Childcare and Education – Wickersley Sixth Form

CHILDCARE & EDUCATION

SINGLE / LEVEL 3

QUALIFICATION

NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Certificate /
CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education

EXAM BOARD

NCFE CACHE

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

A minimum of a Grade 4 in English and Maths. We may also offer a place on successful completion of Level 2 Certificate, an introduction to Early Years Education and Care. A DBS check will also be required.

COURSE LEADER

Mrs N Robinson

SUBJECT TEACHERS

Miss M Cooke – Faculty Leader

WHY STUDY THIS COURSE?

SINGLE

We are able to offer a single option in childcare at Key Stage 5 which is aimed at students who wish to study other subjects whilst gaining both knowledge and practical skills with children from 0-5 years. These perhaps will be students who are unsure of which career path to take but see Primary education as a real possibility.

This course is not a licence to practice however you will need to undertake 350 hours in a work placement in order that you can relate practice to theory and draw on your experience with young children. As you will be studying other subjects it is likely the placement hours will be completed flexibly as your timetable allows.

We will fully support you in finding a placement within the local area and you will be required to successfully gain a DBS check in order to work first hand with children. Our designated visiting officer will support you when in placement in the form of regular visits and observations.

Entry requirements include Maths and English at a minimum grade 4, in addition to any stated by Sixth Form admissions.

LEVEL 3

The Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) enables learners to gain the knowledge and experience which will allow them to work with children from birth to five years or gain access to Higher Education programmes. Many of our past pupils have gained employment as early Years Educators or have gone on to gain a degree in Early Years and are now working as primary teachers.

These qualifications have been awarded UCAS Tariff points. The Diploma has been awarded 168 Tariff points at A* under the New Tariff for 2017 (old Tariff 420 points). Therefore this is a full-time programme taking 4 option blocks. All learners who achieve an Early Years Educator qualification will need GCSE English and Maths at minimum grade 4 in order to meet government standards of literacy and numeracy standards in early years settings, therefore applicants who haven’t got the grades on entry will be offered the level 2 programme of study.

There is a placement requirement for this course, all learners must undertake a minimum of 750 hours which is arranged by the college. You will be assessed on practical skills whilst working there by our own workplace assessor. The placements will be with children from 0-5 years, during the two years you will undertake three different placements. As you will be working with children you will be required to undertake a DBS check.

WHAT WILL I STUDY?

SINGLE

NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Certificate is run over a period of two years, in order to gain the qualification you will submit seven mandatory units which are externally set and internally marked at grade A*-D.

Unit titles are as follows:

Child development from conception to seven years
Children’s health and well being
Safe environments
Child health
Play and learning
Understanding additional needs
Observation and planning

LEVEL 3

Year 1
You will study seven units graded internally plus an externally set and marked assessment of a 5000 word essay. You will also be required to be practically competent in the workplace.

Units include:

Child development from conception to 7 years
Unit content includes: development from conception to birth, stages and sequences of development, theoretical perspectives on development and the practitioner’s role in supporting holistic development.
Children’s health and well being
Unit content includes: attachment and emotional development, key person role, transitions,physical needs of children and factors affecting the health and well being of children.
Providing a safe environment for children
Safeguarding children in relation to the environment and protection from abuse and significant harm.
Child Health Play and Learning
The needs of a child who is ill including storage of medicine, common illness and treatment including emergency first aid.
Understanding Play as a learning tool for children, current frameworks and the enabling environment.
Understanding additional needs
Biological and environmental factors which may result in children having additional needs which maybe long or short term.
Observation, assessment and planning
The skills require to effectively observe, assess and plan to inform child centred practice.

Year 2
You will undertake a different placement and also be required to pass a further external assessment.

Units include:

Supporting emergent literacy
The literacy needs and development of children aged birth to seven years including recognising delay and the requirement of current frameworks
Supporting emergent mathematics
The mathematical needs and development of children aged birth to seven years including recognising delay and the requirement of current frameworks
Preparing for school readiness
Children’s holistic needs in relation to them being ready for school including recording and tracking of data.
International perspectives
The main ideas of international approaches to learning including the work of theorists and Early Years Pioneers.
Reflective practice
The importance of reflective practice and sustained continued development of the practitioner.
Professional partnership in the early years
Partnership within the sectors of education, health and social work and the vital part which parents play in childhood learning
Professional Practice Portfolio

HOW WILL I BE ASSESSED?

SINGLE

During the second year of the course, you will need to pass an externally set and marked controlled assessment by NCFE.

LEVEL 3

In order to achieve the Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) learners must pass fourteen mandatory units. Learners must also complete the extended assessments CCE1 and DCE2 (externally set, externally marked). Mandatory units are marked and graded A* – D by your tutors, there are opportunities to upgrade original grades.

WHERE CAN IT LEAD?

SINGLE

The UCAS points gained will be added towards the entry to a Higher Education Degree programme.

LEVEL 3

These qualifications are suitable for a range of learners wishing to work in early years education and care or for those wishing to progress to higher education.

SUBJECTS