Early Education & Childcare
Summary: Details of Early Education & Childcare Vocational Programmes as part of the Schools Partnership with James Watt College.
What will you learn?
Inverclyde Vocational Programme is a 2-year course and
throughout S3 and S4 pupils will work towards 4
Intermediate 1 units:
- Child Development - You will study the development of
children from birth to young adulthood and look at the
factors that affect this development.
- Play in Early Education and Childcare - This unit will
enable you to understand what is involved in “play”.
Pupils will look at the different types of play and how
they affect the development of the child.
- Working in Early Education and Childcare - This unit
will develop your understanding of the practicalities
involved when working within the Early Years Care
sector.
- Pupils will then move on to complete 1 further optional
Intermediate 1 unit.
Apart from learning new skills relevant to the individual
units, pupils will also naturally work towards core skills such
as communication, numeracy, working with others, problem
solving and Information Technology – all of which are
invaluable when entering the world of work.
Where will you study?
The Early Education and Childcare Option is delivered at
the James Watt College by College Lecturers. There will
also be a Vocational Assistant with your group at all times to
ensure attendance, pupil welfare and act as a guide for those
with issues about the course.
What is the difference from school?
The main difference between traditional Standard Grade
subjects and the Inverclyde Vocational Programme is
how you will learn. The major factor is that all learning
takes place in a totally different environment to school and is
assessed in a college context.
The Early Education and Childcare Option is predominantly
classroom based and aimed at pupils who are keen to learn
about this particular sector.
How are you assessed?
This option offers a modular training programme. Each
year you will complete a variety of units in early years care,
enabling pupils to have the opportunity to gain a skills based
qualifcation directly linked to the Early Education and
Childcare Sector.
Each unit has a number of learning outcomes that you must
achieve in order for you to complete the full unit.
You will be assessed in different ways depending on the unit.
This may include observing you during practical work, some
written and theory work & tests, and by answering questions.
If you successfully complete the vocational units that make
up your course, you will receive an Intermediate 1 award for
each unit that you have passed.
In the Scottish Qualifcations Authority’s framework, an
Intermediate 1 award rates the same as a General Level
award at Standard Grade.
Overall, there is no “pass” or “fail” and you will accumulate
all the units that you successfully achieve and be certifcated
for these.
During your S4 work-experience week we would hope to
arrange a placement for you within an establishment that
links into the Early Education and Childcare Vocational
Option.
Future Opportunites
The Early Education and Childcare Option has been
developed to provide all pupils with an
understanding of the Early Education and Childcare
Sector and the ways in which the sector meets the
care, learning and development needs of children
aged 0-12.
The Early Education and Childcare Option has been
developed in order to recognise the needs of future
employers and it is hoped that the programme will
act as a springboard to further progression at college.
Employment opportunities are excellent – current
research shows that there is a shortage of
appropriately trained personnel in areas to which the
Early Education and Childcare Option is linked.
