Children and Young People
Teaching assistants and support staff play a vital and often underappreciated role in educational settings, working alongside teachers to ensure that children and young people with diverse needs and backgrounds receive the support they need to learn and thrive. A degree in Children and Young People with a focus on the teaching assistant role gives you both the theoretical understanding of child development, learning, and educational systems, and the practical knowledge of what effective support looks like in real classroom and school environments.
At the University of Derby, this part-time programme allows you to study at a pace suited to existing professional or personal commitments. You will explore developmental psychology, theories of learning, the social and cultural contexts that shape children's lives, and the policy frameworks that govern education and child welfare. The programme is designed for those who are working in or moving towards educational support roles, and it develops your ability to reflect critically on practice, to understand the needs of individual learners, and to work effectively within school and educational teams.
The combination of academic depth and professional relevance makes this a meaningful route for people who are committed to making a difference in the lives of children and young people.
Graduates are well-placed for roles as teaching assistants, higher-level teaching assistants, learning support assistants, and specialist support staff in schools and other educational settings. Many go on to further professional development, including training to become qualified teachers through routes such as the Graduate Teacher Programme or postgraduate teacher training. Others move into related roles in early years provision, special educational needs support, youth work, or educational psychology.
The understanding of children's development and learning the degree provides is also a strong foundation for postgraduate study in education or related fields.