Program Overview

Education and Development FdA with Specialist Pathways

Overview

The Foundation Degree in Education and Development offers pathways of specialisation in Teaching and Learning, SEND, or Outdoors Learning. This programme is designed for people who are working in, or who aspire to work with children as a teaching assistant, special needs assistant, cover supervisor, HLTA, or outdoor learning practitioner.

Key Features

• Opportunities to develop key skills and knowledge to prepare for further study and/or employment to improve practice and gain promotion.
• Opportunity to combine studying and learning on the job. Students are expected to spend at least 10 hours a week in a setting, either as a member of staff or on a voluntary basis.
• Further optional vocational training opportunities, which may incur an additional fee, are available that would support continuing professional development depending on the chosen pathway.
• Diverse and rich range of settings in Somerset Authority incorporating visits, as appropriate within the delivery schedule relative to the specific pathway.
• Step towards acquiring a full honours degree in the future, with top-up options available in Worcester and the Southwest.

Entry Requirements

• 32 UCAS Points
• The normal minimum entry requirement for Foundation Degree courses is the possession of 4 GCSEs (Grade C/4 or above) and 1 A Level (or equivalent Level 3 qualification).
• For mature students (i.e., 21 or over), without formal qualifications, a non-standard entry route is available.

Course Content

Year 1

• Mandatory modules:
  • Understanding our Academic, Professional and Personal selves
  • Keeping Children Safe in Education
  • Learning and Development
  • SEND: Inclusive Practice
  • Introduction to Carrying Out Research
• In addition, you will study one of the following mandatory modules relevant to your individual pathway:
  • Teaching and Learning Pathway: The Creative Curriculum
  • SEND Pathway: Identification of Special Education Needs – the Graduated Response
  • Outdoor Learning Pathway: The Benefits of Outdoor Learning

Year 2

• Mandatory modules:
  • Reflective Journal
  • Partnership Working
  • A Systematic Approach to Answering a Research Question
  • Behaviour for Learning
• In addition, you will study the following mandatory modules relevant to your individual pathways:
  • Teaching and Learning Pathway: Teaching and learning in the primary phase – the core curriculum
  • Teaching and Learning Pathway: Planning, Assessing and Evaluating Learning
  • SEND pathway: Barriers to Learning – Lived Experience
  • SEND pathway: Assess, Plan, Review, Do in Practice
  • Outdoors Learning pathway: Applying the Principles of Environmental Science – Biodiversity and Interdependence of All Living Things
  • Outdoors Learning Pathway: Perspectives in Outdoor Education – Forest School and Beach School

Teaching and Assessment

• Location of teaching: The delivery of sessions will take place at SCIL’s new venue Broughton House in Taunton TA12PR.
• Teaching and learning: You are taught through a combination of interactive workshops, lectures, seminars, and practical activities.
• Contact time: On average, students will have 19 study hours per week incorporating 9 direct contact hours of teaching and 10 hours in a professional placement setting and 18 hours independent study.
• Independent self-study: In addition to the contact time, students are expected to undertake 11 hours of personal self-study per week.
• Assessment: The course provides opportunities to test understanding and learning informally through the completion of ‘formative’ assignments.

Careers

• Completion of the Foundation Degree will enable you to progress to our BA Hons in Professional Practice (BAPP) which takes one year to complete leading to the award of an honours degree.
• Our Graduates pursue exciting and diverse careers in a wide variety of employment sectors.

Fees and Funding

• Full-time tuition fees:
  • UK and EU students: £9,535 per year
  • International students: £16,700 per year
• Part-time tuition fees:
  • UK and EU students: £1,190.83 per 15-credit module, £1,587.77 per 20-credit module, £2,381.66 per 30-credit module, £3,175.55 per 40-credit module, £3,572.50 per 45-credit module and £4,763.32 per 60 credit module
  • International students: Not specified

How to Apply

• Applying through UCAS: UCAS is the central organisation through which applications are processed for entry onto full-time undergraduate courses in Higher Education in the UK.
• UCAS Code: X316, X317, X318
• Get in touch: If you have any questions, please get in touch. We're here to help you every step of the way.