Children’s Care, Learning and Development (BTEC Level 2 Diploma)

Specific Entry Criteria

Standard college entry requirements for an intermediate level programme.

About the Subject

A BTEC First Diploma is a practical, work related course. You learn by completing projects and assignments that are based on realistic workplace situations. The BTEC First Diploma is the same as 4 GCSE grades A* - C and is taken as a one year full time course. As part of the course you will spend one and a half days a week on work placement in an early years setting such as a primary school or a day nursery. The aim of the course is to introduce you to the employment area you have chosen and provides a good basis to progress to an advanced course.

Course Content

As well as spending one and a half days a week on work placement, you will study 6 different units. In unit one you will gain basic knowledge of children’s development and how to observe and assess their development in a practical way in order to plan activities to support their development.

Unit two will involve you learning about the importance of keeping children safe both in the care environment and on outings as well as learning about child protection and how to deal with accidents and emergencies.

Unit three will teach you about the importance of communication both with children and adults. In unit four you will learn about planning play and learning environments to help children’s development.

Unit five helps you to develop professionally as an early years worker and helps you to improve your practice in this setting.

The final unit will involve studying how to provide support for children with disabilities and special educational needs.

Assessment

For each unit you will submit written coursework which will be assessed and graded as pass, merit or distinction. There are no exams for this course. At the end of the year you will achieve an overall pass, merit, distinction or distinction star grade.