As an early years practitioner you’ll need to demonstrate an ability to empathise, to think deeply about the work you do and develop skills of creating and maintaining meaningful relationships with colleagues, children and families. Employers are looking for graduates with different kinds of knowledge and skill, enabling them to cope more readily with the demands of the workplace today. Students regularly comment how much work-based learning helped them develop as reflective and confident practitioners.
With our work-based learning (WBL) modules we’ll ensure that you’re:
- reflective,
- able to challenge,
- confident,
- equipped with transferable skills,
- an advocate for children, families and early years services,
- able to think outside the box,
- able to communicate with children,
- someone that’s analytical and flexible.
In Year 2 we offer our students the option of two different Work Based Learning (WBL) modules, EEC566 WBL or EEC566+. There is a requirement that students complete 50 hours (EEC566 WBL) or 100 hours (EEC566 WBL+) of work experience. This is the start of the assessment task, but instead of writing an assignment, students are expected to engage in the process of reflection with the construction of a portfolio and through the use of reflective models of reflection.
EEC566 WBL gives you the opportunity to work in a number of different settings. Previous students have accessed placements in settings such as:
- Women's refuges
- Hospital activity centres
- Prison Service (Family Support)
- Arts and music projects
- Home-Start
- Children's centres
- Montessori schools
- Special Educational Needs schools
- Primary schools
- Nurseries or Pre-Schools
- Research Interns on child centred projects
EEC566 WBL+ enables you to complete additional placement hours and meet Early Years Educator standards through relevant assessed practice experience in an early years setting. This will qualify you to count towards the EYFS staff/child ratios in an early years setting. Please note that you must also have suitable level 2 literacy and numeracy qualifications.
Our choice of WBL modules help students develop as practitioners and either reaffirm or reconsider their future career options.