Early Childhood Education and Care (with Foundation Year) BA (Hons)

Newman University, Birmingham

**Newman University has developed an innovative foundation year for their education and social science degrees. The pre-degree year of this four year course, if passed, leads into the same study programme as the 3 year joint honours degree course in Early Childhood Education and Care.**The foundation year enables those unable to access the traditional UCAS tariff requirements for a three year degree, an alternative route into beginning and ultimately gaining an honours degree.**Why study an Early Childhood Education and Care degree?**Early childhood, the quality of education, provision and care, and the roles and responsibilities of all those involved with young children, parents and families, all have a significant influence on children’s achievement and life chances. The last decade has seen the wider development of early years provision, changes and challenges in aspects of education and care, and the recognition that early childhood and children’s experiences must be supported by a highly qualified workforce. Government legislation, policy and research have raised the profile of early childhood, education and care and established the requirement for recognised professional qualifications for all those working in the field of early years in public, voluntary and private sectors.This degree is registered with the DfE as having **‘full and relevant status’**, which is particularly advantageous to graduates employed in early years settings, in counting towards the staff:child ratios at level 3.**What makes this course noteworthy?**• Strong links with Early Years settings and providers across the West Midlands• Opportunities to study abroad• Opportunities to participate in the Student-Staff Partnership Projects• Academic partnership projects – looking to enhance an aspect of the broad student learning experience• Research partnership projects – integrating students as researchers in their subject discipline• Community partnership projects – engaging with the wider community• Work placement to enhance career opportunities• This degree is **registered with the DfE as having ‘full and relevant status’**, which is particularly advantageous to graduates employed in early years settings, in counting towards the staff: child ratios at level 3.**What careers could I consider?**Early years is a developing area of the economy, therefore there are a wide range of career opportunities for qualified professionals in the field of early years. This includes working in Children’s Centres, SureStart settings, schools, nurseries, Social Services, Local Authority support teams, and charitable organisations. Previous students have gone on to work as nursery managers and deputy managers, inclusion workers, early years advisory workers, Foundation Stage practitioners, charity workers, and with specific organisations working with parents, families and communities. Others have progressed to a teaching career through a PGCE Primary course, also available at Newman.