Program Overview

FD (Arts) Early Years Services

Overview

Transform your passion for working with young children into a recognised qualification. This part-time program is designed for working professionals in the early years sector, our flexible part-time study allows you to balance your education with your career. You'll focus on children from conception to age eight, developing critical reflection and analytical skills essential for success in this field. Our comprehensive curriculum covers key areas including child protection, health and wellbeing, multi-agency working, and child development.

Award

FD (Arts)

Start date(s)

15 September 2025

UCAS Code

Course specifications

View course spec

Course length

Part-time (3 years)

Campus location

City of Wolverhampton College, The Bournemouth and Poole College, London Early Years Foundation, Telford College, Sandwell College

School

School of Education

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Why choose this course?

The Foundation Degree in Early Years Services is designed to help you to develop the skills, knowledge, and confidence to succeed in your studies with the University of Wolverhampton at degree level. The Foundation Degree in Early Years Services is part-time and designed for professionals currently working within early year’s workforce but who lack a qualification at degree level. The course is delivered by our partners at City of Wolverhampton College, Bournemouth and Poole College, London Early Years Foundation, Sandwell College and Telford College. As a student on this course, you will develop the skills and knowledge required to work with children from conception to eight years, their families and the services that support them.

What happens on the course?

Throughout the course there is an emphasis on developing your personal and professional attributes.

At level 4 you will have opportunities to develop your knowledge and skills of early years theory and practice.

At level 5 you will begin to develop your critical capabilities through the selection, analysis and combining of relevant perspectives and be able to justify different positions on matters relating to early childhood studies. Modules in the second year (level 5) focus on the following topics:

Course Modules

Year 1

• Child Development
  • Module: 4CF002
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core
• Introduction to LEYF Pedagogy
  • Module: 4CF014
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core
• Role of Play in Childhood
  • Module: 4CF012
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core
• Safeguarding and Multi-Agency Perspectives
  • Module: 4CF005
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core
• The Reflective Practitioner
  • Module: 4SN002
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 1
  • Type: Core

Year 2

• Becoming a Researcher
  • Module: 5ED002
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 2
  • Type: Core
• Communication, Language and Literacy in Early Childhood
  • Module: 5CF011
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 2
  • Type: Core
• Health in the Early Years
  • Module: 5CF016
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 2
  • Type: Core
• Understanding Children's Worlds
  • Module: 5CF013
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 2
  • Type: Core

Year 3

• Developing Critical Reflection and Practice
  • Module: 5CF004
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 3
  • Type: Core
• Young Lives, Parenting and Families
  • Module: 5CF017
  • Credits: 20
  • Period: 3
  • Type: Core

Potential Career Paths

Successful completion of this course could lead to Early Years Teacher Status, primary teaching, social work, health education, early year’s management, children’s information services, play services and community family support work. You have progression to the final stages of an Honours degree at the University, such as the BA (Hons) in Childhood Studies. You will also develop and consolidate a range of employability skills, including sharing information, working with and in groups, presenting information, digital literacy and critical thinking skills.

Additional Information

Everything you need to know about this course!

Why Wolverhampton?

A range of employability skills is built into this programme in order that you develop and refine attributes that will be beneficial to you in the workplace, such as sharing information with others, working in groups, literacy and oral skills, leadership, using critical thinking, and becoming a reflective practitioner.

Successful completion of this course can lead to progression onto the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies at level 6. Upon gaining your BA (Hons) you may also choose to apply for Graduate Employment Based Early Years Teacher Training with the University of Wolverhampton or undertake a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) in Primary Education. You could also choose to apply for a Master’s Degree in Social Work or Education or undertake a Post Graduate teaching Certificate in Adult Education or Post Compulsory Education.

There are also a range of potential careers opportunities:

• Early year’s management
• Early years practitioner
• Children’s information services
• Community family support worker
• Early Year’s consultant
• Health play specialist
• Learning mentor
• Play therapist
• Voluntary organisations such as NCB, NSPCC, Barnardo’s

What skills will you gain?

• You will be able to develop your knowledge of, and reflect upon, a range of early years ideas and principles and consider the way in which those principles have developed importance in relation to developing high quality early years practice to meet the needs of children and families.
• You will be able to apply ideas and principles to the expected pattern of children’s development from conception, play, pedagogical approaches, creative planning of learning opportunities, the curriculum, the learning environment, assessment and the application of those principles in an employment context
• Act as an advocate for children, families and communities including promoting children’s welfare, safety needs, rights, diversity, equity and inclusion in the UK and globally.
• Develop your knowledge of the main methods of enquiry in the early years and the ability to evaluate critically the appropriateness of different approaches to solving problems
• Become a reflective practitioner when questioning key theories, principles and issues of early year’s policy and to propose solutions
• Develop your written and oral communication skills so you can communicate clearly for a range of purposes including the ability to reflect on your own value systems.
• Become digitally literate
• Develop employability qualities and transferable skills in terms of personal responsibility and decision-making to be able to assume significant responsibility within organisations.

Course Fees and Finance

Location | Mode | Fee | Year ---|---|---|--- Home | Part-time | £4110 per year# | Home | Part-time | £4237 per year# |

The University is committed to a transparent fee structure, with no hidden costs, to help you make an informed decision. This includes information on what is included in the fee and how fees are calculated and reviewed

Undergraduate part-time fees for 50% rate of study

Entry Requirements

• You must hold a Level 3 Childcare related qualification, for example, NVQ Level 3 Diploma, NNEB, CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education, BTEC L3 National Diploma in Childcare and Education.
• You must be able to provide a satisfactory employer reference evidencing that you have been employed or have experience for a minimum of one year working with children and families, or in a long term voluntary placement. Please see for guidance).
• You must be able to supply the College you will be attending with an up to date Enhanced DBS Police Check.

Funding

• Tuition Fees Loan(Home Fee Status):
  • Most students will be able to apply for a loans to pay for these subject to eligibility. To find out more information please refer to the government Student Finance website.
• Changes for EU students:
  • The UK government has confirmed that EU students starting courses from 1 August 2021 will normally be classified as having Overseas Fee status. More information about the change is available at UKCISA:
• EU citizens living in the UK with 'settled' status, and Irish nationals living in the UK or Ireland, will still be classified as Home students, providing they meet the usual residency requirements, for more information about EU Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• Self-funding:
  • If you don’t want to take out a loan to pay your fees or if you aren’t eligible to receive a loan, you might want to take advantage of the University’s scheme to pay by instalments: See How to pay.
• Your employer, embassy or organisation can pay for your Tuition fees:
  • If your employer, embassy or organisation agrees to pay all or part of your tuition fees; the University will refer to them as your sponsor and will invoice them for the appropriate amount.
• Financial Hardship:
  • Students can apply to the Dennis Turner Opportunity Fund. for help with course related costs however this cannot be used for fees or to cover general living costs.
• Bursaries and Scholarships:
  • In addition the University also offers a range of Bursaries and Scholarships packages
  • You can find more information on the University’s Funding, cost, fee and support pages.