Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning

Program Overview

The Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning enables early years and education practitioners to advance their careers while working. Delivered part-time through partner colleges, this work-based course enhances professional skills, including child development, safeguarding, and parental partnerships. Graduates gain increased responsibility and career opportunities, including management roles or further qualifications such as Early Years Teacher Status.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

The Foundation Degree in Children's Development and Learning course enables you to develop the skills to progress in your career working with children, alongside your job. This course is aimed at early years and education practitioners who are working with children up to the age of 11 and requires you to attend for half a day each week. You'll study through one of our partner colleges. This vocational award is a work-based course, and your assignments and lessons are all designed to benefit your professional development. You'll build upon your experience through modules in areas such as child development, safeguarding, creativity and critical thinking, and working in partnership with parents. College sessions include lectures, as well as tutorials and seminars. The course also incorporates a great deal of group work, which will be an opportunity to share experiences with fellow professionals working in a range of settings.

Outline:

Year 1

• Professional Skills in the Children’s Workforce
• Partnership with Parents
• Theories of Development and learning
• The Child in Society (1)
• Learning Spaces

Year 2

• Practitioner Research
• Creativity and Critical Thinking
• The Child in Society (2)
You will be given an academic tutor who will have regular one-to-one meetings with you. You'll also nominate someone from within your own workplace, such as a manager or colleague, to become your mentor. Additionally, you'll benefit from small learning groups and access to facilities and support at your college and the University of Reading.

Careers:

This course aims to develop your reflective and analytical skills and increase your self-confidence. It will enable you to build on your experience as an early years care and/or education practitioner and develop new strategies for supporting children and working alongside colleagues and parents. As a graduate you will be well-placed to take on increased responsibility within the workplace and move into management roles. You may also decide to study for further professional qualifications. For example, you could take a year-long top-up course (based on 1 day's attendance each week at the University of Reading) to turn your Foundation Degree into a BA. This will give you further opportunities for professional development, for example, gaining Early Years Teacher Status or Qualified Teacher Status.

Other:

• The course is offered part-time, requiring attendance for half a day each week.
• The course is delivered through one of the university's partner colleges.
• The course is designed for early years and education practitioners who are working with children up to the age of 11.
• The course is a work-based course, with assignments and lessons designed to benefit professional development.
• The course includes a great deal of group work, providing opportunities to share experiences with fellow professionals.
• The course is supported by an academic tutor, a workplace mentor, and small learning groups.
• The course has a high student satisfaction rate, with 97% of students reporting that their knowledge and skills for the future were developed well or very well.

• New UK/Republic of Ireland students: £7,900

Additional costs:

• Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources.
You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs.

Fees changes:

• UK/Republic of Ireland undergraduate tuition fees are regulated by the UK government.
These fees are subject to parliamentary approval and any decision on raising the tuition fees cap for new UK students would require the formal approval of both Houses of Parliament before it becomes law.

EU student fees:

• With effect from 1 August 2021, new EU students will pay international tuition fees.
If you take out a tuition fee loan, you will only be required to start making payments when you are earning more than a set amount.