Early Years Foundation Degree

The Independent Learner

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module supports the transition to studying in a Higher Education environment. Generic key transferable skills, such as communication, information technology, problem-solving, working with others, and improving one’s own learning, will be introduced and practiced. The nature and demands of becoming a successful university student will be analyzed with reference to the role played by a directed and self-directed study on a university course, with the care of self-being emphasized, using seminal theory to support individual perspectives. You will audit your own skills, identify aspects that need improving and devise plans for self-development in those areas.

Child Development: Theory and Practice

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module will develop students’ knowledge and understanding of child development and learning from 0 - 5. The module will focus on language, cognition, brain, physical and social, and emotional aspects of development, including attachment. It will also consider issues of health and wellbeing, for example, handwashing, dental health, immunizations, and childhood diseases. It will provide students with a range of theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches to development and learning. The role of the EY practitioner will be discussed in relation to observing, assessing, and supporting children’s development including planning the next steps for children in their setting. It will also consider individual factors that impact child development and learning such as interests, individual needs, and health. The importance of working with others including parents/carers, colleagues, and other agencies to support development will also be explored.

Constructs of Childhood

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

Childhood is defined largely through the attitudes, beliefs, and values of particular societies at particular times. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, this module will promote an understanding of how childhood has changed or is different and continues to be socially constructed. This leads to a number of contested discourses for example: Romantic, Puritan, Utilitarian and Developmental which continue to influence policy and practice in the Early Childhood context. This module will also make reference to the student's own experiences of childhood and will explore how this, alongside other constructs, is influenced and represented through a variety of means such as media imagery, children’s literature, and artifacts from a range of sources. Students will be encouraged to consider the potential implications for their practice in Early Childhood in respect of dominant discourses around childhood for example the emphasis on children’s ‘care and protection’ in the dominant romantic discourse.

Professional Practice (Placement)

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module provides students with an opportunity to explore the concept of quality practice with the content being framed around the standards for the Early Years Educator (NCTL, 2013) and the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (DfE 2021). The module also requires students to work alongside professional practitioners in Early Years settings/schools/organizations to further develop their knowledge, skills, and competence of working in practice with children, families, and other professionals for a total of 120 hours. Students will be required to identify and attend an appropriate setting/school/organization/workplace locally which is to be agreed upon in negotiation with the student, the tutor, and the setting, in order to experience, participate in and develop competence in a range of tasks associated with early years education and care. Alongside the practical experience, students also attend taught sessions around aspects of Quality Practice in Early Childhood Education and Care. Settings are provided with information in the form of an Employer Handbook which provides information on all aspects of the Placement including the aims of the placement, the role of the setting in supporting the students, information as to what students need to undertake whilst on placement and contact details of tutors. Students also have access to a student handbook which includes information as to the purpose of placement, their role in terms of professional conduct, and an overview of the taught sessions and the assessment.

Play and Early Learning

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module provides an introduction to thinking about play. Play is a contested concept for which there is no one agreed definition. Many theorists are able to discuss what some of the features of play are or are not. In this module, we will look to consider what constitutes play and why it is key to early learning. We will investigate ideas around play environments both indoors and out as well as consider Forest School. We will provide an introduction to some of the key theorists and pioneers, also exploring play within the EYFS. We will also investigate the challenging role of the adult within a play.

The Early Childhood Context

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

Since the late 1990s, Early Childhood has been identified as an area of special interest for successive governments who have identified this period of a child’s life as providing an opportunity to have a significant impact on their progress in education, care, and general well-being as well as presenting the opportunity to tackle child poverty, social exclusion, and safeguarding issues. In light of this Early Childhood has seen an unprecedented level of social policy reform and developments in the way in which practitioners engage with children. This module will therefore begin to explore the nature of these developments in terms of the underlying philosophies and political ideas which have helped to shape the Early Childhood context in the UK. It will also seek to locate this approach to engaging with children in Early Childhood in a broader international context in order to encourage students to begin to understand and locate their own position in terms of the underlying philosophical and political values. It will begin to locate the significance of public and private values in terms of services for children and families. This module will provide a foundation for future modules where students will be expected to consider their own position in respect of working with children and families in Early Childhood.

Safeguarding Children and Families

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

The issue of safeguarding children has come into sharp focus as a result of high-profile public inquiries detailing significant failings and as such recent governments have sought to reassure the public that they have the capacity to address these issues. As a consequence, policy reforms have broadened the responsibility for safeguarding children in terms of both prevention and protection to incorporate the whole children's workforce with an emphasis on the importance of collaborative working. There have also been ongoing debates in respect of the role of state intervention and the privacy of the family. This module focuses on the care of children and protecting them from harm and the responsibilities of ECEC practitioners in safeguarding children's welfare. It aims to explore some of the complex issues involved in safeguarding children and the interventions designed to drive this agenda. It will provide students with an exploration of the historical and political context that has served to shape current policy and practice. Specific attention will be given to exploring the social and cultural notions of neglect and abuse, and the impact that abuse can have on the lives of children and their families. Key child abuse inquiries will be examined to analyze common themes and issues in respect of the failure of child protection systems, policies, and practices to safeguard children and young people. Students will explore current policy and legislation and its implications for practice for all those working with children and their families. A clearer understanding will be gained of the different roles and responsibilities of those working in the area of safeguarding children.

Inclusive Practice

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This Level 5 module will build upon the knowledge and workplace experiences of the students in the area of inclusion. It will begin by exploring definitions of the inclusion agenda, and by considering the legislative frameworks, and this will lead to an understanding of the inclusion ‘debate.’ Students will explore models of disability and will consider a range of strategies for supporting children with SEN and other specific needs. They will gain an understanding of how multi-agency working contributes to the support and safety of children and their families. Finally, students will understand the additional needs of a range of culturally and socially diverse groups whilst exploring how to support the individual needs and behavior of children.

Human Rights and Social Justice

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

Children, parents, and educators have the right to good quality early childhood education services, free from any form of - overt and covert, individual and structural - discrimination due to their race, color, sex, language, religion, political or another opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or another status (Article 2). This module will explore the above elements because early years are logically and practically a good place to start to foster and strengthen children’s identities and to raise positive awareness of diversities. This module aims to challenge thinking, promoting all children and adults’ right to evolve and develop in a context where there is equality and respect for diversity. A core element of the module will explore human rights and the UNCRC through key principles like dignity, fairness, equality, respect, power, and autonomy.

Families and the multi-agency context

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

Students will explore a range of services and agencies involved in multi-agency working and the legal and regulatory framework in which they operate. They will be encouraged to critically reflect on the opportunities and challenges around supporting families utilizing this model of working. This module focuses on the professional practice of those working for agencies in, or related to children and young people’s services, and will explore relevant policy and practice developments. It will also consider the range of approaches and theoretical models that underpin multi-agency working and the challenges present in professional practice to working in this way to achieve meaningful outcomes for children and their families. Students will be required to reflect on the nature and complexities of multi-agency work via a reflective account that draws on their own practice and their developing understanding of models for multi-agency practice.

An introduction to research

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module aims to develop student’s knowledge and understanding of research methodology and specific research terminology. It critically analyses the importance of research design, focusing on key aspects required for undertaking small-scale research studies. It addresses ethical principles, examines the role and responsibilities of the researcher, and identifies issues for management and organization, including the consideration of the value of and ethical issues around practitioner research, It enables students to access, compare and critically analyze academic research, and ascertain how this impacts on policy and practice. This module will allow students to develop skills and knowledge to support progression into the honors level. Identity and difference will be explored and examined in the broadest sense, highlighting the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world. The module will also move beyond essentialist approaches to multiculturalism, which in the past have all too often ignored socio-economic power relations.

Professional Practice in Early Years 2

20 Credits

(Compulsory)

This module builds on prior learning from ECF414's Professional Practice in Early Years 1 and further explores the concept of quality practice through the lens of the current Early Years Curriculum, also taking into consideration the standards for the Early Years Educator (NCTL, 2013). The module requires students to continue to work in practice with children, families, and other professionals. Students need to complete 120 hours in total. This module encourages students to reflect on prior learning and experience in order to prepare them for their next academic and professional progression.