Discover how children play, learn, and thrive in early childhood. You as the Practitioner will pick up practical skills and experience to best meet the developmental needs of infants and children and support their families across all sectors.
Being a member of the Early Childhood Degrees Network, we aim to shape high quality Practitioners that can be critical thinkers, caring individuals and can contribute positively to advancement of the early years sector. Our dedicated and experienced tutors will support you as you love to support children, developing your teaching practice and enabling you to really grow with the next generation.
Your profile
You are creative, enthusiastic, and keen to make a difference in young people’s lives. You want to empower and advocate for children, providing them with the life skills that will support their development. You enjoy exploring the theory and understanding the debate around early years development. You are a reflective and thoughtful practitioner. You are currently a Teaching Assistant or a preschool practitioner/nursery assistant who wants to achieve a degree whilst continuing working; OR; You are currently not working in the sector but would like to in the future and are happy to find a volunteer placement to support your degree.
Your subject
Working predominantly with children aged 0-8 years, you will be ideally placed to make a lasting, positive impact on their wellbeing and development. As an Early Years practitioner, you will be a key influence in the lives of many children by providing physical, emotional, social, and intellectual care. With the governments pledge to reform education there is no better time to join the sector of graduate practitioners and to bring positive change to your own schools and nurseries. Educated classroom leaders are how the sector will survive the current staffing crisis, retain new teachers and to support children in meeting the early learning goals and national curriculum. The Early Childhood Studies degree therefore follows a child-centred ethos; children’s rights and how their views can be represented is integral to the programme. You will then transfer theory into practice through work experience opportunities.
Your course
University Centre Colchester’s Early Childhood Studies programmes embed the government’s Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) standards and the national curriculum into each module. As a student you will learn how a child develops alongside classroom practice and leadership meaning that you will graduate with a holistic understanding of what it means to be a child living in today’s society. Through all modules you are asked to bring examples from your placement and are expected to try new ideas in your current settings. You will be taught by experienced lecturers and practitioners who will take you on valuable observational visits to ensure you graduate with a high level of practical and theoretical experience in readiness for the job market.
Your future
This degree includes a BA with honours alongside recorded placement hours and a requirement to have a qualified mentor in your placements meaning you have three years of good experience to put towards applications for teacher training. If you are looking to work in the Early Years sector the degree qualifies you with a License to practice at level 6 with Early Years educator Status. Our modules are designed to support those wanting to enter management, to continue in education and to publish research or to develop their current work in a nursery or preschool. Past graduates have gone on to successful careers in play therapy, children’s rights, family support, Primary Teaching, Sixth Form Teaching, University Lecturers, Nursery Management, Swim Teaching, High end Nanny and the list goes on!
Undergraduate courses operate on a modular basis that provides flexibility and choice. Each module is worth a specified number of credits, with most modules counting for 20 or 40 academic credits (depending on the programme), with each credit taken equating to a total amount of study time which includes scheduled teaching, independent study and assessment activity.
Most full-time students will take modules worth 60 credits per semester, with part-time students taking proportionately fewer credits per semester. A total of 120 credits per level and 360 credits are needed for an honours degree as a whole. Overall grades for the course and degree classification are based on the marks obtained for modules taken at levels 5 and 6.
Our teaching is informed by research, professional practice and industry engagement and modules change periodically to reflect developments in the discipline.
64 UCAS points* and GCSE maths and English (grades A*-C). Students wishing to progress into teaching will also need GCSE science grade C. All applicants will be interviewed and required to demonstrate that they have relevant experience in working with children and have good communication skills. They will also need to undertake a written piece as part of the interview. Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)** enhanced check.
Mature applicants with significant work-based experience, or employed within the industry may not have the UCAS points but will still be considered.
**Please note there is a charge of £44 for a DBS check
*UCAS Tariff points where shown, are for entry on to higher education programmes starting from September 2024.
International applicants
If English is not your first language you will need an IELTS score of 6.0, with a minimum score of 5.5 in each component (Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking), or an equivalent English Language qualification.
Additional requirements for International Students:
Progression routes upon completion of the programme could include teaching assistants, family support worker, nursery manager, play worker, and employment in education management roles or health and civil services.
Many students will successfully enter postgraduate study with students previously undertaken Master’s in social care, Human Rights, Children’s Rights and Social Policy and Justice.
The postgraduate Initial Teacher Training programmes have always been a popular choice of which the degree programme will prepare you well for.
Timetables: Timetables are normally available one month before registration. Please note that while we make every effort to ensure that timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week. Part-time classes are normally scheduled on one or two days per week.
Teaching and Learning: You are taught through a combination of lectures, seminars and practicals. Seminars enable smaller group discussions to develop understanding of topics covered in lectures.
When not attending lectures, seminars and practicals or other timetabled sessions you will be expected to continue learning independently through self-directed study. Typically, this will involve reading journal articles and books, working on individual and group projects, undertaking research in the library, learning zone or technical learning resources, preparing coursework assignments and presentations, and preparing for examinations
Assessment: The course provides you with opportunities to test your understanding of the subject informally before you complete the formal assessments that count towards your final mark. Each module normally contains at least one piece of practice or ‘formative’ assessment for which you receive feedback from your tutor. Practice assessments are developmental and any grades you receive for them do not count towards your module mark.
There is a formal or ‘summative’ assessment at the end of each module. Assessment methods include written examinations and a range of coursework assessments such as essays, reports, portfolios, performance, presentations and your final year major project. The grades from formal assessments count towards your module mark.
Feedback: 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.
All Fees and prices shown on the website are for courses starting in the 2024-25 academic year and are correct at the time of entering/printing information, however these may be subject to change. The College cannot accept legal or financial liability as a result of any such changes.
The course information describes programmes offered by University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute. The College takes all reasonable steps to provide courses as described, but cannot guarantee provision. The information is for guidance and does not form any part of a contract.
The College reserves the right to update and amend information as and when necessary. University Centre Colchester at Colchester Institute will do its best to provide the courses shown, but may have to modify or withdraw a course depending on customer demand and other factors.