Childcare: Technical Occupation Entry for Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Diploma (FCHD)

This qualification is designed to prepare you with the knowledge, skills and understanding to enter work in an early years setting and be included in staff to child ratios.

The qualification includes both knowledge and skills that meet the Department for Education Early Years Educator (DfE EYE) criteria in full and map to the knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs) within the Early Years Educator occupational standard in England.

The qualification requires learners to complete a mandatory work/industry placement of a minimum of 300 hours. The placement must be secured before the start of the course; for those learners working in the Early Years sector these hours will be suitable to map to the qualification.

You will study ten mandatory units:

• Introduction to the role of the early years educator
• Holistic child development
• Children with special educational needs and disabilities
• Effective communication in an early year setting
• Safeguarding and welfare requirements
• Health, wellbeing and safety
• Promoting and effective early years curriculum
• Assessment of children’s learning and development
• Understanding play for holistic development and learning
• Partnership working

These qualifications are for post-16 students who want to continue their education through applied learning.

There are no specific skills or knowledge you must have for this qualification. However, you may find it helpful if they have already achieved a Level 2 qualification in early years and care or are currently working in the sector.

There is a requirement for Level 3 early years educators (EYE) to hold GCSE or Level 2 Functional Skills Maths and English.

You will also take part in an interview prior to enrolling on the course.

Upon completion, you could progress onto the following:

• Employment
• Educator in day nurseries
• Educator in nursery schools
• Educator in reception classes in primary school
• Pre-school worker
• Studies in Higher Education