Early Years (0-8) Foundation Degree

What makes Early Years at Worcester special?

The Early Years (0-8) Foundation Degree is a new and innovative course for people who are working, or who aspire to work, in the Early Years sector. The course is designed to fit around your needs, offering face to face session on a weekly basis whilst developing your skills in practice. If this sounds appealing, then this course could be for you.

Throughout the degree, you will be offered the opportunity to develop the appropriate professional attributes, knowledge and understanding required for the care and education of children within national and international contexts. This interconnected approach is reflected in a range of assignments designed to encourage you to consider a variety of perspectives and the development of critical skills in relation to theory applied to practice.

This Degree is delivered by SCIL, but is a University of Worcester approved course.

The University of Worcester course page can be found here: https://www.worcester.ac.uk/courses/early-years-0-8-foundation-degree

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Key Features

96% of students in work or undertaking further study upon completion of their degree

Enhancement of your academic and professional development whilst you work
Provides theoretical insights on your professional practice and develop your leadership potential
The professional practice pathway has ‘Full and Relevant’ status with the Department for Education
Choose to study full or part-time at one of our partner colleges at a range of locations throughout the region
Early Years conference in February
Opportunity to progress to a BA Top-up degree and to Early Years Teaching
International opportunities available

The programme specification for this degree can be found here: FdAEarlyYears0-8years2023-24.pdf (worc.ac.uk)

Pathway Options

This foundation degree is designed to be flexible, dependent on your career aspirations and you are given a choice of pathways:

Early Years (0-8) (Professional Practice) pathway. This pathway has ‘Full and Relevant’ status with the DfE and allows you to meet the Early Years Educator (EYE) standards and achieve ‘Full and Relevant’ status by the end of your course. This is important to employers as it lets them count you in EYFS staff:child ratios at level 3.
Early Years (0-8) pathway. This is the best pathway for those who already have a ‘Full and Relevant’ level 3 qualification. It enables you to further develop your professional practice within early years or to progress to a teaching career.

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Entry Requirements

Entry requirements

32 UCAS Tariff points

Minimum of four GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above
All entrants have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade 4 (formerly grade C) in the GCSE examinations in English Language or English Literature and Mathematics. Alternatively, we offer an equivalency test if you don’t have the required GCSE grade or Level 2 equivalent to apply for the FdA Early Years (UCAS Code X312).
Where a student does not already hold a GCSE or level 2 qualification equivalent in English and/or Maths qualification, they must present evidence of this before the end of Level 4 to remain on the FdA EY (0-8) (Professional Practice) pathway (UCAS code X313) to achieve the DfE ‘full and relevant’ status. The DfE have a published list of acceptable Level 2 qualifications.
Acceptable qualifications include a minimum of 1 A Level or an equivalent Level 3 qualification, for example the CACHE Diploma or EdExcel BTEC National Diploma in Children’s Care, Learning and Development
Through our non-standard entry route we welcome applications from experienced and mature practitioners who do not have the above qualifications.
Further information can be obtained by contacting the Admissions Office on 01905 855111

Other information

A current Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS) is required.

You will also be subject to the usual prohibition list and criminal record checks.

If you have lived, studied or worked overseas for three months or more in the last five years a Certificate of Good Conduct from the country of residence will be required. Further information and guidance associated with additional costs are available from the Home Office.

T Levels may be used to meet the entry tariff requirements for this course. Find out more about T levels as UCAS tariff points here.

What will you Study?

Year 1:

The Developing Child
Health and Wellbeing
Playful Pedagogy
Introduction to Work-Based Learning or Theory for Early Years Educator Foundation Graduate

Year 2:

Childhood, a Global Perspective
Policy into Practice
Safeguarding Children’s Welfare in the Early years and Integrating Our Work with Other Agencies
Small Scale Practice-Based Enquiry and Future Progression or Early Educator Small Scale Practice-Based Enquiry

Our courses are informed by research and current developments in the discipline and feedback from students, external examiners and employers. Modules do therefore change periodically in the interests of keeping the course relevant and reflecting best practice. The most up-to-date information will be available to you once you have accepted a place and registered for the course.

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How much will it cost?

UK and EU students

The standard fee for full-time home and EU undergraduate students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £9,250 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

International students

The standard tuition fee for full-time international students enrolling on BA/BSc/LLB degrees and FdA/FdSc degrees in the 2024/25 academic year is £16,200 per year.

For more details, please visit our course fees page.

Additional Costs

Students must have a current Enhanced DBS to be able to work in practice. The cost and process of an application can be found on the government website. Students will need to apply for a new one if they are not already signed up to the DBS update service.

Every course has day-to-day costs for essential books, stationery, printing and photocopying.

Travel costs for placements vary depending on the location of school or setting and your mode of transport.

Travel costs may be incurred for partnership students attending induction and the annual conference at the University.

Finance

All eligible students should be entitled to a student loan to cover the cost of their fees. Find out more about student finance.

Session times and Location

Our sessions are delivered from Broughton House, Blackbrook Park Ave, Taunton TA1 2PR.

You will have a taught session weekly, alongside an evening with online tutor/study support. Timings of sessions will be confirmed in the near future.

In addition to this, you will have to travel to Worcester 3 times throughout the academic year, one of these times will be for an induction session.

How to apply

Applications for 2024/25 are now open on UCAS

Head to UCAS and select Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning as the location of the course.

Application codes

Course code:: X312

Institution code:: W80

Campus name:: Somerset Centre for Integrated Learning

Campus code:: G

If you have any questions, please contact the Admissions office on admissions@worc.ac.uk

If your qualifications are not listed, please contact the University of Worcester Admissions Office for advice on admissions@worc.ac.uk

Follow the link below to apply:

Apply for this course via UCAS