Early Childhood Studies with Graduate Practitioner Competencies with a Foundation Year - BA (Hons)

This module recognises that transitioning into higher education represents a significant milestone in a student's academic journey, signifying a period of personal growth. However, it can also present challenges, as students must adapt to a range of increased academic demands and expectations. The module is specifically designed to support students through this transition by equipping them with essential academic skills and strategies necessary for success in their undergraduate studies. Its primary objective is to provide new students with the necessary tools to effectively manage their studies, enhance their academic writing and research skills, and cultivate their critical thinking abilities.

The Children and Families module focuses on the importance of working with families in a holistic way. We will consider what we understand by the terms ‘Family’ and ‘Children’ and how we can establish a family-focused ethos.

This module will encourage you to think about and explore a range of contemporary issues, such as changing family structures, diverse families, social justice, cultural capital, socioeconomic factors and policies and legislation to ensure that our practice promotes inclusive and informed approaches.

Child psychology describes and explains children’s development from birth to adolescence and the transition to adulthood. This perspective on children and childhoods is interested in how children think, feel, and behave, and is often divided into specialised areas.

The module focuses on the physical, cognitive (thinking), emotional, and social development of children from infancy through adolescence. It explores various theories, milestones, and factors that contribute to the overall growth and well-being of children.

The module introduces you to some key issues and delve deeper into specific aspects of child development that require you to apply your knowledge and critical thinking skills to analyse and evaluate different scenarios and research findings.

This module encourages you to become confident and reflective practitioners and to recognise the value of observation and assessment in the context of childhood. This module will also support you to develop your understanding of how observation can be used to document the child’s learning journey and support planning for future development.

This module is designed to provide students with an understanding of the ethical principles associated with the documentation of children’s learning. You will make connections between this module and The Developing Child as well as Children and Families module exploring how the practical application of this content and observation and assessment might support an understanding of how to document learning and plan for future development.

In line with the aims of the course, Contemporary Perspectives of Early Childhood introduces you to a range of perspectives that influence childhood. From a local and global perspective, this module encourages you to consider how differently childhood is experienced by different groups, and to acknowledge how a range of factors can influence early childhood.

Across the module we will explore a different topic each week, as we begin to unpick and challenge key ideas about perceptions of childhood. Together we will explore the factors which may impact upon childhood experiences, and we will challenge dominant perceptions in society with the aim of promoting social justice and inclusion.

In this module you will apply theoretical perspectives, and the findings of academic research, to develop your knowledge and understanding of enabling and sustainable environments. You will explore their contribution to young children’s development, learning and well-being as well as their potential for living and learning in more sustainable ways.

Throughout the module, you will engage in interactive taught sessions and a range of practical activities to explore the learning potential of different aspects of the indoor and outdoor learning environment. You will make links between theory and practice through your placement experiences and through professional discussions with your tutors, placement mentor and fellow students.

Transitions and Change in Early Childhood will equip you with the knowledge and understanding of the transitions that children will experience in the first eight years of life. You will develop an appreciation of sensitive periods in children’s life and will develop skills to support you in practice to meet the needs of young children in informed ways.

During this module, you will draw on experience in placement to reflect on and identify the key transitions young children encounter, and the strategies implemented by parents, carers, and practitioners.

Together, we will explore the different nature of transitions, such as physical, intellectual, and emotional transitions and change, and will consider the factors which may impact upon a child’s Personal, Social and Emotional development during this time.

The module will explore the enchanting world of children's literature. It aims to offer platforms for the exploration of children’s stories and meaning making. You will explore narratives as personal and inter-personal ways of story-making and story-sharing. You will develop insights into how different narrative forms are used in context to convey different individual and group interpretations of reality.

The module aspires to introduce you to the practice of storytelling and making with young children using a variety of creative media. Confidence in one's own imaginative and creative skills and abilities is necessary if we are to effectively scaffold and engage children meaningfully through storytelling and creative play. This module will develop your own confidence in your creativity and playfulness and provide you with effective strategies for engaging creatively with children.

This module explores reflective practice in early childhood. You will learn about the main theories and principles of reflective practice, drawing on concepts and findings from across the associated literature and your practice.

This module focuses on helping you to reflect on personal values, beliefs, and assumptions in relation to developing practice and the implications of relevant theory and research on your own practice when working with young children. You will develop a sophisticated understanding of the nature and significance of reflection and how this can be utilised to learn more about yourself, and to develop your professional skills.

This module is an introduction to carrying out research projects. As well as developing your understanding of key aspects of research in education, this module will also prepare you for your final research project at Level 6.

The module will support you to engage in a critical analysis of contemporary issues and debates in research, policy and practice related to your field of study. You will identify and design a small-scale study, in readiness for your research project module at Level 6.

This module will explore safeguarding and child protection including the necessary skills, values and attributes to be a successful professional working with a range of children’s services. You will build on your previous learning by focusing on the roles and responsibilities of professionals in a safeguarding context. This will include key legislation, policy and evaluate processes that exist to support children who have or are likely to suffer significant harm. You will consider discrimination, which affects individual children, young people and families.

This Level 5 module enables you to explore and examine key aspects of promoting children’s health and well-being. Largely drawing on practical experience in placement, you will develop the knowledge and understanding of how to promote healthy development and well-being for young children.

We will explore and critique key policies and legislation that focuses on promoting healthy development in the first eight years of a child’s life, alongside gaining hands-on experience through undertaking risk assessments, Paediatric First Aid training and engaging in nurturing care routines in practice.

The module offers a blend of learning approaches, with time spent on campus studying, alongside spending time in placement as you observe and engage in health-focused, and nurturing care activities.

This module introduces you to the National Curriculum and children’s progression from the Early Learning Goals through to the end of Key Stage 1. You will take part in a series of lectures and practical experiences to explore ways of making learning more playful and creative. There will be a focus on inclusive practice to enable all learners to thrive and achieve.

There are opportunities to make links between theory and practice as you learn how to design and plan for appropriate activities and learning experiences within and across a range of subjects for the children in your placement setting. We will explore and analyse a range of approaches to planning including the templates that you might use and reflect on the distinctive styles and approaches that you find are beneficial to the planning process and the needs of the children in your placement setting.

This optional module aims to provide you with an overview of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in a UK context.

The focus of this module is for you to consider the impact SEND can have on child’s / young person’s (0-25) personality, their learning opportunities, and potential barriers, which they might have to face both in the education system and in the wider society. This module offers a unique approach to understanding the child / young person as a learner and the impact of a SEND on the individual and their family.

This module hopes to develop your thinking and perceptions of SEND through different models, towards recognising the impact of the condition upon the person as an individual. This will expand your thinking with a positive impact on your practice, enabling you to consider ways of developing an approach which considers the wider impact of SEND and recognises the role and challenges faced by families.

By studying the Digital Childhoods module, you will explore how digital technologies can be integrated into practice when working with young children. You will have the chance to gain hands-on experience using different technological tools and consider their effectiveness in supporting children’s holistic development across the birth-eight age range. We will debate key ideas and discourses around technology, the technological child and the ‘digital age,’ with discussions going beyond whether technology is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ for young children.

The value of fostering creativity and creative thinking skills in education has been repeatedly highlighted in research and government funded reviews (for example in the Durham Commission Report, 2019). Creativity, imagination, and creative thinking skills are essential for children and adults if they are to meet the challenges of living in a world that is constantly and rapidly changing.

In early years, children’s creativity can be seen in their imagination, exploration, curiosity and playing with ideas. These abilities can be fostered in education so that creativity becomes an attitude towards meeting the challenges of everyday life that is closely linked to learning, resilience, and well-being.

This module enables and supports you to conceive, plan, and conduct a small-scale research project that attends and adheres to key ethical principles, in an area relevant to your programme of study. This module encourages you to engage in independent and collaborative critical analysis of contemporary issues and debates in your research focus area, in policy and in practice.

You will be provided with an opportunity to clarify your understanding of key research terms, as well as to consider the link between epistemology, methodology and methods, and the impact that your own personal philosophies have upon the design of your study.

This module explores children’s rights and child voice in an Early Years context. It explores theory and practice concerning Children’s Rights and Child Voice and considers what they mean in the context of empowering the lives of children. Practical ways to ensure children’s rights and voice are realised and sustained in a wider range of contexts will be examined.

Students will explore how children’s rights are realised in range of professional contexts, and by exploring research and literature, the module will critically consider the theories and perspectives associated with rights’-based practice. The module will explore the impact of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child at a local, national, and international level, and consider the implications regarding future policy and legislation (including Child’s Voice in the context of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals).

This module links to the overall aims and philosophy of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies course by supporting students in becoming reflective practitioners.

In this module, you will draw on learning from placement experience, modules and the impact on your knowledge and skills, volunteering experience and work, and engagement with roles outside of university. Reflection will help you to self-evaluate your progress and development of praxis, personal and professional skills. Career pathways will be explored. You will also benefit from support sessions delivered by Careers+.

The module aims to enhance awareness, knowledge, and skills to foster a more inclusive and equitable society. It encourages you to challenge your own biases, be open to different perspectives, and take action to promote equity and inclusion in various settings. This module will explore the theoretical and practical aspects of anti-racist practice within the context of childhood, youth, and communities and you will draw on your placement experience to reflect on issues of inequity and inclusion.

In this module, you will examine the background to the current provision for early childhood education and care across the United Kingdom and globally to provide a context for early years’ education.

You will also explore the historical context of a range of early years’ educational approaches. Emphasis will be placed on the holistic nature of early learning based on the promotion of children's first-hand experience and the provision of a rich environment.

You will examine international perspectives alongside different curricula approaches and comparisons made between alternative approaches to learning. Similarities and differences will be analysed through key issues including the learning environment, creativity, diversity, and inclusion.

This module will build on your existing understanding of attachment and trauma, developing an awareness of how to embed an attachment-informed approach in practice. There will be a focus on developing an understanding of how to advocate for children and their individual needs and rights in the face of adversity. We will reflect on our own experiences and values to ensure that we are confident, capable allies for the children who need our support to feel valued, seen and heard.

In line with the philosophy and aims of the programme, this module encourages you to become confident in your leadership and management knowledge, which allows you to review, consolidate, extend, and apply this knowledge within the Early Years’ context, at a graduate level. It is intended that this module will support you to develop your intellectual capabilities by encouraging you to engage in identifying, reviewing, and discussing leadership and management theories.

This module is designed to provide you with a theoretical and practical application of how leadership and management is used within settings. The module is also designed to support you to consider the connections between theory and practice.