FdA Education in Practice

Why study this course

Continue working or volunteering while pursuing your degree, providing you with valuable practical experience alongside your academic studies

National Student Survey in 2022 revealed an impressive satisfaction rate of 96.85% among students in professional studies programs, highlighting the quality and effectiveness

Opportunity to study with the support of a research-active team, ensuring you receive the latest insights and developments in this field

Clear career progression opportunities in the education sector, including TA roles, and the option to pursue top-up degree programs that enhance career prospects

Course summary

Are you passionate about making a positive impact on the lives of children and young people? Our innovative Foundation Degree programme in Child Education is tailored to individuals working in primary, secondary, and further education (FE) institutions, who are keen on advancing their careers while maintaining their current roles. This programme offers a unique blend of practical experience and on-campus learning, designed to accommodate your work or volunteer commitments.

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Key facts

Award	FdA
UCAS code	X902
Duration	2 years
Mode of study	Full-time
Start date	September
Awarding institution	Bishop Grosseteste University
Institution code	B38

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About this course

With just one weekly on-campus session, you can seamlessly continue your career journey while enhancing your skills and knowledge over a two-year period. It's important to note that this Foundation degree serves as the first two years of a full-time degree programme, providing you with a strong educational foundation.

During the first year, you will embark on a transformative journey into higher education, gaining a deep understanding of learning principles. You will also delve into the intricate relationship between practical experience and effectively meeting the diverse needs of children. This exploration will help you better define your role within the education sector, supporting your professional growth and development.

In the second year, we will guide you through the critical concepts of inclusion, equality, and diversity, equipping you with the essential tools to foster an inclusive learning environment. You will also study modules on learning and assessment, providing you with a comprehensive skillset to excel in your career. Moreover, you will have the unique opportunity to collaborate with peers from various related courses, including those involved in early childhood and youth services. This collaboration will broaden your perspectives and increase your employability, enriching your understanding of working with children and young people.

Many of our students in this programme are employed as Teaching Assistants, actively contributing to educational settings alongside qualified teachers. They play a pivotal role in facilitating formal learning opportunities for children and often take on responsibilities such as leading entire classes or providing targeted support to children with specific needs. Our Foundation Degree is frequently viewed as a stepping stone towards a teaching career, enabling you to progress within your role as a TA and explore opportunities for senior positions in the sector. Furthermore, this programme offers several top-up degree options, empowering you to pursue your long-term goals in the field of child education.

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Entry requirements

Typically, a minimum of one year’s experience in practice.
Minimum of two days a week (minimum of 12 hours per week accumulating to 360 hours per year of study in a relevant role, either as an employee or a volunteer).
Typically a Level 3 Diploma, NVQs, access to HE programmes, subject/vocational qualifications.
Written support from the head teacher/workplace manager in which the applicant works or volunteers.

Further information

Click here for important information about this course including additional costs, resources and key policies.

In accordance with University conditions, students are entitled to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning, RP(C)L, based on relevant credit at another HE institution or credit Awarded for Experiential Learning, (RP(E)L).

How you will be taught

This work-focused degree is a combination of practice-based learning and campus-based sessions which run once a week, so that you are able to continue in employment throughout the course. The degree is designed to improve and develop your personal and professional communication skills, allows you to professionalise your approach and further your personal growth.

You will work with a range of experienced academic staff and be supported through peer-led groups, directed tasks and interactive web-based resources.

Academic staff

Assessment

Typically, a variety of assessment methods are used including presentations, discussions, debates, poster presentations, essays, portfolios of work, case studies and reflections. All assessments allow you to reflect on your practice and theory as you evidence your learning, building on your personal strengths to develop clear communication skills to share your knowledge and understanding.

Careers & Further study

Graduate opportunities have enabled our students to attain managerial positions within their sector, to lead practice with their setting. The majority of students advance onto our Top Up Degrees to take their qualifications to honours degree level. Like the Foundation degree, these Top Up Degrees allow you to study and continue to work.

Many go on to further study to become teachers through our PTS/QTS routes, or go onto the BA (Hons) Education in Practice. Others take on professional roles in areas such as special educational needs, mentoring, subject support, school, family and welfare liaison roles in the wider educational community and with local authorities working with the full range of age groups and sectors.

What Our Students Say

Discover what life is like at Bishop Grosseteste University from our students.

Support

Studying at BGU is a student-centred experience. Staff and students work together in a friendly and supportive atmosphere as part of an intimate campus community. You will know every member of staff personally and feel confident approaching them for help and advice, and staff members will recognise you, not just by sight, but as an individual with unique talents and interests.

We will be there to support you, personally and academically, from induction to graduation.

Fees & Finance

A lot of student finance information is available from numerous sources, but it is sometimes confusing and contradictory. That’s why at BGU we try to give you all the information and support we can to help to throughout the process. Our Student Advice team are experts in helping you sort out the funding arrangements for your studies, offering a range of services to guide you through all aspects of student finance step by step.

Click here to find information about fees, loans and support which will help to make the whole process a little easier to understand.

Undergraduate course applicants must apply via UCAS using the relevant UCAS code. For 2024 entry, the application fee is £27, and you can make a maximum of 6 choices.
For all applicants, there are full instructions at UCAS to make it as easy as possible for you to fill in your online application, plus help text where appropriate.

Ethical considerations of doctoral methodologies Podcast

Dr Nyree Nicholson is a Programme Leader on our work-based Foundation Degree programmes. The title of her doctoral research was “Supporting children with identified speech, language and communication needs at two-years-old: voices of early years practitioners”. Nyree utilised a narrative hermeneutic methodology with conversational interviews to explore the lived experiences of fifteen early years practitioners.

Samantha Hoyes is a senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies and is currently part way through her PhD. Her focus is on working motherhood in the 21^st Century and how working mothers make sense of their identities. Applying a post-structuralist feminist approach, Sam has utilised photo elicitation interviews to explore working mothers lived experiences. Sam's sample will consist of 10-15 working mothers living in Lincolnshire with a child/ children aged 0-5 years at the time of data collection. She is currently around halfway through her initial data collection.

In this podcast, Nyree and Sam discuss the methodological approaches taken in the research process and share the ethical considerations they encountered throughout the research process.

For any more question or queries please contact Samantha.hoyes@bishopg.ac.uk and nyree-anne.nicholson@bishopg.ac.uk