Childcare

Course content

The NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Certificate and Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) is a two-year course. The entry requirements are that you must have at least 4 GCSEs at grades 4 – 9 (two of which must be Maths and English). This 2-year qualification will enable you to gain the knowledge and experience which will allow you to work with children from birth to 5 years (there will be many more opportunities open to you afterwards as well). Over the 2 years, you will study a range of units such as: child development from conception to seven years, Children’s health and well-being, providing safe environments for children, play and learning, understanding children’s additional needs, observation, assessment and planning, supporting emergent literacy and mathematics, preparing for school, international perspectives, reflective practice for professional development, professional partnerships in Early Years. You will also complete 750 hours of real work experience in a variety of placements working with babies and children form birth to 7 years.

Location

Kingsway Campus, Dunstable

How will I learn?

You will learn through a variety of classroom-based activities which will give you the knowledge and theory needed to underpin the experience you will gain during your valuable and essential work experience in placement. You will also be required to undertake independent research and coursework completion.

You will also be required to undertake independent research and coursework completion.

How will I be assessed?

You will be assessed using a range of internal methods such as the completion of written work, visits while in your placement and reflection on your own practice. There will also be an externally assessed assignment during year one and again in year two. After the first year, you will be awarded with the NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Certificate in Childcare and Education and your certificate will show your end of year grade. You will then progress onto the second year and on completion, you will gain the NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator). Your certificate will show your overall grade.

Equipment and other costs

You will need to bring stationary such pens, pencils and paper. Text books and polo shirts are optional (but recommended) purchases at additional costs.

What additional work outside of college will I need to do?

You will be required to undertake independent research and coursework completion.

Do I need to find a work placement? Do I need a DBS?

You will need at least one placement because you need to have experience of working with babies and children from birth to 7 years of age. Your placements could include a day nursery, a preschool or a reception class in a Primary/Lower School. A full, enhanced DBS is required before you can start your first placement.

What have students who have taken this course in the past progressed onto?

Upon achievement of the Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (EYE) it is intended that learners will be able to access higher education and enrol on undergraduate courses in the education sector such as Primary Teaching with QTS or Early Years Teacher (EYTS) courses. Alternatively, learners can also access other undergraduate courses leading to qualifications in Health Care or Social Services. The course is graded from D to A and has the following UCAS Points: D = 72, C = 96, B = 120, A = 144 and A = 168. The Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (EYE), along with GCSE’s in English and Maths at grades 4 or above, also fully qualify learners as level 3 Early Years Educators and they then can apply for one of the many roles working with children, young people and their families. Quite often, learners are successfully employed in their placements because they have shown such great potential.

What are the expected employment sectors for this course? Following successful completion of the Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (EYE), learners will be able to apply for employment opportunities in the childcare and education sector or the health and social care sector for roles such as Early Years Practitioner, Community Nursery Nurse, Children’s Centre Worker, Family Worker or a Nursery Nurse on a paediatric or maternity ward. After gaining the required experience, there will be opportunities to progress on to management roles such as Room Leader, Deputy Manager or Manager.