Early Childhood Education and Care (0-5) with Early Years Teacher Status

Course summary

Help children aged 0-5 to learn and grow through play – prepare for a rewarding career on an ‘Outstanding’ PGCE Early Childhood Education and Care course with Early Years Teacher Status. International applicants must apply before Friday the 18th of April to start this course in September 2025.

Normally GCSE grade C or Grade 4 in English Language and mathematics and science, or equivalent.

• 2.2 degree or above.

Where applicants have achieved a GCSE grade 4 or above in English literature only we will look for further evidence of a breadth of achievement in English.

You must:

• Complete a declaration of criminal convictions and health check forms.

Candidates who are successful will demonstrate a sound understanding of teaching and how children learn, where possible within a school setting. We encourage all candidates to evidence their understanding by drawing on related examples or experiences, such as time spent in schools or other learning settings. Demonstrating an ability to make links between experience and knowledge, and their proposed career would be desirable.

If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.

If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements.

Selection event

If you are shortlisted, we will invite you to a selection event and you should present a passport or photo driving license. You can present other forms of photo ID for the selection event, but if you do, you will still need to present valid identity documents required by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) prior to starting your course.

See our selection event guidance for this course.

If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score of 7.0 with a minimum of 6.5 in all skills or equivalent. For equivalents see our English language entry requirements.

Course enrolment - professional requirements
Before enrolling you must complete all the professional checks that are required as part of entry for the course:

Suitability Declaration
You must fully declare the following information on the pre-admission suitability declaration form provided during the admissions process:

• Unfiltered criminal convictions, cautions, reprimands or warnings. For further information on unfiltered offences please see the Disclosure and Barring Service website.
• Involvement in disciplinary proceedings during paid or voluntary employment or education establishments.
• Involvement with safeguarding proceedings, social services or related organisations.
• If you have ever been removed from a teacher training programme as a result of your behaviour, or would have been removed if you had not left the programme.

Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service Criminal Record Check

• You will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) criminal record check prior to or during the enrolment week of your course. This will be provided by the University free of charge.
• You will need to present valid identity documents (PDF) as part of the DBS application process.
• If you have lived outside of the UK for more than six consecutive months in the last five years you must provide an overseas criminal record check. Further information on obtaining an overseas criminal record check.
• Where your DBS Enhanced Disclosure certificate contains any recorded information you must present this to the Academic Administration Team within ten working days of receipt of the certificate.
• In addition to this all those who are made an offer of a place will be checked against the DfE children’s barred list.

Occupational Health Screening

You will need to undertake occupational health screening to determine your suitability to undertake the course. This will be provided by the University free of charge. As part of this assessment you are expected to provide all relevant, truthful and accurate information to ensure a safe environment for yourself and service users.

Other background checks
All applicants that have accepted an offer will also be checked against the prohibition list to ensure you are not:

• Subject to a prohibition order issued by the Secretary of State.
• Prohibited to teach in another country of the European Economic Area (EEA).

If your personal circumstances change in relation to any of the professional requirements, from when you apply to the end of your course, please notify the Academic Administration team immediately by emailing professionalchecks@shu.ac.uk.

Future careers

This course prepares you for a career in:

• Teaching in early years settings and schools, including Private, Voluntary or Independent (PVI) settings, academies and maintained nursery schools
• Teaching abroad in international early years settings
• You could also progress to further study at Masters level– e.g. our Masters in Education