Early Years Care and Education
Early years care and education is concerned with the development, learning, and wellbeing of children from birth to around five years of age, a period that developmental research consistently identifies as among the most significant in the entire lifecycle for cognitive, social, and emotional formation. The Foundation Degree in this area is a professional qualification designed for those who already work with young children in educational settings and who wish to develop their knowledge and capability to university level without leaving employment.
This two-year, full-time Foundation Degree at the University of Portsmouth requires that applicants already hold a relevant Level 3 qualification, such as an early years NVQ, and are working in an early years setting. The programme builds on existing professional experience, developing your theoretical understanding of child development, curriculum and pedagogy in the early years, inclusive practice, the EYFS framework, leadership within settings, and the research evidence that underpins effective early years provision. A year abroad is included in the programme, which gives you the opportunity to engage with early years education in a different national context and to draw comparative insights that enrich your professional practice.
Graduates of this Foundation Degree gain a professional qualification that opens progression routes to full degree study and to enhanced professional roles within early years settings. Qualified practitioners are in demand as managers, room leaders, SENCO coordinators, and specialist practitioners in nurseries, pre-schools, children's centres, and primary school early years provision. The qualification is also a step toward Early Years Teacher Status or other professional pathways for those who wish to develop leadership roles in the field.
Further study toward a full honours degree in early years education or a related field is a natural extension for graduates who wish to continue their academic development.