Program Overview

Early Years Graduate Practitioner Competencies

Overview

This portfolio module demonstrates your understanding of early childhood development and your ability to apply it to practice. Using your work experience and your Teesside University degree, you evidence your core competencies and observed practice in your portfolio to qualify for graduate practitioner status.

Course Details

What You Study

The content of the module is driven by the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN).

• You complete a professional portfolio, and gain support on how to evidence material that maps across to the core competencies, such as learning and teaching experiences observed and assessed by a workplace leader.
• Workshop-style seminars are held to share ideas and identify where core competencies have already been met. You discuss practical examples of what practice may look like.

How You Learn

• You are introduced to the portfolio and core competencies through an initial face-to-face workshop. You explore scenarios with other students, ensuring that robust evidence is selected, sharing ideas and examples. You can share your portfolio with a tutor in a format of your choice for feedback.
• Your work-based mentor is provided with a recorded session on the competencies and portfolio.
• You are supported by our virtual learning environment (VLE) to supplement and build on your classroom experience.

How You Are Assessed

• You receive peer and tutor feedback in seminar and tutorial sessions across the module. You also engage in professional dialogue at your workplace to combine your knowledge and practice.
• Your end of course assessment is a pass/fail portfolio project. You are assessed on your ability to evidence your practice and knowledge of the nine ECSDN core competencies. You must also:
  • demonstrate that you achieved a level 2 in English language and maths
  • show you had a suitable workplace mentor(s)
  • prove that your workplace is graded as good or better by Ofsted.

Entry Requirements

• You must:
  • have a BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (completion 2023 or 2024) or BA (Hons) Children and Early Childhood degree
  • possess a clear DBS on the updated service
  • be working in a setting with children in the 0 - 8 age range with a good or better Ofsted rating
  • be willing to arrange a placement in another setting to complete the full 0 - 8 age range
  • have a mentor in each placement who can observe your practice
  • hold a level 2 maths and English language course at grade 4 or above (by the time the portfolio is handed in).

Employability

Career Opportunities

This module aims to meet the future ready quality framework, supporting you to find graduate employment.

Work Placement

Work-based learning is an integral part of the course to support professional practice. You can have one main place of work, but you must also locate a second placement rated as good or better by Ofsted. To complete this course you need experience in the 0 - 8 age range in two or more settings.

Part-time Entry

• Fee for applicants: £772.50
• Fee waivered for graduates of 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026
• Length: 2 semesters
• Start date: January