Foundation Degree in Early Years

This programme is validated by the University of the West of England at Bristol (UWE). It has been developed
to offer a Higher Education qualification for those working in, or aspiring to work, in the area of Early Years provision. The programme addresses the current sector requirements and seeks to enhance current working practices with due regard to broad social and educational concerns within theprofessional context.

Minimum entry requirements: GCSE Maths/English (grade C and above) or Level 2 Maths/English equivalent.

Students will attend college on one evening per week and one additional session per month. Teaching and learning will also take place in the workplaceand at home via the Virtual Learning Environment (Moodle) foran additional three hours per week. Access to the internet is an essential part of the course.

Assessment requirements vary for each module but normally include a written assignment on a topic which might be negotiated with the module leader.Other approaches include short presentations, reflective journals and a portfolio of tasks. All modules are tutor assessed.To achieve the degree, students need to pass a total of240 credits, i.e. 120 credits at level 1 and 120 credits at level 2 over two years. 

Core modules:Professional Practice: developing a reflective actionresearch based approach (20 credits)Perspectives on Play (20 credits)Early Years Policy (20 credits)Child Development (20 credits)Developing shared sustained thinking in Children (20 credits)Developing Partnership with Parents/Carers andProfessionals to Safeguard Children (20 credits)

Core modules:Professional Practice: the Role of an Early YearsProfessional (20 credits)Communication, Language and Literacy, Personal,Social and Emotional Development (10 credits)Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy andKnowledge and Understanding of the World (10 credits)Creative Development and Physical Development (10 credits)Independent Study (10 credits)Behavior for Learning (20 credits)Foundations for Children with additional educationalneeds (20 credits)(One module worth 20 credits will be studied) - Children:Introduction to Researching Children (20 credits)Voice of the Learner (20 credits)All modules will be related to work; theory will inform practice, and practice will inform theory.  

from the Foundation Degree into the BA Hons Education Professional Practice can take place once the participant has achieved 240 credits, at least 120 of which are at level 2. A further 120 credits at level 3 are required to attain the BA Hons Education Professional Studies. Satisfactory completion of this Foundation degree can also lead to progression to an Early Childhood Studies Degree and to Early Years Professionals Status. 

The annual tuition fee for a Foundation Degree in 2009-10 is £3225.00 UWE and Stroud College aim to help their students substantially reduce the financial impact of this total, by offering two separate means-tested bursaries. Details of these can be obtained from SCG Customer Services (01453 761126 or enquire@stroudcol.ac.uk)

The course will run over 36 weeks of the year, some of this being entirely work-based learning.