Level 3 Diploma for Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (ERC)

TQ are the new classroom-based components of the T-levels, designed by industry experts. These will teach you the underpinning theory and give you practical experience necessary for a career working with children.

In the first year you will complete the core technical qualification, consisting of 12 modules.  The second year consists of the occupational specialism which includes an employer set project. Practical experience with young children will be across the full two years.

The Core ComponentModules you will study in year 1 are:

• Looking at a different range of childcare and education provision from 0-19 years
• The frameworks used to plan and deliver education from 0-19 years
• Keeping children safe and protecting them from harm throughout their education
• Aspects of behaviour expected for children and young people
• Parenting styles, family structures and working with parents
• Different agencies that support children and young adults
• Expected patterns of children’s development from birth to 19 years
• The use of observation, formative and summative assessment in education
• The importance of being a reflective practitioner
• Legislation dealing with and the importance of equality and diversity in the education and childcare sector
• Supporting children with additional needs throughout their education
• Language acquisition and supporting bilingual or multilingual children

Occupational Specialism (Early Years Educator) – Core SkillsDesigned to enable you to develop the practical skills necessary to work with children and young people in a variety of roles.Topics covered include:

• Clear and effective communication of information
• Working with others to plan and implement activities to meet children’s and young people’s needs
• Effective use of formative and summative assessment methods
• Assessing and managing risks to own and others’ safety

Subject Specialism – Early Years EducatorThese performance outcomes ensure competency in a variety of areas which include:

• Supporting and promoting children’s play, development, and early education
• Creating relationships with children to facilitate their development
• Planning, providing and reviewing care, play and educational opportunities to enable children to progress
• Safeguarding and promoting the health, safety, and wellbeing of children
• Working in partnership with colleagues, parents, carers and other professionals to support children’s development

Industry PlacementsCovering ages from birth to seven years, these will give you invaluable experience in a range of settings, working alongside qualified practitioners. Over the two-year course, you will complete a minimum of 750 hours gaining experience in all aspects of early years education.

How is the course assessed?

At the end of year one, there will be two written synoptic exams which are graded from A* to U (ungraded).The occupational specialism component is a range of synoptic assessments which are graded distinction/merit/pass/ungraded.All assessments are externally marked.

Attendance will be three full days in college and two full days in your placement settings.

Entry Requirements

An interest and passion for working with children is essential.We expect you to have the following GCSE results:

• Grade 4 or above in maths
• Grade 4 or above in English Language
• Grade 4 or above in two other subjects (be advised that if you wish to undertake study at university some courses will require you to have a grade 4 or above in a science subject).

What can I do next?

Having achieved your T-level in Education and Childcare you can undertake study at higher level to become Primary Teachers (GCSE Science is required), child psychologists or social workers for example.You can also become early years practitioners working in a range of settings for young children.