Course summary

This well-established and successful course offers highly contemporary perspectives on early childhood studies, to develop your skills and your career in early education and care. SSTAR teaching and learning award winners 2015-2018, the team provides a hardworking and committed learning environment which benefits students and the children we work with. There are 12 modules over the two years, beginning with developing the professional and interpersonal skills required to practice. The course explores young children’s welfare and wellbeing and how this relates to policy and provision in the UK. You then look at wider international perspectives on children’s education and wider still at psychology and theories of learning and development. In the second year, you begin to look in greater depth at different perspectives on childhood And learn how researching childhood can reveal new ideas and approaches. On a practical level, you learn about multi-agency working, about children’s spaces (including outdoor play, play design and forest school), health and physical wellbeing, and the issues affecting children’s social and emotional development. This course covers a lot of ground, developing knowledge of psychology, sociology, and the holistic development of children. There is also scope to specialise in areas that interest you and could form the focus of career professional development. It’s an engaging course too, featuring collaborative and independent study, trips and events with the University, and inspiring lecturers and guest speakers who will support your learning and challenge your thinking in a progressive learning environment.