BA Early Years: Standard pathway

Stage 1

Stage 1 begins with the compulsory 60-credit module The early years: developing practice (E100)The early years: developing practice::This Level 1 course is appropriate for practitioners currently working with young children aged between birth and seven years in public, private, voluntary and independent settings. You’ll cover a range of themes including how children develop and learn; their personal, social and emotional development; communication and language; literacy, mathematics; and their understanding of the world. You'll learn about the early years curriculum and develop your ability to work effectively with young children, parents, colleagues and other professionals.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E100,,1, which builds your study skills as you focus on the knowledge and skills underpinning your work with young children. Topics include:

• the role of the early years practitioner
• young children’s learning and development
• the importance of early years environments
• the work of children’s services in safeguarding and promoting their health and welfare.

You’ll then study the compulsory work-based learning module Professional practice in the early years (E105)Professional practice in the early years::This work-based course develops the concept of reflective practice introduced in The early years: developing practice (E100) and explores: working with colleagues, parents and other professionals; promoting children’s play, learning and development;  and safeguarding children: promoting rights, health and wellbeing. You will develop your skills in questioning, data gathering, evaluation and reflection as you focus on and explore your professional practice and children's experiences in your early years setting.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E105,,1 (60 credits), designed to support your development as a reflective practitioner. You’ll be introduced to reflective frameworks to help you deepen your understanding in relation to three themes:

• Engaging with parents, colleagues and other professionals
• Play, learning and development
• Safeguarding children: promoting rights, health and wellbeing.

You’ll also consider how these themes relate to professional practice in your work setting. You’ll be taught how to document evidence of your developing knowledge, understanding and expertise and to improve your critical and analytical skills in preparation for study at stage 2.

Stage 2

You’ll start Stage 2 by choosing one of four optional 60-credit modules, depending on your career goals and interests. You could:

• explore the diversity and complexity of children’s lives and experiences in Equality, participation and inclusion: learning from each other (E214)Equality, participation and inclusion: learning from each other::This course is for anyone interested in issues of access for children and young people in diverse social and educational contexts. It supports you in engaging with differing perspectives on equality, participation and inclusion, and in developing your own perspectives. You will address the dimensions of disability, disaffection and learning difficulty in the context of wider diversity across the breadth of childhood and youth services. It asks what constitutes good participatory and inclusive practice. A range of video case studies from early years to late teens, with an emphasis on education and learning, illustrate the key themes and issues.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E214,,1
• examine different perspectives on practice including the complexities of working with children in Working with children, young people and families (K218)Working with children, young people and families::Would you like to learn more about work with children, young people or families? This course is about the diversity and complexity of children and young people’s (0–18) lives. Taught primarily through online activities the course examines their experience of the places and spaces in which they live – family, community and a range of health, education and care services. You'll develop an understanding of contemporary debates and key skills relating to safeguarding, health and wellbeing, development, inequalities and disability, social policy, multi-agency working, social pedagogy, youth justice, working with parents, foster care, education, and play. You will examine practice approaches and values, policy, and legal and rights frameworks in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,K218,,1
• study the personal, social, cognitive and linguistic development of in Childhood (E212)Childhood::What does it mean to be a child in today’s world? Do popular images of childhood match the reality of young people’s lives? How is childhood affected by poverty, ill-health and adversity? Do children have different rights from adults, and if so why? How are modern lifestyles and technologies changing children’s relationships and identities? What part do children play in shaping their childhood? Such questions are the starting point for this cross-disciplinary introduction to childhood and youth studies, covering the age range 0–18 and including audio-visual case studies from three contrasting parts of the world.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E212,,1.

Alternatively, you might want to improve your knowledge of the primary curriculum and how subjects are taught and learnt by choosing Subject knowledge and professional practice in primary schools (E207)Subject knowledge and professional practice in primary schools::This online work-based course is for experienced teaching assistants or classroom assistants in a primary school or a foundation stage (3–5 years) unit (preschool or nursery school). You will further develop your knowledge, skills and understanding of supporting children’s learning in mathematics, language and literacy, and science and technology by developing your own knowledge in these subjects. You will examine the curriculum in your setting, how it is planned and carried out; explore the factors that affect children’s learning; and examine the role of subject knowledge in established curriculum frameworks.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E207,,1.

You’ll follow this with a work-based learning module investigating practice in your own work setting, Extending professional practice in the early years (E210)Extending professional practice in the early years::This work-based course is for experienced early years practitioners working directly with children aged between birth and seven years, and focuses on extending your professional development. It involves an investigation of practice in your early years work setting. It will enhance your knowledge and ability to integrate theory and practice, and asks you to draw on and relate practice-based learning to your developing knowledge and understanding of theoretical perspectives.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,E210,,1 (60 credits). Key themes include researching practice and leadership, and you’ll explore:

• change and development in early years policy and practice
• practitioners’ roles in initiating and facilitating change
• practitioner research with a focus on listening to children.

Stage 3

Stage 3 comprises two 60-credit modules. The first, Working together for children (KE312)Working together for children::Working with children requires the development of the knowledge, skills, and values associated with topics including communication; transitions; relationships; health; play; participation; working with parents; early intervention; and safeguarding. All these subjects and more are taught in the context of current law and social policy, with an emphasis on the need for different agencies and practitioners to work together. Using a blend of text and online study materials, you will explore working with children aged 0–12. Studying this practice-focused course will help you to meet the professional and occupational standards required in childcare, health, social care and educational children’s services.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,KE312,,1, focuses on supporting the development of a skilled, effective, integrated and interdisciplinary workforce for children. You’ll gain:

• the knowledge and skills needed to work collaboratively, effectively and equitably
• critical understanding of the ethical, social, legal, political and practice factors and frameworks as applied to work with children
• the knowledge and skills required to improve children’s wellbeing and outcomes.

At this point you can claim the 300-credit BA Early Years if you wish.

To ‘top up’ to the BA (Hons) Early Years your final practical project-based module, Issues in research with children and young people (EK313)Issues in research with children and young people::Are you interested in researching the experiences of children and young people and learning more about their worlds? This course examines the research process through studies with young children, children and young people carried out in the fields of education, health and social care. It explores topics central to the research process such as ethics, diversity, power and the responsibilities of researchers. This is a project-based course with no exam and it will help you to develop your own research and analytical skills using audio, video and online materials.undergraduate.qualification.pathways.Q51-1,module,EK313,,1, teaches you to undertake research with children including:

• searching for and reviewing existing literature and theories
• identifying research questions and hypotheses
• selecting an appropriate research method
• collecting and analysing data
• interpreting and discussing results
• presenting and writing up findings.

The module raises questions about children’s participation in society, and how they view their own worlds and understand their own experiences. It will help you design your own research project and introduce you to the wide range of methods and research projects that others have used.

If you have already completed some successful study at higher education level at another institution you may be able to transfer credit for this study and count it towards an Open University qualification. If you wish to apply to transfer credit you must do so as soon as possible, and before you register for your chosen qualification. If you are awarded credit for study completed elsewhere, you may find that you need to study fewer OU modules to complete your qualification with us.

Visit our Credit Transfer site for more information and details of how to apply for credit transfer.