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BA (Hons) Top-up

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Children, Schools & Families (Graduate Practitioner) (Top-up)

Attendance

Campus

Start

Book an Autumn Open Day

Duration

1 Year

Start

September 2023

UCAS Code

L591

Delivery

Campus Taught

Our Children, Schools and Families (Top-Up) course builds on your existing experience in child-based education to help you develop a career working with children, young people and the services that support them.

This course draws on subject areas including education, sociology, psychology, social policy and social work to give you a solid grounding in your career.

You’ll get the chance to complete modules in a wide range of key topics, such as children’s lives, examining the services, systems, policies and work practices that relate to children and young people in schools, with families and in care settings.

What’s more, you’ll complete a work placement as part of your degree which involves taught sessions to help you get a better understanding of how policy translates into practice, and how you can make a positive difference to people’s lives.

Why study with us

Joint
1st
in the UK for graduate prospects (on track)
Complete University Guide (Social Work)
2024
2nd
in the North West for research quality
Complete University Guide (Social Work)
2024

A great opportunity to top-up your foundation degree to get a full honours degree in Children, Schools and Families.
You’ll have the opportunity to follow the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies (ECGPC) route alongside your top-up degree.
You'll be taught by an expert team of practicing social workers, researchers, and academic staff who's expertise spans education, social work, sociology, psychology and social policy.

Interested?

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What you'll do

You’ll learn about policy developments in the organisation of children’s services, the meaning of childhood in society, and the social and educational experiences of diverse groups of children.
Real-world learning is integral to this course. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to practise the theories you’ve learnt in the classroom through work placements.
We have excellent links with a range of placement providers – including primary and secondary schools, children’s care homes, pupil referral units and family support services.

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner

From September 2022, students studying on this course will also be able to work towards attaining a professional practice award that qualifies the student as a Level 6 Graduate Practitioner with Children. The ECGPC meets the statutory requirements for practitioners working with children under 8 years old in early years settings, schools, social care, working within family support.

Students will gain Level 6 recognition through undertaking an assessed placement alongside the course, that focuses on the topics learnt throughout the degree. The Graduate Practitioner Competencies (Level 6) is recognised and endorsed in the Department for Educations career progression mapping.

Students who achieve the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner competencies will meet the nine competencies through a combination of assessed observations during their 80 days of practice, work-based tasks and academic assessment.

The Early Childhood Graduate Competencies are:

Advocating for young children’s rights and participation
Promoting holistic child development
Working directly with young children, families and colleagues to promote health, well-being, safety and nurturing care
Observing, listening and planning for young children to support their well-being, early learning, progression and transitions
Safeguarding and child protection
Inclusive practice
Partnership with parents and caregivers
Collaborating with others
Professional Development

Module overview

Course delivery

This course is taught face-to-face at one of our UK campuses.

100%Face-to-face

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of our published course information. However, our programmes are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may cause alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses. Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies or revisions to subject benchmarks statements. As well as to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.

Visit us this autumn

Discover our facilities, explore campus and talk to academic staff and students about the courses you want to study at one of our autumn Open Days.

Book an Open Day

Accreditations

The Institute is at the leading edge of management thinking and are a globally recognised professional membership body for leaders and managers. Their research into new ideas, techniques and methods ensures that ILM courses are constantly improving, helping to develop students' leadership and management skills.

Future careers

Our graduates have gone on to enjoy a wide range of successful careers working with children and young people. Many have achieved professional status in teaching, early years and social work.

This course will prepare you for a range of careers in educational settings including children’s centres, schools, nurseries, and family and community support. Many former students go on to become family support workers, learning mentors, child minders, nursery managers, youth workers, social workers and teachers.

You could also progress to further study. You may be interested in our MA Social Work and MA in Contemporary Practice with Children and Young People courses.

Many students have progressed to external teacher training courses relating to primary and secondary school teaching.

Fees and funding

2023/24

Full-time£9,250 per year

International

Full-time£14,900 per year

2024/25

Full-time£9,250 per year

International

Full-time£16,500 per year

Scholarships and bursaries

We have a wide range of bursaries, scholarships and funds available to help support you whilst studying with us.

Select your country to see eligibility information and how to apply by selecting more info on the cards below.

Select your country/region

Care Leaver Bursary
Our Care Leaver Bursary is for students who need extra support because they have been in care or are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Care Leaver Bursary
Estranged student support
Estranged Student Support Bursary is for students who need extra support because they are estranged from their parents.
Find out more about Estranged student support
Dependants Bursary
Students with financially dependent children may be eligible for our Dependants Bursary as part of our financial support package. 
Find out more about Dependants Bursary
Contextualised Admissions Bursary
We recognise that the last two years have been very challenging for young people and learning has been impacted. To help support students eligible for a contextualised offer we are offering a bursary of £250 in their first year of study.
Find out more about Contextualised Admissions Bursary

This degree will give you a mixture of theoretical knowledge and practical learning opportunities. You’ll be taught by staff who are experts in various fields, including education, social work, sociology, psychology and social policy. Their academic expertise is informed by research and practice. The timetable for this course is designed to give you the opportunity to attend classes on campus for one working day. You’ll learn through a combination of teaching, group debate and discussion, practical experience and independent research. Lectures will be supported by a range of audio-visual and online resources which will support your own independent study. The group activities, workshops and discussions will help you to share and apply information, ideas, values and experience while also enhancing your problem-solving skills. We’ll assess you through a variety of methods including essays, content analysis, portfolios, presentations, workbooks, a research proposal and a final year dissertation. We’ll support you every step of the way. When you arrive, you’ll be allocated a tutor who will support you throughout your degree and help you to get the most out of your time at University.

Children, Schools and Families course if you meet one of these requirements:

Applicants who hold a University of Central Lancashire Foundation Degree in Children, Young People and their Services will be admitted with advanced standing up to 240 credits (directly into Year 3)
Applicants who hold a Foundation Degree in a relevant discipline awarded by other higher education institutions will be considered positively
We also give consideration to non-traditional qualifications and relevant work experience. We encourage applicants to produce evidence of their potential to benefit from the course.

If you believe you may be eligible for Accreditation of Prior Certificated and/or Experiential Learning (APCL/APEL) for certain modules then we’ll take this into consideration on an individual basis.

On this course you’ll benefit from our Centre for Volunteering and Community Leadership (CVCL) which enables you to get involved in projects which make a positive difference to people’s lives. They offer a range of volunteering projects in the UK and Internationally so you’re bound to find something that inspires you.

Interested?

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This course is based in the School of Health, Social Work and Sport

For information on possible changes to course information, see our essential and important course information

You can find regulations and policies relating to student life at the University of Central Lancashire on our student contract page

Your saved courses

Children, Schools & Families (Graduate Practitioner) (Top-up)

Why study with us

What you'll do

Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner

Module overview

Course delivery

Visit us this autumn

Accreditations

Future careers

Fees and funding

Course Specific Optional Costs

Course Specific Optional Costs

Scholarships and bursaries

Care Leaver Bursary

Estranged student support

Dependants Bursary

Contextualised Admissions Bursary

Learning and assessment

Further information