Level 3 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Early Years Education and Care

This OFSTED recognised qualification provides learners with a broad foundation of the knowledge and skills required to provide care for children in a range of early years job roles that do not require Early Years Educator status, as well as preparing you to work towards achieving a qualification that would allow you to work as an Early Years Educator in the future.

Learners do not need to have previous experience or qualifications in working with children to undertake this qualification.

Aims of the course

These are to:

• Understand the role of the Early Years Practitioner.
• Gain knowledge, understanding and skills to support healthy lifestyles for children
• Enable learners to gain knowledge, understanding and skills to support healthy lifestyles for children through exercise.
• Provide the learner with the knowledge, skills and understanding to promote children’s emotional well-being.
• Provide the learner with the knowledge and understanding of pre-conceptual care; pregnancy; and health and developmental checks during the first year of life.
• Provide learners with the knowledge and understanding required to support the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children from birth to 7 years.
• Enable learners to gain knowledge, understanding and skills required to support equality, diversity and inclusive practice
• Develop employability skills

Structure

The units for this programme have been selected to offer learners the best opportunities for progression both academically and professionally. In order to achieve Level 3 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Early Years Education and Care learners must achieve all 12 mandatory units which are:

1. Support healthy lifestyles for children through the provision of food and nutrition
2. Support healthy lifestyles for children through exercise
3. Support physical care routines for children
4. Promote children’s emotional well-being
5. Understand how to support children who are unwell
6. Understand the needs of the mother and baby during pre-conception, pregnancy and the first year of life
7. An introduction to the role of the early years practitioner
8. Understand legislation relating to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children
9. Use legislation relating to the health and safety of children
10. Use legislation relating to equality, diversity and inclusive practice
11. Work in partnership
12. Reflecting on practice in the early years sector

Experience in the Workplace

Learners will need to be working, volunteering or on a practical placement, as an important part of the assessment process involves evaluating skills in real working situations. We recommend 280 hours across the age ranges

How the course is delivered

This Level 3 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Early Years Education and Care is delivered via a Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) which provides access to case studies, learning materials and activities, presentations and web links. Online tutor support and guidance is provided throughout the course, where learners can interact with the tutors, get feedback on their progress and submit their work electronically. This helps you to build the relevant skills progressively, as you receive feedback and support from your tutor during this time. As the course is delivered online, this enables learners to study any time, any place through immediate access to VLE.

Assessment

All units will be internally assessed using a range of methods. Knowledge-based outcomes can be assessed using non-mandatory assessment tasks. Skills-based outcomes must be achieved with reference to a real work environment and must include direct observation within the workplace.

Career Opportunities

This qualification could lead to employment in a range of job roles in Early Years settings that do not require Early Years Educator status, such as nursery assistant or pre-school assistant, as well as preparing employees to work towards achieving a qualification that would allow them to work as an Early Years Educator in the future.

Entry requirements

• Learners must be aged 16 or above
• An appropriate level of skill in the English language.

Certification

After successful completion, students will achieve a Level 3 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Early Years Education and Care qualification awarded by NCFE CACHE. In order to achieve the Level 3 Certificate in Preparing to Work in Early Years Education and Care learners must achieve all 12 mandatory units.

Duration

10 months.
Student study commitment would be a minimum of 5-6 hours a week.