Early Years Education and Leadership FdA

Recent college or sixth form leaver? Currently working in an early years setting? Experienced early years practitioner or leader? Wherever you’re at in your career journey, this course is for you. We’ll support you to make a positive impact on babies and young children’s lives, their families and communities.

This unique foundation degree is designed to offer flexible entry requirements for all. Take the opportunity to gain a higher education qualification and boost your career progression. Our inclusive entry criteria means that we’ll consider three years’ experience in the early years sector instead of traditional entry requirements.

Already working in an early years setting? This course is ideal for you. Our flexible delivery mode is designed to suit busy working lives. With a maximum of six classroom-based sessions per year, you’ll be able to access the rest of your learning online with the support of expert tutors.

On this two-year foundation degree, we’ll teach you the theory and practice behind working or leading in the early years sector. You’ll build professional skills and confidence, preparing you for further success in your career or future learning. When you graduate, you’ll have the option to progress to our one-year BA (Hons) conversion degrees in Early Years Education or Early Years Leadership.

Choose the best location for you. You can opt to study at our main Ormskirk campus or at Holy Cross College and University Centre in Bury.

To apply for this course you must be working on a full-time, part-time or voluntary basis in an early years setting with children aged 0-5 years. A statement of support will be required from your current employer. The course is mapped to Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies and meets the full and relevant DfE criteria to be counted in the staff:child ratios of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.

UK

Fastrack

Your future career

When you graduate from our foundation degree, you’ll be able to go straight into work within the early years sector. You’d be well suited to roles in:

• free schools
• academies
• local authorities
• children’s centres
• play groups
• nurseries
• pre-schools
• multi-agency/consultancy work

You might decide you’d like to continue studying, and you’ll be well placed to do that. You can join a one-year Level 6 conversion degree, allowing you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree. We offer two BA (Hons) conversion degrees here at Edge Hill, designed specifically for graduates of our foundation degree. Choose between Early Years Education or Early Years Leadership.

You might like to gain qualified teacher status and go on to teach in schools. Completing our foundation degree, followed by a one-year conversion degree, will set you up perfectly to apply for a PGCE.