Careers and Training
Autumn 2011: Moving ahead
Level 3 Qualifications in Early Years Education and Childcare
The number of Level 3 qualifications for early years practitioners has been drastically reduced in recent years in the drive to bring clarity and consistency to the qualifications list and at the same time allow flexibility for people to develop their careers along different pathways.
The key qualification now is the Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce, which is designed to build the knowledge and skills needed when working with children and young people from birth to 19 years. It covers a range of job roles and occupational areas and is spilt into three pathways:
- Early Learning and Childcare
- Social Care
- Learning and Development Support Services
It is also a must-have for practitioners delivering the Early Years Foundation Stage, and those undertaking the Level 3 Children and Young People's Apprenticeship.
The qualification is made up of core units, mandatory units tailored to the pathway a learner follows and optional units. For example, there is an optional unit 'Understand how to set up a home-based childcare service', which can be taken as a standalone unit for those who wish to become registered childminders.
In addition, the CACHE Level 3 Extended Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce was launched in September to act as a two-year college-based qualification.
It incorporates all the units from the Level 3 Diploma and has extended units to assess, build and develop the higher level skills required to study effectively and successfully in higher education. It is designed as a direct route to university, but so far has not been awarded UCAS points pending completion of a review of the university entry points system.
A wide range of training opportunities and qualifications is on offer to school support staff. QCF qualifications have been launched at Level 3: the Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools.
The first of these qualifications is knowledge-based, which provides a progression route to the other Level 3 qualifications. These are for those who support teaching and learning, with the diploma covering specialisms including meeting additional needs, providing pastoral support, and supporting the wider work of the school.
LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA FOR THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE'S WORKFORCE
Offered by: CACHE, Edexcel, City & Guilds, EDI, NCFE, OCR, ABC Awards
This qualification is for all those who wish to work in the children and young people’s workforce. It covers a diverse range of job roles and occupational areas. It is made up of a mix of core mandatory, mandatory pathway and optional units.
Credits
The full and relevant Diploma is 65 credits in size and is made up of brand new QCF units, some of which are being used in qualifications offered by other Sector Skills Councils, for example the Training and Development Agency for Schools.
Pathways
There are three pathways designed for the following occupational groups:
- Early Learning and Childcare
- Children's Social Care
- Learning Development and Support Services
The age range covered by the qualification is birth up to 19.
As well as a set of common mandatory units, learners for each occupational group identified above must undertake a set of mandatory pathway units that are specific to their chosen area. They also undertake a number of free choice options.
This specification is within the Diploma range of credit.
SfCD Core Mandatory (these units are mandatory for all Skills for Care and Development (SfCD) qualifications)
- Promoting Communication in Health, Social Care or Children and Young People's Settings
Introducing the central importance of communication in a wide range of settings and ways to overcome barriers to meet individual needs and preferences in communication.
- Engage in Personal Development in Health, Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Introducing the concepts of personal development and reflective practice which are fundamental to such roles, and ways to implement these.
- Promote Equality and Inclusion in Health, Social Care or Children's and Young People's Settings
Introducing the concepts of equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Principles for Implementing Duty of Care in Health, Social Care or Children and Young People's Settings.
Introducing ways to address the dilemmas, conflicts or complaints that may arise where there is a duty of care.
- ·Children and Young People Core Units
Understand Child and Young Person Development
Identifying appropriate intervention if development does not follow the expected pattern. Exploring potential effects of transitions on development.
- Promote Child and Young Person Development
Introducing ways of encouraging positive behaviour through development plans, environments and services and working practices. Highlighting the importance of supporting children and young people going through transitions in their lives.
- Understand How to Safeguard the Wellbeing of Children and Young People
Ensuring awareness of current local and national legislation and guidelines. Exploring how to deal with evidence or concerns of abuse, harm or bullying. Recognising the importance of e-safety and determining how to maintain it.
- Support Children and Young People's Health and Safety
Introducing a balanced approach to risk assessment and management. Ensuring awareness of policies and procedures in response to accidents, incidents, emergencies and illnesses.
- Develop Positive Relationships with Children, Young People and Others Involved in their Care
Exploring why these positive relationships are important and how to build and maintain them.
- Working Together for the Benefit of Children and Young People
Explaining the importance of multi-agency working, integrated working and of developing effective communication for professional purposes. Covering information sharing between those working with children and young people.
- Understand How to Support Positive Outcomes for Children and Young People
Exploring factors that can influence the outcomes and life chances of children and young people, including those with disabilities and specific requirements.
Early Learning and Childcare Mandatory Pathway (EYMP) These units are mandatory for all undertaking the Early Years Pathway.
- Context and Principles for Early Years Provision
Familiarising learners with the requirements, principles and implementation of the early years framework, particularly in relation to environments within the work setting, partnership with carers and multi-agency working.
- Promote Learning and Development in the Early Years
Planning development work and activities with children using an appropriate range of sources and language. Reflecting on own practice in supporting and providing learning and development activities.
- Promote Children's Welfare and Wellbeing in the Early Years
Referring to the welfare requirements of the relevant early years framework. This unit includes providing basic care in a hygienic environment and understanding nutritional needs.
- Professional Practice in Early Years Settings
Highlighting the importance of professional, evidence-based practice, reflection and review, and strategies to address professional development in areas identified as challenging.
- Support Children's Speech, Language and Communication
Encouraging speech, language and communication development and understanding the importance of this for a child's overall development.
Optional unit bank contains:
Contains Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5 units in order to facilitate learning beyond Level 3. A number of units are shared with Skills for Justice and Lifelong Learning UK. The optional unit bank includes:
- Work with Babies and Young Children to Promote their Development and Learning
- Develop Interviewing Skills for Work with Children and Young People
- Case Load Management
- Support Young People to Move Towards Independence and Manage their Lives
- Support Children and Young People to have Positive Relationships
- Support Positive Practice with Children and Young People with Speech, Language and Communication Needs
- Co-ordinate Special Educational Needs Provision
- Understand the Needs of Children and Young People and Young People who are Experiencing Poverty and Disadvantage
- Care for the Physical and Nutritional Needs of Young Children
- Support Children and Young People's Speech, Language and Communication Skills
- Lead and Manage a Community-Based Early Years Setting
- Support the Creativity of Children and Young People
- Work with Children and Young People in a Residential Care Setting
- Support Children or Young People in their Own Home
- Promote Young Children's Physical Activity and Movement Skills
- Support Care within Fostering Services for Vulnerable Children and Young People
- Improving the Attendance of Children and Young People in Statutory Education
- Facilitate the Learning and Development of Children and Young People through Mentoring
- Support the Referral Process for Children and Young People
- Understand How to Set up a Home-Based Childcare Service
- Support Disabled Children and Young People and Those with Specific Requirements
- Promote Creativity and Creative Learning in Young Children
- Support Young People to Develop, Implement and Review a Plan of Action
- Provide Information and Advice to Children and Young People
- Support Speech, Language and Communication Development
- Work with Parents, Families and Carers to Support their Children's Speech, Language and Communication Development
- Understand the Speech, Language and Communication Needs of Children and Young People with Behavioural, Social and Emotional Difficulties
- Support the Speech, Language and Communication Development of Children who are Learning More Than One Language
CACHE LEVEL 3 EXTENDED DIPLOMA FOR THE CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S WORKFORCE
CACHE has developed the Level 3 Extended Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce.
This qualification will enable learners to enhance their depth of understanding in early years and children and young people’s social care to enable progress to higher education, whilst providing them with the appropriate skill-set required for job roles in these settings.
Learners will need to achieve the L3 CYPW as part of the new qualification. Learners will also need to complete mandatory units which will provide the depth of learning required for Higher Education. The assessment tasks created for the new the extended diploma CYPW(QCF) units will provide the requirements of the UCAS Domains sufficient to satisfy achievement of grade D. Extended assessments will provide the requirements of the UCAS Domains to satisfy achievement of grade C-A*
Optional units available will further refine and extend their academic skills within the Children and Young People’s settings. The Optional units also include a playwork unit to enable learners to gain a basic understanding of the principles and ethos of playwork and provide credit that can assist in the progression to the CACHE Level 3 Award in Transition to Playwork (from Early Years) (QCF).
The qualification is approximately 1047-1144 Guided Learning Hours (GLH), enabling the qualification to attract funding over two years and it is 150 credits in size.
Although this qualification does not provide UCAS tariff points at present, it may support learners’ progression to Higher Education by providing evidence of learners’ higher level skills. We are in discussions with UCAS and hope to have an update during the later part of this year.
Further information:
CACHE LEVEL 3 AWARD/CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION (NQF) available for registration until 31.12.12
These qualifications prepare learners to work unsupervised or in a supervisory capacity with children and their families in a variety of settings. They provide the knowledge and understanding of child development and education necessary for working with children in a variety of job roles.
Course content: The Award covers an introduction to working with children and child development.
The Certificate covers supporting children, keeping children safe and principles underpinning the role of the practitioner.
The Diploma covers promoting a healthy environment for children, play and learning in children's education, nutrition and healthy food for children, and working with children with special needs.
For the Diploma assessment is by a research task plus a portfolio of work to support professional practice and assignments.
CACHE LEVEL 3 AWARD IN EARLY YEARS AND CHILDCARE FOR PLAYWORKERS (registration until 31.12.12)
This award has been designed for practitioners who hold a Level 3 qualification in playwork and who work, or wish to work, in settings whose main purpose is to provide early years education and childcare.
Course content: Theory and practice in promoting children's care, learning and development, and aspects of children's care, learning and development practice
CACHE LEVEL 3 AWARD/CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN CHILD CARE AND EDUCATION (available for registration until 31 December 2012)
These qualifications prepare learners to work unsupervised or in a supervisory capacity with children and their families in a variety of settings. They provide the knowledge and understanding of child development and education necessary for working with children in a variety of job roles.
Course content: The Award covers an introduction to working with children and child development.
The Certificate covers supporting children, keeping children safe and principles underpinning the role of the practitioner.
The Diploma covers promoting a healthy environment for children, play and learning in children's education, nutrition and healthy food for children, and working with children with special needs.
For the Diploma assessment is by a research task plus a portfolio of work to support professional practice and assignments.
CITY & GUILDS LEVEL 3 AWARD IN WORK WITH PARENTS
12 credits
To achieve this award, learners must complete one mandatory unit as well as one or two optional units.
CITY & GUILDS LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE IN WORK WITH PARENTS
30 credits.
Learners must achieve 21 credits at Level 3 and no more than nine at Level 2.
PLAYWORK
CACHE LEVEL 3 AWARD IN INDUCTION TO PLAYWORK
Credits: 12
Mandatory units cover:
- Understand playwork principles
- Understand children and young people’s self-directed play
- Understand how to safeguard the well-being of children and young people
LEVEL 3 CERTIFICATE IN PLAYWORK
Credits: 32
Mandatory units include:
- Understand the organsational framework for play
- Understand how to support positive outcomes for children and young people
- Understand relationships in a play environment
LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA IN PLAYWORK
Credits: 65
Mandatory units include:
- Contribute to an organisational framework that reflects the needs and protects the rights of children and young people
- Develop and maintain a healthy, safe and secure play environment for children and young people
- Develop and promote positive relationships in the play environment
TEACHING ASSISTANTS
A wide range of training opportunities and qualifications is on offer to support staff. Training and qualifications are supported by national occupational standards, which cover most support roles, providing a framework for best practice.
QCF qualifications have been launched at Level 3: the Level 3 Award and Level 3 Certificate in supporting teaching and learning in schools, the Level 3 Diploma in supporting teaching and learning in schools and the Level 3 Certificate in cover supervision (check TDA website for the latter).
The first of these qualifications is again knowledge-based, which provides a progression route to the other Level 3 qualifications.
The next two qualifications are for those who support teaching and learning, with the Diploma covering specialisms including meeting additional needs, providing pastoral support, and supporting the wider work of the school. The qualification for cover supervisors is for those in this occupational role.
Level 2 qualifications are for staff who carry out a range of activities working under the direction of a teacher. Level 3 qualifications are for those who work using a range of technical skills and carry out self-directed activities under guidance. The QCF qualifications that the TDA is developing will bewere made available to learners from in September 2010.
The higher-level teaching assistant programme allows staff who achieve higher-level teaching assistant (HLTA) status to offer proven skills to support teachers.
The TDA's standards for HLTAs are linked to those for Qualified Teacher Status. These reflect the contribution HLTAs are expected to make in teaching and learning activities, for example, contributing to the planning and preparation of lessons; monitoring pupils' participation and progress; providing feedback to teachers; and giving pupils constructive support as they progress through the curriculum.
LEVEL 3 AWARD AND CERTIFICATE IN SUPPORTING TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SCHOOLS
Offered by Ascentis, CACHE, City and Guilds, Edexcel, NCFE OCR & Skills First
These qualifications will at Award level provide learners with an understanding of the knowledge needed when working directly with children or young people in school environments. This qualification is suitable for learners not yet in a school role or those newly in post.
At Certificate level will build on the Award to show competence in both knowledge and skills. This is suitable for for teaching assistants, learning support assistants or those in a similar role at level 3
The Award comprises 4 mandatory units – 12 credits
The Certificate comprises the 12 credits from the Award and a further 20 credits from the mandatory units of the Certificate.
Mandatory units for the Award
- Understand Child and Young Person Development
- Understand how to safeguard the wellbeing of children and young people Communication and Professional Relationships with Children, Young People Schools as Organisations
CACHE LEVEL 3 DIPLOMA FOR SPECIALIST SUPPORT FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING IN SCHOOLS
This qualification provides learners with an in-depth understanding of the knowledge and skills needed when working directly with children and young people in school environments. It covers all aspects of specialist support including planning, delivering and reviewing assessment strategies to support learning alongside the teacher, bilingual and special needs support and personal development and reflective practice.
It is aimed at learners working in roles that offer specialist support for pupils’ learning in primary, secondary or special schools
The learner must achieve 11 mandatory units, totalling 32 credits, plus 12 credits from a group of 38 optional units, to achieve the Diploma. Of the 44 credits required to achieve the Diploma, 40 of them must be at or above the level of the qualification (Level 3). There are required combinations, a barred combination and an exemption
CACHE LEVEL 3 AWARD, CERTIFICATE & DIPLOMA IN SUPPORT WORK IN SCHOOLS
(Award and Certificate registration end date of December 2012 – The Diploma has a registration end date of December 2011)
These qualifications provide skills, knowledge and understanding, enabling candidates to make a more valuable and effective contribution to supporting work in schools.
Course provider: FE colleges and training providers.
To achieve the Award the learner must successfully complete the two mandatory units. This qualification might be particularly suitable for school staff who already hold a Level 3 qualification, or above, in their specialist area but are relatively new to working in schools.
To achieve the Certificate the learner must successfully complete four units in total, the two mandatory units plus two optional units.
To achieve the Diploma the learner must successfully complete six units in total, the two mandatory units plus four optional units.
LEVEL 3 AWARD/CERTIFICATE/DIPLOMA IN SUPPORT WORK IN SCHOOLS (SWS-3)
Offered by CACHE and Edexcel
(Enrolment to December 2011)
This qualification provides skills, knowledge and understanding, enabling candidates to make a more valuable and effective contribution to supporting work in schools.
Course provider: FE colleges and training providers.
Course content: There are three pathways to this qualification: the Award, the Certificate and the Diploma.
The Award consists of two mandatory units, the Certificate is two mandatory and two optional units, and the Diploma is two mandatory and four optional units.
TEACHING ASSISTANT
UNDERSTANDING QUALIFICATIONS CHANGE
The Statutory Framework for the EYFS sets out the requirements for staff:child ratios and the qualification levels that practitioners must hold. CWDC defines 'full and relevant' qualifications that practitioners included in the specified ratios must hold.
The Early Years Qualifications List is a searchable tool designed to help those delivering the EYFS to identify which qualifications are considered full and relevant. It also lists qualifications that, together with accredited additional learning, could enable a practitioner's package of accredited learning to be viewed as 'full and relevant'.
Since 2010, early years qualifications have been migrating from the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) to the new Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF). According to regulator Ofqual, the QCF is a new way of recognising skills and qualifications, by awarding credit for qualifications and units (small steps of learning).
QCF qualifications fall into three categories:
Award - 1-12 credits
Certificate - 13-36 credits
Diploma - 37+ credits
Registration on some NQF qualifications has been extended and for up-to-date information it is important to refer to CWDC's Qualifications List.
Go to http://qualificationslist.cwdcouncil.org.uk or call the helpline on 0300 123 1033.
APPRENTICESHIPS
Apprenticeships are an integrated programme of on and off-the-job learning which enable learners (aged 16 and above) to gain and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding required by employers in a particular sector.
They aim to give learners the opportunity to:
- Achieve nationally recognised, work-based qualifications.
- Learn the required knowledge and skills for their chosen job, whilst earning a wage.
- Gain valuable experience, working alongside experienced staff.
Apprenticeship programmes are an important route for new recruits to develop skills for employment. They are government-funded programmes of structured on and off-the-job training that enable employers to develop appropriately skilled staff.
Apprenticeships are available at 3 levels:
- Intermediate Level Apprenticeships – these will include core qualifications at Level 2, plus additional qualifications such as Functional/Key Skills, etc. They can support progression towards Advanced Apprenticeships
- Advanced Level Apprenticeships – these will include core qualifications at Level 3, plus additional qualifications such as Functional/Key Skills, etc. They can support progression towards learning at higher levels, including Higher Apprenticeships.
- Higher Level Apprenticeships – these will include core qualifications at Level 4 and above, in some cases Foundation Degrees.
From April 2011, new requirements for Apprenticeships came into effect. These webpages have been amended to reflect these changes and make things easier to find. The new framework and relevant information is contained on the SASE compliant Framework http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/qualifications/apprenticeships/sase-framework
For more information on Apprenticeships, please visit the National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) website. www.apprenticeships.org.uk
