Health & Wellbeing in Early Childhood with Foundation Year

Why study this course

Placements in a relevant work setting are offered at each level of study

This course is highly current in the workplace and is mapped to key national health and wellbeing agendas

If you always wanted to work with young children (0-8) but are unsure of your career pathway, then this course supports a wide range of career opportunities.

Do you want to make a difference to young children and their families’ lives? Then this is the right course for you!

Course summary

If you don’t have, or don’t think you will attain, the normal tariff points for studying at BGU, this course will enable you to study for a degree without any UCAS points. The course is delivered over four years and includes a Foundation Year, which gives you a perfect introduction to what it means to be a university student and prepares you for effective undergraduate study. In your Foundation Year, you will study eight modules, all of which are designed to equip you with the necessary academic skills and knowledge to progress successfully in your chosen subject. You will also engage in a series of bespoke subject sessions delivered by experts, designed to introduce you to your chosen subject area.

Find out more about our Foundation Year programme.

The BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood course at BGU, Lincoln supports a wide range of career opportunities if you want to work with young children.

Please note - the intended start date for this course is September 2025. Register your interest in the course using the form below.

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Key facts

Award	BA
Duration	4 years
Awarding institution	Bishop Grosseteste University
Institution code	B38

About this course

This highly current BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood programme is informed by the crucial significance of the formative years of 0-8 for health and wellbeing. It focusses on the early identification of barriers and risks to wellbeing (in its widest sense) and interventions through the development of early enabling environments for positive health and wellbeing.

This degree provides understanding of the crucial 0-8 developmental stage, individual needs and the broader sociocultural context of young children and their families. The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (2020) landmark report, prioritises three areas to be address in the UK: reducing child inequalities; prioritising public health, prevention and early intervention; and building and strengthening local and cross sector services. In support of this agenda, this degree focusses on concepts such as multi-agency working with critical, reflective and evidence-based practice.

Personal, professional and ethical values will be explored within health and social care practice with young children and their families. The BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood programme supports those who aspire to become, for example, Early Help Workers attached to Children’s Centres, Family Health Workers; maternity healthcare support workers or midwifery assistants, child mental health support workers.

This places graduates undertaking the BA (Hons) Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood in a strong position to address these agendas in supporting young children and their families in a variety of formal and informal educational and health roles and settings.

Entry requirements

Application for this course is via UCAS, although there is no formal requirement for UCAS points to access the course (normally GCSE English or equivalent is desirable). As part of your application you will have the opportunity to speak with a member of BGU Admissions staff to resolve any questions or queries you may have.

Different degree subjects may have specific entry requirements to allow you to progress from the Foundation Year. Whilst not a condition of entry onto the Foundation Year, you will need to have met these by the time you complete the first year of this four year course.

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

There is no one-size-fits-all method of teaching at BGU – we shape our methods to suit each subject and each group, combining the best aspects of traditional university teaching with innovative techniques to promote student participation and interactivity.

You will be taught in a variety of ways, from lectures, tutorials and seminars, to practical workshops, coursework and work-based placements. Small group seminars and workshops will provide you with an opportunity to review issues raised in lectures, and you will be expected to carry out independent study.

Placements are a key part of degree study within many courses at BGU. They provide an enriching learning experience for you to apply the skills and knowledge you will gain from your course and, in doing so, give valuable real-world experience to boost your career.

Academic staff

Assessment

During the Foundation Year, you will have opportunities to experience a range of formative and summative assessments. These include short-form writing, annotated bibliographies, presentations, digital technologies, reflective journals, and academic essays. All modules involve early, small, and frequent informal and formal assessments so as to be supportive and build confidence, while ensuring development of the core academic skills required for successful study throughout your degree. Assessment strategies are balanced, diverse, and inclusive, ensuring that you will experience a range of assessments to support comprehensive preparation for undergraduate study. You will also have the opportunity for self-evaluation and personal reflection on your own learning progress and development of skills.

In Health and Wellbeing with Early Childhood Studies, assessment is carried out through coursework of different types, including essays, reports, oral presentations, blogs and case studies There are no examinations.

In modules where students are assessed through coursework, the assignments are varied to provide a range of opportunities to present ideas such as portfolios, essays, reflective accounts, and artefacts for practice to support positive impact in the workplace.

Careers & Further study

BGU has a strong reputation for developing highly skilled, sought-after, employable graduates. The Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood degree offers a firm base for students hoping to enter a variety of career pathways including, but not limited to, education-related, health, mental health or voluntary sector careers.

Possible future career paths for BA (Hons) Health, Wellbeing and Early Childhood graduates may include:

Teaching;

Early Years practitioners

Maternity Support workers

Graduate entry Nursing (Pediatric)

Graduate entry Social Work

Speech and Language therapy

Graduate entry OT

Early Help Workers attached to Children’s Centres

Family Health Workers

Maternity healthcare support workers or midwifery assistants

Child mental health support workers

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.