Course summary

Overview 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. It is designed to fit around your needs and if you find it difficult to attend regular classes, but would like to develop your skills, then this is the course 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. 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.

• 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

• Worcester rose to become the number one English university (excluding specialist institutions) for sustained employment, further study, or both, three and five years after graduation in the 2022 Government-published Longitudinal Educational Outcomes survey, having been in the top 10 in 2020 and 2021. 96% of our graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduating (Graduate Outcomes Survey 2022).

• In May 2023, the University received arguably the best Ofsted report of any teacher training provider in the 21st Century. The University’s primary and secondary programmes were rated ‘Outstanding’. The report opens: “Trainees benefit from an exceptional learning experience at the University of Worcester. This experience instils in them a deep-rooted commitment to making a difference to the lives of the children in the communities they serve.”

• The University of Worcester has been ranked in the top 5 in the UK for Quality Education in the Times Higher Education’s University Impact Rankings every year since its inception in 2019. The University has also been ranked in the top 5 in the UK for Gender Equality in all years of the rankings and currently holds the number one spot (2023).