Course summary

The purpose of Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in Early Childhood Education and Care is to develop students as professional, self-reflecting individuals able to meet the demands of employers in the early education and care sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. The qualifications aim to widen access to higher education and enhance the career prospects of those who undertake them. The objectives of the Pearson BTEC Higher Nationals in Early Childhood Education and Care are as follows:

• To equip students with the early education and care practice skills, knowledge and the understanding necessary to achieve high performance in the global early education and care environment.

• To provide education and training for entry to, or progression in, a range of careers in early education and care, including: family, social and community care/work support roles in a range of community-based settings; senior early years practitioner, supervision and management roles in children’s nursery and other childcare settings; teaching assistant roles in early education or preschool settings; care and education support for children with special education and development needs; children’s community-based health support roles.

• To provide insight and understanding into the diversity of roles within the early education and care sector, recognising the importance of collaboration at all levels.

• To equip students with knowledge, understanding and behaviours that demonstrate the embedding of principles of equality and diversity in their practice, in working with diverse organisations, communities, families, children and other individuals.

• To provide opportunities for students to enter or progress in employment in early education and care, or to progress to higher education qualifications such as Honours degrees in Early Childhood Studies, Psychology and Child Development, Child and Youth Studies or related areas.

• To support students to understand the local, regional and global context of early education and care practice, and for those students with a global outlook, to aspire to international career pathways.

• To provide students with opportunities to address contemporary early education and care issues facing the sector, and society at large, with particular emphasis on partnership working and values-based care, and child-centred approaches to providing early education and care to babies and young children

• To provide opportunities for students to achieve a nationally-recognised qualification within their chosen area of specialisation

• To offer students the chance of career progression in their chosen field, with particular emphasis on achieving supervisory or management-level positions, professional recognition and beyond

• To allow flexibility of study and to meet local or specialist needs

• To offer a balance between employability skills and the knowledge essential for students with entrepreneurial, employment or academic aspirations

• To provide students with the context in which to consider professional ethics and their relation to personal, professional and statutory responsibilities within the sector.