Overview
If you’re looking to gain full practitioner status as an early years’ educator, also known as EYE, then this Early Years Educator Level 3 diploma is the course for you.
After completion of your diploma in early years education, you’ll be fully qualified and ready to begin work as a nursery nurse, reception practitioner, private nanny, or one of many other positions which involve working closely with young children. You’ll combine studying online with a practical placement of at least 350 hours in a childcare role, as you develop your skills and help children to learn, grow, and thrive.
During the course of this approved and NCFE CACHE-accredited Early Years qualification, you’ll learn how to meet all of the physical, social, and emotional needs of children ages 0-5, whilst also gaining knowledge of how best to work with children ages 5-7. You’ll explore how to support a healthy lifestyle through nutrition and exercise, how to promote children’s speech and language skills, as well as gain other vital knowledge regarding safeguarding and health and safety legislation within an Ofsted-regulated environment.
As a qualified level 3 early years educator, you’ll be able to gain employment in roles including:
- Nursery nurse
- Children’s centre worker
- Early years educator
- Early years teacher
- Private nanny
- Childminder
- Playschool attendant
To begin your new career journey, all you need is this qualification and your English and maths level 2 qualifications. With both of these in your pocket, you’ll be included in the level 3 staff-to-child ratio in childcare settings.
Before studying Early Years level 3, you may wish to study early years level 2. After you’ve completed your level 3 studies, you may wish to progress to early years level 4 and early years level 5
What you'll learn
In this unit, you’ll look at supporting children’s development through healthy eating and exercise. You’ll study local and national initiatives aimed at keeping children fit and healthy, the importance of sleep for babies and young children, SIDS prevention, and common childhood illnesses. You’ll also explore the ways in which you can support children’s emotional wellbeing, and what you need to know about taking care of children who are unwell.
In this unit, you’ll study the legislation relating to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children. You’ll learn about different types of neglect and abuse, and how to spot them, along with the responsibilities of the practitioner and the relevant policies and procedures that must be followed. Next, you’ll explore legislation relating to equality, diversity, and inclusivity, the impact of discrimination, and the laws that have been brought in place to prevent this. Finally, you’ll learn about the importance of working with parents, colleagues, and other professionals, and how to encourage parents to take an active role in their child’s development.
In this unit, you’ll learn about the importance of supporting young children’s development through play. You’ll find out how to support emergent literacy and mathematical skills, ways in which you can support a child in their transition to school, and strategies for supporting cognitive skills. You’ll discover the ways in which you can support children with additional needs, and how you can use observation, assessment, and planning to promote and support child development. Finally, you’ll learn how to use longitudinal studies observe, assess, and plan for children’s needs.
Extra info
Awarding Body
CACHE stands for the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education, and are the leading specialist Awarding Organisation for the Care and Education Sector.
Click here to confirm it's real with OfQual.
Course Outcome
Upon graduation, you’ll attain fully-qualified status in the sector, as well as a license and the right to practice in the childcare workforce as an Early Years Educator. You’ll also be awarded a formal certificate of achievement from NCFE CACHE.
Once complete, you can progress into various job roles in the statutory within an Ofsted-regulated environment, voluntary or private sectors such as:
- Practitioner in day nurseries
- Practitioner in nursery schools
- Practitioner in reception classes in primary schools
- Pre-school worker
- Home-based child carer.
How is this course assessed or examined?
As you progress on this course, you will be continually assessed on your ability to work at Level 3. The course takes place across 23 units, with learners required to achieve a total of 61 credits. You’ll need to volunteer at a practical placement for at least 350 hours, complete a longitudinal study, and show competence in a real work environment. You’ll be assessed during observations, which should take place during your normal daily routine. Your Oxbridge tutor will mark your written assignments as well as sign off your observations.
Your performance in the workplace can be assessed by a workplace assessor who has held a supervisory role for over two years and has an Early Years qualification at Level 3 or above. Alternatively, you can choose an assessor who holds a qualification such as A1 or CAVA, alongside an Early Years qualification at Level 3 or above. Oxbridge will verify the suitability of your assessor, and offer free guidance as to how to observe and write in a format suitable for marking by your tutor. An Oxbridge assessor can also be provided for you if required, for an additional fee. Find out more about what’s required of an assessor here.
When you submit your written work, you will be required to include a bibliography using clear citations and references. You will also need to provide documentation of your work, such as an evidence record, and a log of placement hours. Your tutor will explain exactly what is needed.
Entry requirements
You don’t need any prior skills or qualifications in order to enrol on this course. However, you must be at least 16 years old, and we would suggest that you’ve worked with children before or hold a level 2 qualification in childcare.
