Early Years Care and Education (Top Up)

UCAS code: X305

Here's what East Sussex College says about its Early Years Care and Education (Top Up) course.

This course has been designed to allow practitioners who have completed a Foundation Degree , Advanced Apprenticeship or HND in an Early Years subject including Care and Education, Childhood Studies or Early Years Educator to continue with their studies. You will be expected to work or volunteer substantially within a nursery, reception class or special needs school where the Early Years Foundation stage is the curriculum.

What previous qualifications or experience do I need? Minimum of 240 UCAS points from a Foundation Degree related subject , Advanced Apprenticeship or HND in an Early Years subject including Care and Education, Childhood Studies or Early Years Educator; if English is not your first language, an IELTS score of 6.5 with a 6 in writing; proof of qualifications; a satisfactory reference.

What qualification will I achieve? You will achieve a Bachelor of Arts (B.A) Top Up qualification validated by the University of East Anglia.

What can I do after completing this course? Students have continued with their studies or moved into professions in a huge variety of sectors. Many have moved into leadership roles in the work settings, as supervisors, room leads or managers. Others have progressed onto Masters level courses in such diverse topics as Occupational therapy, Social work or Psychology. Some have moved onto a Higher Apprenticeship for Primary Teaching others have taken the teaching route into Further Education following a Post Graduate Certificate of Education.

In 2024 we were awarded an exceptional 94% National Student Survey (NSS) rating. Every university in the UK takes part in the NSS, as do many colleges. This survey gathers students’ opinions on the quality of their courses which helps to inform prospective students’ choices and provide data that supports universities and colleges to improve the student experience. East Sussex College University Courses is very proud of our extremely high score. The NSS is managed by the OfS on behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies.

You will complete 4 modules which have been designed to allow you to choose your own focus of interest or professional demands. Leading Practice in the Early Years - reviewing leadership skills and practices which contribute to you leading a team. Leading Curriculum and Assessment in the Early Years- examining an aspect of your work setting and identifying an area which requires improvement; This module allows you to plan an action research project where you have the opportunity to explore business planning skills. Research project relating to Early Years- you will choose a research topic of personal and professional interest and carry out a small scale primary research project. International perspectives- this modules allows you to explore child care and education on a global scale and identify positive aspects to introduce to your own setting.

There are no exams. But there are a variety of means of assessment used over the year including a formal research report, a presentation, a portfolio of evidence and a project proposal.