UDECHSFY - BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (including foundation year)

The initial year of the four-year degree programme (including Foundation Year) is designed for students who wish to enter Higher Education and may have non-traditional qualifications, lower UCAS points or are mature students. It exemplifies the university strategies of inclusive learning, widening participation, the aims of the ESJF and of serving our community, as the majority of our students are local. It is a large programme and forms a significant percentage of recruitment for the school overall, as well as contributing to courses in GSBL. Students will explore a wide range of social science and current affairs themes, whilst also developing the academic and digital literacies that will be of benefit to them in the following three years of study. The curriculum is structured to be confidence building, varied and inclusive, and reflects the lived experiences of our cohort. They will begin to develop an identity related to their subject choice and career aspirations. In addition, they will work on becoming self-motivated, proactive students, taking responsibility for their own progress and learning. Teaching and learning is through interactive workshops, practising compassionate pedagogy, that enable students to form strong communities with each other and the teaching staff. Students will have access to varied materials on weblearn, and other learning resources and opportunities tailored to their subject. To support success, the programme runs an extensive ‘assessment care package’ that guides students at all stages through assessments. Each student will have a personal academic tutor and access to a success coach, as well as informal peer support.

The BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies(with Foundation) has been developed to meet the need for well-qualified early childhood specialists working with young children and their families across all sectors; play, care, health.

The Early Childhood Studies course philosophy is based on social critical theory. Early Childhood Studies (ECS) is an interdisciplinary and multi-professional course which specialises in early childhood as a discipline. It provides the basis for future employment in a range of roles related to the first years of life, working with babies, young children and their families, in an educational, social, health, multi-professional, international or community setting.

A key feature of the course is the wide range of subjects that act as a launch pad. A range of local and international perspectives are taken, including; children's rights, children's well-being, dialogical social pedagogical and curriculum approaches, diversity and inclusion The course is underpinned by such disciplines as education for social justice, sustainability, health, neuroscience, history, cultural studies, psychology, sociology, philosophy, politics, economics and legal studies. Students will develop an in-depth knowledge of current policy, themes and issues relating to children, childhood, and early childhood Studies and how theses impact young children’s’ lives and practice within early childhood Studies. Therefore social justice and social inclusion are the foundation for the course.

.Our School Vision has been designed to align with the University’s Vision and Strategic Plans and has involved all staff and students. The ECS course embraces the values of social justice and inclusion and celebrates diversity and differences through continued widening-participation so that students and staff feel a sense of belonging and are proud to be part of the ECS community The course is reflective, inward and outward looking, responding appropriately to the needs of students, staff, and the communities and the professions we support. The ECS course will empower students to develop their self-confidence and resilience, throughout their personal, professional and academic journey.

The course supports students’ learning and development progressively. In the first year of study students will complete an emerging identity module. In the second year, they will continue to consolidate identity until they establish their professional identity in their final year. Through this process they will become graduates who have developed wide social, political, economic and cultural perspectives of the world. The spiral curriculum approach will help to design appropriate modes assessment at each level of study.

To ensure that students are supported and achieve their goals, at the beginning of each academic year, induction is organised across all levels. During induction, students get to know each other, the Academic Mentors, Library staff and the systems of the University, as well as being introduced to their Academic/Level Tutor and the teaching team. During these induction days, students, amongst themselves and with their tutors, begin to develop trusting relationships. As a team we acknowledge students values, cultures and previous knowledge and experiences and act as a bridge between the students culture and the academic culture to empower their time at university. We actively create opportunities for all our students to develop a sense of belonging. There is also a designated module at Level 4 for academic skills, although these are also embedded across all levels in all modules. We work very closely with the Academic Mentor to ensure that our first year students build confidence and have an academic voice.

Teaching and learning strategies and methods include lectures seminars and access to course materials through the university’s virtual learning environment. Students are also encouraged to undertake enriching activities e.g. attendance at relevant exhibitions and visits to relevant sites or community resources and these enrichment activities are embedded in some modules. Debate and group discussion support cognitive skills both in the classroom and through web-based discussion and seminar groups. Reflection and discussion are key to positive learning for all students and such experiential learning promotes their growing ability to act as reflective practitioners.

The Early Childhood Studies course responds to market demand as the new modules are current and meet the needs both employers and the job market. This will enhance the graduate opportunities in a range of allied professions and agencies. Some of the modules that relate to employability are emerging, consolidating and establishing identity modules and an assessed placement module in their second year of study.

The initial year provides students with an opportunity to develop both their academic literacies and subject understanding in preparation for further study and/or their chosen career. It aims to enable students to engage critically with a variety of sources, enhance their digital skills, gain research skills and reflect on their own learning. In addition, it aims to build students’ confidence, develop an interest in and identity with their subject area and to feel part of the London Met community.

The level 4-6 degree course aims are

1. Develop students’ academic skills whilst empowering them with personal and professional skills resulting in confident graduates
2. Promote the academic study of children and early childhood in an ecological context and to enable students to develop insights and understandings relating to how children and childhood are understood from a range of academic and professional perspectives.
3. Facilitate the development of early childhood specialists who are able to explain, reflect upon and critically assess their own practice; the legislative and historical framework in which they work and to take a well-informed part in current debates, thereby acting as advocates in the field
4. Develop students’ awareness of the inequalities faced by young children and their families and to develop awareness of anti-discriminatory practice
5. Enable, empower and enthuse students to make transformational changes to their own lives and to the lives of children, families and communities
6. Enable students to recognise their strengths, capabilities and experience as professionals and learners and to take active responsibility for their own learning and to contribute to the learning of their colleagues
7. Develop the professional competence of those who work with young children and their families, meeting local and national workforce development needs, thereby improving the quality of early childhood across a range of services
8. Enhance the professional identities of early childhood practitioners, within a multi-disciplinary and wider multi-professional context.
9. Promote social justice and inclusion by working collaboratively as partners with parents/carers, communities and wider professional contexts using participative approach as equals.

By the end of level 3, students will be able to:
1. Critically engage with a broad range of social sciences, subject area and current affairs topics
2. Engage in research in a topic of their choice
3. Communicate effectively in a number of different modes, written, digital and oral
4. Engage with confidence with a variety of written and oral texts
5. Demonstrate digital literacy skills
6. Reflect on learning and feedback to develop independent learning skills
7. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals in their discipline

The following learning outcomes for levels 4-6 incorporate and depend on systematic understanding of the key aspects of the knowledge base of Early Childhood Studies, including a coherent and detailed knowledge of some specialist areas.

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
1. Deploy accurately established techniques of analysis and enquiry within Early Childhood Studies

2. Devise and sustain arguments, and/or to solve problems, using ideas and techniques, some of which are at the forefront of Early Childhood Studies

3. Describe and comment upon particular aspects of current research, or equivalent advanced scholarship, in Early Childhood Studies, recognising the uncertainty, ambiguity and limits of knowledge

4. Manage their own learning, and to make use of scholarly reviews and primary sources (for example, refereed research articles and/or original materials appropriate to Early Childhood Studies

5. Apply the methods and techniques that they have learned to review, consolidate, extend and apply their knowledge and understanding, and to initiate and carry out projects

6. Critically evaluate arguments, assumptions, abstract concepts and data (that may be incomplete), to make judgements, and to frame appropriate questions to achieve a solution - or identify a range of solutions - to a problem

7. Communicate information, ideas, problems and solutions to both specialist and non-specialist audiences

8. Exercise initiative and personal responsibility, including decision-making in complex and unpredictable contexts

9. Undertake appropriate further training of a professional or equivalent nature

10. Demonstrate confidence, resilience, ambition and creativity and will act as inclusive, collaborative and socially responsible practitioners/professionals.

Early Childhood Studies 2022

Critical theory and dialogic pedagogy are the base and foundation of our teaching, and students capital is acknowledged and built on. Therefore, social justice and the equality and social justice framework form the basis of teaching and assessment. We use a wide range of modes of assessment to ensure that there is an equality of access across the levels to support and develop students’ potential. We have specific sessions on assessment to discuss what assessment means, work in small groups to discuss learning outcomes so that all students’ have a shared understanding of what the learning outcomes are and the assessment brief. Students will be introduced to the marking criteria so that they become familiar with how assignments are marked.

We offer formative assessment opportunities throughout of the degree course with a full draft at Level 4, detailed assignment plan at Level 5 and discussion of a plan at Level 6. We hold 1:1 formative feedback sessions online or via phone, or where possible, face to face. We also run workshops after 1:1 tutorials. Students are encouraged to have 1:1 tutorial meetings following summative submission and feedback to discuss how they can achieve a better grade in future. Students are also encouraged to work with our Academic Mentor in order to fine tune their academic skills.

We work very closely with our Academic Mentor across all levels. At level the 4 Academic Mentor is involved in supporting students on how to put forward an argument using an academic voice, reading and summarizing and engaging critically in academic text. At level 5 and 6 depending on the needs of the individual students, the Academic Mentor is invited to support students’ based on the identified needs. Students can book 1:1 sessions with the academic mentor to receive more assistance or in-depth feedback. We also work with our librarian across all levels. The librarian runs a session to demonstrate and explain how to access the online resources. Students can book individual appointments to get more support if needed.

Academic skills are embedded throughout our teaching across all levels. We organize individual and small group activities such as, summarizing, discussing and critically evaluating academic texts.

At the beginning of the academic year, we plan as a team handing in dates for draft and summative assignments by taking into account workload demands on students. We also consider the types of assessments that are due first so that the pressure on students and staff is alleviated.

We offer formative assessment opportunities, full draft at Level 4, detailed assignment plan at Level 5 and discussion of a plan at Level 6. We have 1:1 formative feedback sessions online or via phone, or where possible, face to face. Prior to 1:1 tutorials, tutors will read the full draft/plan and offer written feedback. Staff will email that formative feedback is released and that the student should read this and begin to action it. Tutors will check that this has been read (where possible), and remind the students to read it and prepare specific questions prior to the tutorial meeting
Students are encouraged to have 1:1 tutorial meetings following summative submission and feedback to discuss how they can if necessary, improve their grade in future.

When marking assignments, constructive and developmental feedback is given in the text followed by feedforward to ensure students reflect and engage critically on the feedback to identify areas for improvement.

We have a rigorous and robust system in our marking process. Assignments are first marked by the tutor, second marked by another tutor. Where 20% of the assignments are sampled, including top, medium and just pass grades, and all fails, are second marked. If there are less than 20 scripts in a group,, all are second marked. We have a moderation process where the second and first marker have a dialogue, complete a moderation form and the assigned moderator from the team will decide which grade is most appropriate. Following this the External Examiner is presented with all the documentation to check the quality and standard of this process and feedback to us as appropriate. This is then followed by developing an action plan.

For the preparatory level 3 year, students should have passed A levels (or equivalent) and have at least 48 UCAS points. Mature students with significant work experience are invited to apply by demonstrating knowledge and skills developed through work. GCSE English language (or equivalent) is normally required. If a pass in GCSE in English is not held, then applicants’ English may be tested using our University test . The IELTS requirement for EU or international students is 6.0 with no skill below 5.5, or an equivalent qualification.

• English Language GCSE at grade C/grade 4 or above (or equivalent)

• Students who wish to elect for the Professional Placement SE5W00 will be required to complete an enhanced criminal record check (DBS) prior to commencing the module.

• We recommend that you have GCSE Maths at grade C or above, or an equivalent qualification such as functional skills, however this is not an essential requirement for entry to the programme. Please be aware you must hold an approved math qualification in order to gain Practitioner status.

There is a fitness to practice policy for placement related modules SE5W00 . This is detailed in the placement handbook.

At Level 3 as long as students complete all modules at the pass standard and have 120 credit they can be awarded Foundation of Higher Education

At Level 4 as long as students complete all modules at the pass standard and have 120 credit they can be awarded Certificate of Higher Education

At Level 5 as long as students complete all modules at the pass standard and have 240 credit they can be awarded Diploma of Higher Education.

At level 6 As long as students completed all modules excluding the dissertation module and have 300 credit, they can be awarded BA Early Childhood Studies

At level 6 As long as students completed all modules excluding the dissertation module and have 300 credit, they can be awarded BA Early Childhood Studies including the dissertation module and have 360 credit, they can be awarded BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies

At level 6 As long as students completed all modules excluding the dissertation module and have 300 credit, they can be awarded BA Early Childhood Studies including the dissertation and professional placement module at level 5 and have 360 credit, they can be awarded BA (Hons) in Early Childhood Studies with practitioner status

At level 3, opportunities for self-reflection and PDP are core to the course, running through all teaching and learning strands including content, class activities, informal and formal tutor and peer feedback, assessment and independent study. Independent study will provide routes to develop and explore individual and degree-related interests. Key areas will include developing personal agency over academic, disciplinary/professional and personal outcomes. Academic Students will be encouraged to develop strategies for effective learning, including identifying their own strengths and areas of development, action planning in response to formative feedback, taking responsibility for intrinsic motivation and encouraging personal reflection on academic priorities. Personal Students will reflect on their own values and interests, investigate their own identity as an individual, as part of society, and gain confidence in belonging of the academic community. Disciplinary and professional Students will start to develop a sense of identity with their subject area, feeding into their academic and professional aspirations. They will receive input from the pathway discipline, including development of digital and employment related skills. There will be integrated opportunities for link up with relevant departments within university e.g. Careers, Subject Librarians, Student Union. Reflective practice and self-reflection Students will be introduced to the processes and purposes of reflective learning, including how to write reflectively, applying relevant reflective models and approaches and understanding the purposes of reflective practice, both academically and professionally. Reflective learning/personal development as core values underpinning effective and professional educational practice are embedded in the course, from Level 4 through to Level 6.

Reflective learning/personal development is highlighted in the following processes and modules:
● Assessment tasks that explicitly ask students to reflect on their learning/learning outcomes, e.g. through the compilation of portfolios/e-portfolios;
● Formal and informal feedback sessions build into modules that enable students to advance their knowledge, understanding and practice, and tutorials that directly brief students on learning aims and outcomes;
● Opportunities for experiential learning and extended placement practice which help students develop and strengthen core competencies;
● Activities built into learning and teaching that support students to forge links between their academic and experiential learning, and their personal development;
● Partnerships with Student Services and external providers that enable students to identify and build an outward-facing professional self for career development and potential employers.

Early years leadership roles
Charities and Local, international Community projects
Further and Higher Education lecturing
Government, private and voluntary sectors

Routes to further study:
PGCE early years and Primary teaching
Social work
Play therapy

Our health, social care and early childhood studies graduates have gone onto to work as early years practioners, nursery teachers and managers, mental health officers, support workers and nurses at various employers including Kings College Hospital, the NHS and various schools and nurseries.

Continuing your studies with us

The School of Social Professions has a wide range of exciting industry-linked postgraduate courses available on a full-time and part-time basis in education, health, social and community work. We offer the following degrees that would be ideal for postgraduate progression:

• Get into teaching with one of our PGCE courses
• Youth and Community Work (with JNC Recognition) - MSc
• Early Childhood Studies - MA
• Education - MA

In addition to the University's standard entry requirements, you should have:

• at least one A level (or a minimum of 32 UCAS points from an equivalent Level 3 qualification, eg BTEC Subsidiary/ National/ BTEC Extended Diploma)
• English Language GCSE at grade C (grade 4) or above (or equivalent)
• enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check