BA (Honours) Early Years Education with Qualified Teacher Status

UCAS code

X110

Attendance

Full-time

Three years full-time

At a glance

Train to become a teacher in Early Years with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) on a course run in partnership with regional schools and early years settings. Throughout the course you spend time in university and on placements gaining a critical and practical perspective on all aspects of learning and teaching in the 3- 7 age phase.

Key points
• Prepare for roles in nurseries and infant and primary schools.
• Gain an in-depth understanding of the policies that underpin early years learning.
• Specialise in an educational area in your second and third year.
• Develop your specialism further in your placement.

What is early years education with QTS?
This subject leads to an honours degree and the professional qualification of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) equipping you with the standards required and the necessary subject knowledge and skills to teach in the 3 - 7 age phase.

About this course

Prepare for a career teaching in early years settings such as in nursery, infant and primary schools on this Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) awarding course.

You build your understanding of early years education, and all areas of foundation and Key Stage 1 curriculum teaching. You develop your knowledge of teaching and learning in the early years, and key policies in early childhood education and care. This prepares you for teaching and management in foundation settings, children’s centres and infant or primary schools.

We offer the course in partnership with local and regional children’s centres, nurseries and primary schools. You complete your placements at these partnership schools and this close relationship helps you improve your employment prospects in the region after graduation. You form close professional bonds with the nursery and school teaching staff you work with and they play an important role in your teaching and assessment.

You carry out a variety of placements, which can include focussed early learning and special educational needs and disability (SEND) placements. As well as out of setting learning experiences, such as understanding how Forest Schools work.

In the first year we introduce the foundation stage curriculum and you develop your basic teaching skills.

During your second and third years you consider more complex features of effective teaching and current issues and also choose to specialise in an area of your choice.

Key areas of study
Key areas include • providing for children with special educational needs • assessment for learning • learning across the curriculum • high quality provision • partnerships in the early years.

Associated careers

Graduates of this course can work in nurseries, infant and primary schools and nursery schools teaching pupils up to the age of seven.

This course prepares you for your first teaching post and build a successful career as an early years practitioner. It equips you with a strong knowledge of the early years and primary curriculum giving you the confidence to teach in innovative ways that excite and motivate children.

Course content

Year one modules

• professional practice A • mathematics year 1 • the child as meaning maker • the early years curriculum and the learning environment • the wider early years curriculum • child development • personal and professional learning

Year two core modules

• professional practice B • mathematics year 2 • English in the national curriculum • science teaching, learning and assessment in the early years • developing the foundation subjects and religious education • diverse needs

Year three modules

• professional practice C • wider issues in English and mathematics • learning across the curriculum • high quality early years provision • educational enquiry • partnerships in early years education

Assessment

• preparation of teaching materials • group and individual presentations • reports • examinations • projects • essays • classroom research

Entry requirements

2014 entry requirements

Normally GCSE grade A or B in English and mathematics, although we consider applicants with grade C and a wider profile. Your wider profile may include experience of working in related settings, demonstrating how your existing skills will contribute to your achievement as a teacher, or providing evidence of working at a higher level in these subjects through further qualifications. We also require a grade C in science.

Plus one of the following
• 300 points from at least two GCE/VCE full A levels with 100 points (grade B) or more in each, one of which must be a primary national curriculum subject such as geography, art, religious education, English or science. We also accept sociology, psychology or health and social care.

• A minimum of 300 points from BTEC National Diploma in a subject relevant to the primary national curriculum or early years foundation stage

• 300 points from CACHE Diploma in Child Care and Education

• Access – QAA recognised diploma with at least 45 credits at level 3, including 20 credits at merit or above. At least 18 credits at level 3 must be in a primary national curriculum subject, or sociology, or psychology. You can take GCSE equivalents for English, mathematics and science on Access courses (12 level two credits).

You must already hold the GCSE requirements before applying.

If English is not your first language you need an average IELTS score of 7.0.

You must also have evidence of at least 10 days' experience of working with children in a foundation stage or Key Stage 1 setting gained within 12 months before your application.

For entry in 2013 onwards there will be national pre-entry tests in literacy and numeracy.

Download our application experience guidelines for more information about experience requirements and interview advice for this course. This document includes important information about your application. Failure to provide sufficient information may result in your application being unsuccessful.

If you are invited to interview you will need to download the work reference template and bring this completed with you to your interview.

We consider other qualifications from the UCAS tariff. Applicants with alternative qualifications or a combination of qualifications and work experience are also considered. We welcome applications from people of any age.

Meeting the qualifications on the entry criteria does not guarantee you a place. You should ensure that you submit a personal statement and reference as these are considered as part of the selection process. Guidelines on personal statements and references can be found on the UCAS website.

As you will work with children, you must complete a declaration of criminal convictions and health check forms. If you already have an undergraduate degree you are not eligible to apply for this course.

2013 entry requirements

Fees

Home and EU students

2013/14 academic year

For 2013 entry, mandatory UK field trips are included in the course fee.

International students

2013/14 academic year

Typically Ł10,680 a year

2014/15 academic year

Typically Ł11,250 a year

How to apply

You apply for this course through UCAS.

Contact details

For more information or to check the progress of your application phone +44 (0)114 225 5555, fax +44 (0)114 225 2167, e-mail admissions@shu.ac.uk