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Kingston University

UCAS Code: X120 | Foundation Degree in Arts - FdA

Entry requirements

A level

D,D,D

A Levels can be combined with other Level 3 qualifications eg. AS levels/Extended Project to achieve 72 UCAS points (subject grades achieved at AS level and taken at A2 do not count). Health & Social Care subjects (i.e. Psychology, Philosophy and Ethics) are desirable, however, we will consider other subjects at this level provided the candidate has recent experience in an Early Years setting (either paid or voluntary).

Access to HE Diploma

D:3,M:18,P:24

Pass Access to HE Diploma with 60 credits: 45 at Level 3 and 15 at Level 2 equating to a minimum of 72 UCAS points. Typical level requirements indicated. Health & Social Care, Education and Early Years subjects are desirable, however, we will consider other subjects at this level provided the candidate has recent experience in an Early Years setting (either paid or voluntary).

GCSE/National 4/National 5

It is desirable, but not required for you to have a minimum of Level 2 Maths and English qualifications as defined by the Department for Education on the published Early Years Qualifications List. To count in the ratios at level 3, staff holding an Early Years Educator qualification must also have achieved a suitable level 2 qualification in English and Maths as defined by the Department for Education on the published Early Years Qualifications List. For further information please see both links below: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DM

Health & Social Care, Education and Early Years subjects are desirable, however, we will consider other subjects at this level provided the candidate has recent experience in an Early Years setting (either paid or voluntary).

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MMP

Health & Social Care, Education and Early Years subjects are desirable, however, we will consider other subjects at this level provided the candidate has recent experience in an Early Years setting (either paid or voluntary).

Please contact [email protected] for advice on your Scottish qualifications.

T Level

P

Technical Qualification in Education and Childcare or related subject and/or equivalent.

UCAS Tariff

72

We welcome a wide range of qualifications and qualification combinations. We assess each application individually, taking in to account any recent experience (either paid or voluntary) and skills you may have in your chosen field. Don't worry if you can't see your specific qualification listed, just contact our team of experts in the Education Admissions Team at [email protected].

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Attend an interview

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About this course

Course option

2years

Full-time | 2025

Subject

Early years teaching

**Reasons to choose Kingston**
- This is the perfect opportunity to achieve Early Years Educator Status.

- This course is recognised as a "full and relevant" qualification by the Department for Education, valued by employers.

- You can earn while you learn. This course combines workplace learning (a minimum of 16 hours per week) with part-time study at a local partner college (1 day a week). Once you complete the course, you’ll have 240 academic credits.

- Our commitment to high quality teaching has been recognised with a Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) Gold rating. The University has received an overall rating of Gold, as well as securing a Gold award in the framework's two new student experience and student outcomes categories.

**Those who have Early Years Educator Status from their Level 3 qualification will need to apply for the Early Years Foundation degree course instead (UCAS course code X110).**

**About this course**
If you’ve completed relevant Level 3 qualifications, such as A-levels, Access, T-levels, or BTECs, and would like to specialise in Early Years, this course is ideal for you.

This course covers a wide range of critical and contemporary issues in the field of Early Years education from birth to five, up to eight years of age. It explores the voice of the child, international perspectives, child protection, pedagogical approaches, communication theories and multi-professional practice. You’ll be supported by your critical professional associate and tutor to reflect on your pedagogy with elements of assessed practice.

**Partner locations:**
Brooklands College (Weybridge campus) (L); Morley College (formerly known as Kensington and Chelsea College) Chelsea Campus (T) or North Kensington Campus (N); Kingston College (K); LETTA Trust (8); Reach Academy Feltham (9); Richmond upon Thames College (R); South Thames College (S); West Thames College (W); Whitefield Academy Trust (X)

**Future Skills**
Embedded within every course curriculum and throughout the whole Kingston experience, Future Skills will play a role in shaping you to become a future-proof graduate, providing you with the skills most valued by employers such as problem-solving, digital competency, and adaptability.

As you progress through your degree, you'll learn to navigate, explore and apply these graduate skills, learning to demonstrate and articulate to employers how future skills give you the edge.

At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it.

**Career opportunities**
You can top-up this qualification to a full BA (Hons) degree, through one year’s study at Kingston. There are also postgraduate and continuing professional development opportunities to further enhance your career.

Modules

Example modules
-Child Development, Observation and Assessment
-Early Years Pedagogy and Practice
-Effective Communication Skills.

For a full list of modules please visit the Kingston university course webpage.

Assessment methods

Teaching includes lectures, work-based learning activities, presentations, tutorials, online learning, workshops and seminars, you will also complete a Portfolio of Assessed Practice (RPPR).

In addition you will be supported by a work-based professional advocate and tutors in your respective institutions. Progress is measured by assignments, demonstration of professional competence in work-based situations, and practical demonstrations that apply the knowledge you have gained. There are no written exams.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

England
£7,700
per year
Northern Ireland
£7,700
per year
Scotland
£7,700
per year
Wales
£7,700
per year

The Uni

Course locations:

West Thames College

Morley College - Chelsea Campus (formerly known as Kensington and Chelsea College)

LETTA Trust

Richmond Upon Thames College

Brooklands College - Weybridge Campus

Flourish Learning Trust

Morley College - North Kensington Campus (formerly known as Kensington and Chelsea College)

Reach Academy

Kingston College

Department:

Department of Education

Read full university profile

What students say

We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

65%
Early years teaching

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Teacher training

Teaching and learning

65%
Staff make the subject interesting
65%
Staff are good at explaining things
74%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
91%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

78%
Library resources
91%
IT resources
87%
Course specific equipment and facilities
61%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

98%
UK students
2%
International students
7%
Male students
93%
Female students
69%
2:1 or above
15%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
C
B

After graduation

The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Teacher training

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£25,000
high
Average annual salary
100%
med
Employed or in further education
98%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

97%
Teaching and educational professionals
3%
Childcare and related personal services

The stats above mainly cover teaching degrees for training and qualifying in primary school education. These tend to be three or four-year courses — check with course tutors about how long you will need to study to get your Qualified Teacher Status. Most graduates go into teaching roles — usually primary school teaching, so these courses have good employment rates and starting salaries. We have a shortage of teachers of all kinds, which is deepening, and whilst many of the most severe are at secondary level, the prospects for this degree are not likely to take a downturn any time soon.

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Teacher training

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£23k

£23k

£23k

£23k

£27k

£27k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

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This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here