Adult Skills and Community Learning

Course content

This course aims to provide you with the knowledge and understanding of babies and young children. Including those from birth to seven years of age, with applied knowledge in the early years, 0–5 years. Completion of this course will result in you achieving the level 2 diploma for the early years practitioner. This meets the Department for Education’s (DfE) level 2 full and relevant criteria for a level 2 early years practitioner in the workforce.

This course is ideal if you are wanting to work in an early years settings. Upon successful completion, learners can enter the workforce as a qualified level 2 early years practitioner.

You're required to find a work placement for this course. You should be working in an early years setting for a minimum of 186 hours. There should be a range of children from birth to 5 years.  A DBS check will be carried out before you are permitted into settings.

This course will enable you to:

  • Work well alongside others to support children to learn and develop 
  • Be able to practice as a key worker in provision. 
  • Understand the early years framework. 
  • Know how to plan for the children to learn and develop  
  • Develop your own personal and work related reflective practice 
  • Build a portfolio of evidence and tutor assessment of your skills, knowledge, and abilities. 
  • Apply for employment  
  • Achieve a Nationally recognised level 2 for the early years workforce (early years educator) 
  • Provide you with the skills, knowledge and abilities needed to progress onto higher levels of study.

You'll also develop your skills for work by:

  • Working as part of a team to share your ideas and complete tasks
  • Planning your own work and completing it within a timeframe
  • Listening to and following instructions accurately
  • Gaining basic digital skills and confidence using office packages
  • Learning to adapt the way you work when things change, or you need to switch to a different task quickly
  • Being resilient and having the ability to stick with a task. Even if things don’t go to plan you should learn from setbacks
  • Improving your literacy, numeracy and digital skills throughout the course.

Course delivery 

Classroom based delivery with blended learning

The duration of the course is 36 weeks in total. This includes 3.5 hours classroom delivery per week over 28 weeks. There are also three placement visits, personal tutorials and one to one support totalling no more than 7.5 hours.

The course will include:

  • Sole research, tasks, and course work. Support will be provided by the tutor in sessions.
  • Sole and group activities throughout the course.
  • Some sole working after sessions.
  • Continued tutor support available via Teams for Education

Expectations and support:

  • You'll be required to source your own placement in an early years setting of your choice.
  • You'll attend your placement one full day or, two half days, term time negotiable between you and your placement.
  • You'll create an online portfolio of evidence over the duration of your course to evidence your knowledge
  • Your portfolio of evidence will include a minimum of two visits carried out by your class tutor in the workplace.
  • You'll be expected to complete reflective accounts of your learning. This should include the impact this has had on you and your work.
  • In class support will be achieved through activities, discussion, and tutor feedback
  • You'll also receive class materials via Teams for Education and a textbook to support your learning
  • Course work briefs will be used to give further guidance
  • General group discussions will take place

What do you need?

  • A mobile phone, tablet, laptop, or computer (with a webcam and sound). Internet to access any agreed online/tutorial sessions (desirable). We'll work with you if you do not have access to this equipment.
  • Access to a laptop, desktop or like to complete your work (desirable). During your time on the course you will be given access to Office 365 to support completion on your assignment work.
  • Notebook and pen for classes
  • A placement in an Early Years setting
  • Time and commitment to complete tasks set outside of class and attend placements
  • Your attendance both in class and in placement must be a minimum of 85% overall. Ideally 100%
  • A DBS check. This will be carried out by Adult Skills and Community Learning prior to you starting your placement.
  • If you're already employed in a setting, you can use your workplace as your placement.

Entry requirements 

You'll have already completed the following with Adult Skills and Community Learning:

  • Information advice and guidance and initial assessment on the BKSB software
  • A level 1 or equivalent in English and maths and be willing to work towards level 2
  • A placement secured in an early years setting. If you're already employed in school or college in this role, this will be classed as your placement.
  • Confidence in using emails and Microsoft packages, eg Word, Powerpoint, One Drive (desirable). A short course is available to upskill you in these areas

The level that you study at will be determined by your initial assessment results.

Course fees

The cost of the course is £802.20 which includes your tuition, DBS check, textbook and awarding organisation fees. This can be paid monthly via direct debit over the duration of your course, however you may be entitled to fee remission/fee reduction depending on your personal situation. Contact us for more information.

How to apply

Progression

Progression routes include:

  • Early years (level 3)
  • Teaching Assistant (level 3)
  • Employment in this field

For more information

Call (01226) 775270

What our learners say

  • I enjoyed doing the development timeline assignment as it gives you an insight into how and why a child behaves due to the stage of their development.
    Adult learner

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