliated Work-based Learning Student Society.

Course modules

Year 1
Introduction to higher education study – Build the skills, knowledge and confidence you need to study at higher-education level including producing assessments. Developing learning – Learn to apply your understanding of children’s social, emotional, mental, linguistic and physical development in practice. Inclusive practice and SEND – Explore perspectives, policies and practice in inclusive education, and relate them to your workplace. Contextual curriculum: early years – Explore key strategies used to support young children’s development in English and maths.

Year 2
Reflections on practice – Reflect on your current practice, both academically and professionally, and be challenged to improve it. Developing professional practice – Explore aspects of professionalism in early years settings, and the relationship between theory and practice. Early years: the child, the family, the community – Consider the impact of family, communities and the wider world on young children. Importance of play – Understand how children learn and develop through play, and how early years professionals can develop and support play-based approaches.

Every effort is made to ensure this information is accurate at the point of publication on the UCAS website. For the most up-to-date information, please refer to our website.