learning for each is organised
For some students, embarking on a comprehensive two-year course at college that opens to the door to further study is a more appealing option than a work-and-study route.
Awarding body CACHE launched two college-based qualifications in September for would-be Early Years Educators (EYE). Both will offer UCAS points that allow qualified students the option of going straight on to university.
The Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Childcare & Education is a full-time, two-year course. It is structured to allow students to progress gradually through an award, certificate, and on completion of all 15 units, a diploma. As yet, UCAS has not confirmed the number points this course offers.
The other qualification, the Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care, is also designed to take two years, but it has fewer guided learning hours (643 compared to 1,080). This allows students to study another subject alongside it. It carries a maximum 280 UCAS points - slightly more than two A levels at A* grades.
As with CACHE's work-based EYE qualification (Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce), both qualifications have mandatory-only units. CACHE senior subject specialist Janet King says this ensures students have to study important subjects formerly covered by optional units.
In the Early Years Education and Care diploma, the units are grouped under four themes (see box). This structure is similar to the work-based qualification, but the units are not the same and have been angled to meet learners' experiences.
Ms King explains: 'We've designed these qualifications for learners who might need more information on things like planning and the role of the early years practitioner,' she says. 'The workforce qualification was primarily designed with the more experienced learner in mind.'
Assessment of the units in each qualification is intended to be 'learner-focused'. This means students can use a range of assessment methods, including written work or conversations with an assessor.
Although students must pass all 27 mandatory units, none of these will contribute to UCAS points. These are generated by a 'longitudinal' study, and three externally set and marked assessments. The study requires students to spend a minimum of six weeks on two separate child-focused studies. The assessments comprise a two-hour exam based on Theme 1 and Theme 2. The second is a written reflective study based on the title 'The EYE promotes and supports children's play, learning and development'. The third assessment is an extended essay with the title 'The EYE develops children's emergent literacy and emergent mathematical skills and contributes to children's school readiness'.
Students are allowed to re-sit the exam up to two times. Other external assessments can also be re-submitted twice.
The Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Childcare & Education has two practical portfolio units, which require the student to consider skills accompanying the theory they have learned. They must also complete a minimum 750 hours of placement (the Diploma in Early Years Education and Care requires 730 hours).
CACHE does not stipulate training providers arrange more than one setting, but Ms King recommends this approach. 'The requirement is to be able to transfer skills and we want to have a workforce that is confident and competent working with babies and young children up to the age of five,' she says.
The Award, Certificate and Diploma in Childcare & Education also requires students to complete two external assessments that contribute to the final grade. The first is an effective practice study, which asks students to write about their experiences and learning under the title 'The EYE promotes and supports children's play, learning, development and well-being'.
The second is an extended assessment task with the title 'The EYE develops children's school readiness through understanding of the current early years framework'. 'This reflects an Ofsted and Government view of the need to ensure that school readiness is at the core of the EYE's role,' says Ms King.
Aylesbury College currently has 22 students studying CACHE's Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Childcare & Education qualification. Early Years Educator course leader Christine Osborne says she expects half will go into practice and half to university following the course.
She likes the fact all units are mandatory and says the qualification's structure split between college and placement time is 'really helping the students make those leaps between the classroom theory and the practice'.
Ms Osborne says that at first she was concerned the qualification did not emphasise play, but she no longer believes this to be the case. 'Because it's so much based around practice within the Early Years Foundation Stage, which is a play-based curriculum, it links in that way,' she says.
COURSE UNITS
Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (EYE)
Theme 1: Health and well-being
1. Support healthy lifestyles for children through the provision of food and nutrition.
2. Support healthy lifestyles for children through exercise.
3. Support physical care routines for children.
4. Promote children's emotional well-being.
5. Understand how to support children who are unwell.
6. Understand the needs of the mother and baby during pre-conception, pregnancy and the first years of life.
Theme 2: Legislation, frameworks and professional practice
7. An introduction to the role of the early years practitioner.
8. Understand legislation relating to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children.
9. Use legislation relating to the health and safety of children.
10. Use legislation relating to equality, diversity and inclusive practice.
11. Work in partnership.
Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness
12. Understand the value of play in early years.
13. Plan, lead and review play activities that support children's learning and development in relation to current frameworks.
14. Apply theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches to play.
15. Contribute to enabling play environments.
16. Develop emergent literacy skills of children.
17. Develop emergent mathematical skills of children.
18. Understand the needs of the child in preparing for school.
19. Understand how to plan to meet the needs of the developing child.
20. Facilitate the cognitive development of children.
21. Develop the speech, language and communication of children.
22. Promote physical development.
23. Promote the personal, social and emotional development of children.
24. Support children with additional needs.
25. Use observation, assessment and planning to promote the development of children.
26. Use longitudinal studies to observe, assess and plan for children's needs.
Theme 4: Professional development
27. Engage in professional development.
Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Childcare & Education (EYE)
1. Child development from conception to seven years.
2. Children's health and well-being.
3. Providing safe environments for children.
4. Child health.
5. Play and learning.
6. Understanding children's additional needs.
7. Observation, assessment and planning.
8. Professional Practice Portfolio.
9. Supporting emergent literacy.
10. Supporting emergent mathematics.
11. Preparing for school readiness.
12. International perspectives.
13. Reflective practice for professional development.
14. Professional partnerships in early years.
15. Professional practice portfolio.
EMPLOYER'S VIEW: ALLISON LEE, LITTLE ACORNS DAY NURSERY AND DAISYCHAIN NURSERY, YORKSHIRE
'These qualifications are better than the ones they've replaced,' says Ms Lee. 'The skills they teach are more relevant for someone working in a nursery today.
They will train students to educate, not just care, for children and get them ready for school. Covering school readiness is very relevant now.
'I really like the emphasis on observations. I've hired girls in the past who know what they've been taught but they've never put it into practice. They've struggled to do a good observation on a child, write it down and get information from it. Teaching about planning is another strength of these diplomas.
'I'm glad supporting children with additional needs is mandatory. Very few people choose this as an optional unit because it's more difficult. Nursery staff might not be caring for children with huge disabilities, but they might have a child with speech and language development delay who may need a bit of additional support. It's important practitioners can spot these.
'The placement hours are acceptable, but CACHE should set the number of assessments each setting will do for learners. Students are assessed internally by occupationally competent assessors, but some training providers could say they'll only do three, rather than eight or ten. Students might choose to go with them because they think it's a soft option. If we're trying to set the bar high for these qualifications we should all be singing from the same hymn sheet.'
