Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies

Childcare is forecast to be one of the top five occupations in the UK.

Students talking to each other in a classroom

Course Overview

This course can either be studied at Wakefield College, Castleford Collge or Selby College.

This study programme is designed to give you the knowledge and skills needed to support the care and education of babies and young children in a day nursery or school.

The programme is aimed at learners who are thinking of working in childcare either in a nursery or a school or who are aiming to progress into higher education to complete an early years or primary education degree.

When studying at Level 2, you will be in college for part of the week and on placement in a nursery or primary school for one or two days each week.

The programme will help you to understand your own personal and social development, including how to behave professionally. It is very important that learners are able to manage their own behaviour and follow the college rules, as young children learn how to behave from the people around them, so we must be positive role models when working with children.

Successful completion of Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner, gives you a licence to practice in an early years setting as a nursery assistant.

What You Will Study

This study programme will cover a range of the topics and units at each level, some of which are listed below:

  • Responsibilities of the Early Years practitioner
  • Safeguarding
  • Promoting play in the Early Years
  • Supporting the Needs of Children in Preparation for School
  • Promote Positive Behaviour in Early Years Settings

Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies at Castleford College

Industry links

We have strong links with local nurseries, daycare providers and schools where some of our students complete their placement hours and gain valuable experience.

Childcare student in the classroom

Fun ways to learn

Our students are always experiencing new ways to learn so that they can apply this to their own practice. Each year we take our students to local Forest Schools where they learn the importance of learning outdoors, team building and problem solving.

Students on an outdoor camping residential

Enrichment

Our students get the opportunity to go on enrichment trips such as Yorkshire Wildlife Park and Scarborough Beach to celebrate all their hard work over the year.

Students on seaside beachresidential

Childcare & Healthcare Newsletter

Live Chat Software Click4Assistance