the distance learning experts

Transcription

1 the distance learning experts

2 Find your way around Welcome to NEC Page 5 Childcare qualifications and careers Page 3 Why get a qualification? Page 4 Fees and help with costs Page 4 What our students say Page 4 Childcare courses in: Pages 6 9 Childminding Pre-school Practice Children s Care, Learning and Playwork Family Learning Professional Business Skills for a Successful Childcare Business Useful addresses Back cover 2

3 Childcare qualifications and careers Careers Qualifications Level See for more information about qualifications NVQ Children s Care, Learning and Continuing Professional 4 equivalent to a Certificate of Higher Education Pre-School or Play Group Leader Diploma in Playwork Diploma in Pre-School Practice Continuing Professional 3 Childminder NVQ in Playwork NVQ Children s Care, Learning and Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and Diploma in Home-based Childcare equivalent to A level Supervised Playworker Pre-school Assistant Certificate in Playwork Certificate in Pre-School Practice Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and NVQ Children s Care, Learning and 2 equivalent to a GCSE grade A* to C Nursery Assistant indicates courses not offered by NEC. indicates courses offered by NEC via distance learning. 3! NEC also offers a range of management courses leading to nationally recognised qualifications (from level 2 to Level 5). To find out more please visit

4 Why get a qualification? What our students say A qualification in childcare can open many doors for you. You can start a new career as a childminder, looking after children in your own home, or gain the skills to allow you to work in a pre-school or nursery. If you already work with children, it can help you progress in your career. There are opportunities to move from one area of childcare to another, or to developing specialist knowledge in a particular area. The diagram opposite shows how the childcare qualifications fit together and some possible career choices. NEC offers level 2 and level 3 qualifications; a level three qualification, such as the Diploma in Pre-school Practice, will give you the skills to work in an independent or supervisory role in childcare. All NEC courses are taught via distance learning, which means you can study in the comfort of your home when you have the time the perfect way to manage your studies according to your lifestyle. Because of the difference in legislation and standards, students wishing to study NEC s childcare courses in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland should contact our Customer Relations team on before enrolling. NVQ or VRQ? All the childcare qualifications available from NEC are Vocationally Related Qualifications (VRQs), although the qualifications grid shows a number of progression routes linked to NVQs (National Vocational Qualifications). The levels of VRQs and NVQs are equivalent someone with a level 2 VRQ will have a comparable level of knowledge to someone with a level 2 NVQ. The difference between the two types of qualification is the method of assessment: VRQs are assessed on the knowledge gained through a course of study, while an NVQ gives accreditation for the level of competence an individual shows in the workplace. Some courses can help you to build up the knowledge and skills you will need to demonstrate for a related NVQ. Age restrictions Although you can study many of our courses from the age of 16, this does not necessarily mean that you can work with children at this age. In most cases, you will be able to work with children as an assistant from 16, but you need to be 18 or over to work in an independent or supervisory role. For more information, you should contact Ofsted or your local authority. Fees and help with costs The fees for each NEC course are listed in the pack you received. You can also find them on our website Some of the course fees do not include the CACHE registration fee so you will need to budget for these separately. See the individual course descriptions for details of when the registration fee is or isn t included. You may be able to get help with the cost of your course, and other useful information, from your local authority or Early Years Childcare Partnership (EYDCP). Visit or ring to find your local office. Thousands of students have gained childcare qualifications with NEC. For some, distance learning is the only way to gain a qualification; others simply prefer the flexibility of the courses. I did lots of training with my old job but that was always during my working hours. I ve found doing the course by distance learning has made it so much easier to fit in because you don't have to put aside such large blocks of time. You can do your study little and often. Stephanie McKenzie Introduction to Childcare Practice (Home-based) I chose to study by distance learning because I am a mum of two young children and don t have the available hours to spend at a college where you have lessons during the day Distance learning fitted into my life and work the online forums are great to use and make friends in. I also had a tutor on-hand to call if I needed help. Ellissa O Shea Diploma in Pre-school Practice I would encourage anybody who wants to work with children in a playwork setting to take this course. It gives you credibility and a professional way forward. NEC have been very helpful throughout and I would recommend them to anybody who is considering studying the Certificate in Playwork by distance learning. Chris Andrew Certificate in Playwork I found that on college courses the other students were considerably younger than me and didn t always want to take the studying seriously. As I am a single parent I am much preferring the correspondence course because I am happy to work without supervision, and can also fit in my study with the needs of my son. Michaela Lowe Diploma in Pre-school Practice I enjoyed the course very much. It has been a good few years since I have studied and it was good to get my brain back into gear and realise my potential. The activities were very useful because they have reinforced what I read during the module units, and of course, it s good to put what one learns into practice. Bev Baines Diploma in Pre-school Practice 4

5 Do you want to gain a childcare qualification? Are you put off by the thought of having to go to college? Perhaps you have your own family to keep you busy or the local college is just too difficult to get to? If so, a distance learning course with NEC could be the perfect solution for you. Welcome to NEC the home study experts in childcare Studying with NEC via distance learning NEC home study courses result in exactly the same qualifications as college courses it s just the way of learning that s different. The courses are designed to let you work in your own time and at your own pace. You re not tied to attending classes or working to anyone else s schedule. We suggest the number of hours of study time needed to complete the course to help you plan your studies. We will support you all the way; you receive two years tuition with all of our courses. When you enrol, you will: receive a student handbook, a course guide to help you plan your time as well as specially designed course materials be assigned a subject specialist tutor, who will mark your assignments and give you feedback on your progress be assigned an NEC course co-ordinator who can answer queries regarding, for example, exams and externally assessed assignments be allowed access to NEC s Online Study Centre (OSCr), a growing online community enabling learners to interact with each other and take part in online discussions relating to their studies. As a member of the Online Study Centre, you will receive: automatic updates to course materials news items and reminders about your course and exams downloads containing useful course and exam information, study tips and help topics FAQs to help you with queries about your course, exams and administration. 5

6 Courses Childminding (home-based setting) All childminders working with children under 8 years old are required by law to be registered and to undertake basic training. NEC s new courses for the Diploma in Home-based Childcare have been developed in partnership with NCMA and lead to a nationally recognised Level 3 qualification with CACHE that allows you to work unsupervised in a range of homebased settings. The units covered are: Unit 1: Introduction to Childcare Practice (home-based) Unit 2: Childcare and child development (0 16) in the home-based setting Unit 3: The childcare practitioner in the home-based setting Unit 4: Working in partnership with parents in the home-based setting Unit 5: Planning to meet the children s individual learning needs in the home-based setting. You need to complete Unit 1 first, but Units 2 5 can be completed in any order (we strongly recommend Unit 3, 4, 2 then 5). A certificate can be requested after each unit, and if you successfully complete all five units you will gain the full Diploma in Homebased Childcare. Although the Diploma in Home-based Childcare course is principally designed for childminders, it will also be useful for others working with children in a domestic setting, such as nannies. However, you have the option to only study Unit 1, Introduction to Childcare Practice (home-based). Introduction to Childcare Practice (home-based) Course code: DS31 Childminders working in their own homes, nannies working in their employer s homes. Introduction to Childcare Practice award. The first Unit of the CACHE Diploma in Home-based Childcare. You should have an interest in and ideally some experience of childcare. There are four assignments set by NEC, plus a multiple choice test assessed by CACHE. When you are ready to sit the multiple choice test NEC will help you find a test centre and this may take a few months to arrange. There is likely to be a centre administration charge. You should also be prepared to travel to a test centre. You will need to spend between hours of study time to complete the course, plus extra time for completion of assignments. Registration fee The CACHE registration fee is included in the NEC course fee. Diploma in Home-based Childcare Course codes: Level 3 Unit 2 DB31 Unit 3 DR31 Unit 4 DT31 Unit 5 DU31 Childminders working in their own homes, nannies working in their employer s homes. Individual certificates for each of the units completed. If you complete all five units you will qualify for the CACHE Diploma in Home-based Childcare, a Level 3 qualification. You must be over 16 and working with other people s children in a home-based setting. There are two NEC-set assignments and one assignment assessed by CACHE for each of the five units. You will need to spend approximately 30 hours study time per Unit on Units 2-5 and 20 hours on Unit 1, if you have not already completed this, plus additional time to complete assignments. Registration fee The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. 6 To find out more about childcare courses, or to enrol, visit

7 Pre-school practice NEC s pre-school practice courses were developed with the Pre-school Learning Alliance. The courses help learners to develop the skills and knowledge needed to work with children in a pre-school. They cover children s development and planning activities as well as the practical side of working in or running a pre-school setting. The Certificate in Pre-school Practice covers three core units and one option unit of your choosing. You can take the complete course, or you can get certification for each individual unit. The Diploma in Pre-school Practice covers three core units and one option unit of your choosing. You can take the complete course, or you can get certification for each individual unit. I am taking over as co-leader with another member of staff of the pre-school where I did my placement! Without the DPP qualification I would not have been considered for the job. Penny Beeson Diploma in Pre-school practice! If you enrol on either the Certificate or Diploma in Pre-school Practice, you must register with CACHE as soon as you receive your course materials. Certificate in Pre-school Practice Course code DB25 Level 2 Anyone working as an assistant in a pre-school, playgroup or nursery. CACHE Certificate in Pre-school Practice, a Level 2 qualification. You must be 16 years old or over. You will need to spend at least six hours per week working (or as a volunteer) in a pre-school setting and have contact with children and families in the setting for the duration of the course, in order to complete the assessments. You will need to give details of the setting when you enrol. There are five tutor-marked assignments and four CACHE assignments. Three of these are marked by your tutor and one is marked externally by CACHE. Most learners take around 180 hours to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments and for work experience. The PLA and CACHE registration fees are not included in the course fee. Units covered Core unit 1: Supporting play and learning in the pre-school setting Core unit 2: Understanding and supporting development Core unit 3: Providing a safe, secure and stimulating environment in a community pre-school setting Option unit 1: Supporting children with disabilities and/or special educational needs and their families Option unit 2: Participating in effective teams Diploma in Pre-school Practice Course code CS01 Level 3 Anyone working in a pre-school or similar setting, who wants to move into a supervisory role. CACHE Diploma in Pre-school Practice, a Level 3 qualification. You must be 16 years old or over. You will need to spend at least eight hours per week working with children in an appropriate setting for the duration of the course, to complete the assessments. There are five tutor-marked assignments and four CACHE assignments. Three of these are marked by your tutor and one is marked externally by CACHE. Most learners take around 240 hours to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments and for work experience. The PLA and CACHE registration fees are not included in the course fee. Units covered Core unit 1: Understanding and promoting the development of preschool children Core unit 2: Providing learning communities for pre-school children and their families Core unit 3: Making the pre-school setting a supportive and safe environment Option unit 1: Supporting parents with literacy, numeracy and language needs Option unit 2: Working with children with disabiliites and special educational needs and their families Option unit 3: Working in a parentmanaged setting -childcare.co.uk, info@nec.ac.uk or call

8 Courses continued Children s Care, Learning and The Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and Level 2 develops the knowledge, understanding and skills needed to work with children and young people in a variety of settings within a supervised role. It is suitable for Modern Apprentices and also provides underpinning knowledge for the S/NVQ. The Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and Level 3 qualification is acceptable for unsupervised work. Playwork The Certificate in Playwork is suitable for a range of people working with children aged between five and fifteen. The Diploma in Playwork was developed with 4Children and it consists of the CACHE Level 3 Award in Playwork (Unit 1), the CACHE Level 3 Certificate in Playwork (Units 1 5) and CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Playwork (Units 1 6). The Diploma in Playwork will be available from Summer Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and Course code DS28 Level 2 People working, or wanting to work, in settings or services whose main purpose is children s care, learning and development. Does it lead to a qualification? CACHE Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and, a Level 2 qualification. You must be aged 16 or over. There are eight tutor-marked assignments, three CACHEassessed assignments and a multiple choice test. When you are ready to sit the multiple choice test NEC will help you find a test centre. This may take a few months to arrange. There is likely to be a centre administration charge. You should be prepared to travel to a test centre. You will need approximately 210 hours of study time to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments. The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and Course code DA28 Level 3 People working, or wanting to work, in settings or services whose main purpose is children s care, learning and development. Does it lead to a qualification? CACHE Certificate in Children s Care, Learning and, a Level 3 qualification. You must be aged 16 or over. There are ten tutor-marked assignments, four CACHEassessed assignments and a multiple choice test. When you are ready to sit the multiple choice test NEC will help you find a test centre. This may take a few months to arrange. There is likely to be a centre administration charge. You should be prepared to travel to a test centre. You will need approximately 300 hours of study time to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments. The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. Certificate in Playwork Course code DB17 Level 2 Individuals working under supervision with school age children in a playwork setting, such as an after school club or holiday playscheme. Does it lead to a qualification? CACHE Certificate in Playwork You must be at least 16 years old and be working in a playwork setting. Please give details of your out-of-school setting when you enrol. There are six assignments plus one tutor-marked CACHEmoderated and one CACHEassessed assignment. You will need approximately 60 hours of study time to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments. The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. Diploma in Playwork Course code DB34 Level 3 Individuals working in play settings. The Award (Unit 1) will allow you to work as a supervisor in summer play schemes whilst you undertake the full qualification. The Certificate (Units 1 5) will allow you to work as an assistant leader or new supervisor in all play settings. The Diploma (Units 1 6) will be recognised by the inspecting authority as an appropriate qualification. Unit 1 CACHE level 3 Award in Playwork. Units 1 5 CACHE Level 3 Certificate in Playwork and units 1 6 CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Playwork. You must be at least 16 years old and have a level 2 related qualification, GCSE Grade C level of education and 50 hours of recent playwork experience. There are 10 tutor-marked assignments plus 5 CACHEassessed assignments and one multiple choice test. When you are ready to sit the multiple choice test NEC will help you find a test centre. This may take a few months to arrange. There is likely to be a centre administration charge. You should be prepared to travel to a test centre. You will need approximately 360 hours of study time to complete the course, plus additional time for completing assignments. The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. 8 To find out more about childcare courses, or to enrol, visit

9 Family Learning This course was developed with the PLA and is based on the Diploma in Pre-School Practice DPP Option Unit 1 Supporting parents with literacy, numeracy and language needs. Family Learning Course code DA32 Level 3 It is for Level 3 employees in childcare settings who have a role or planning to have a role in family learning. You can get certification for the DPP Option Unit 1 Supporting parents with literacy, numeracy and language needs. You must be 16 years old or over. There are three tutor-marked assignments plus the CACHE-assessed assessment if you want to get certification for this unit. You will need approximately 30 hours of study time to complete this course, plus additional time for completing assignments. The PLA and CACHE registration fees are not included in the course fee. Professional development These courses help experienced early years workers increase their skills and get accreditation for previous work experience. Continuing Professional Course codes below Level 3 Core Unit: Individual Professional CA26 Option Unit: Protecting Children CC26 Option Unit: Moving into out-of-school Provision CB26 Option Unit: Working with children and young people with special Needs CD26 To gain the full award you need to successfully complete the assignment for Core unit 1 and two option units. You can choose two of the option units from the three listed above. Childcare workers who want to develop and extend their specialist knowledge. Each unit leads to a CACHE unit certificate. If you complete the core plus two option units you will gain the CACHE Certificate of Professional in Working with Children and Young People, a Level 3 qualification. You will need at least two years relevant work experience, and preferably a level three early years qualification. You will need to be working in an early years setting to complete the course. Each unit has four assignments three are marked by NEC, and one is marked by CACHE. Most learners will complete a unit in around 60 hours, plus additional time for completing assignments. The CACHE registration fee is included in the course fee. Business Skills for a successful childcare business This course covers the knowledge and skills required to run a successful playgroup, nursery or childminding service. Business Skills for Care and Early Years Course code HS26 Managers and owners of playgroups, nurseries, childminding services and out of school clubs as well as managers of care homes. You will gain an NEC course completion certificate. You should be in a position of responsibility in an early years or childcare situation. There are three assignments. How long will it take? Most people take around 60 hours to complete the course, with additional time to complete the assignments. There are no registration fees for this course. New course coming Summer 07: Nutrition Awareness Visit to find out more -childcare.co.uk, info@nec.ac.uk or call

10 Useful addresses CACHE Council for Awards in Children s Care and Education Beaufort House Grosvenor Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 3AW Tel: info@cache.org.uk The National Childminding Association Royal Court 81 Tweedy Road Bromley Kent BR1 1TG Tel: info@ncma.org.uk Pre-school Learning Alliance The Fitzpatrick Building 188 York Way London N7 9AD Tel: information@pre-school.org.uk SureStart see website for details of local groups and initiatives Tel: info.surestart@dfes.gsi.gov.uk 4Children City Reach 5 Greenwich View Place London E14 9NN Tel: info@4children.org.uk CCEA Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment 29 Clarendon Road Clarendon Dock Belfast BT1 3BG Tel: info@ccea.org.uk British Learning Association Suite 12, Pixmore Centre Pixmore Avenue Letchworth Garden City Hertfordshire SG6 1JG Tel: info@british-learning.com DELLS Welsh Assembly Government s Department for Education Lifelong Welsh Assembly Government Cathays Park Cardiff CF10 3NQ Tel: Ofsted Royal Exchange Buildings St Ann s Square Manchester M2 7LA Tel: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk ODLQC Open and Distance Learning Quality Council 16 Park Crescent London W1B 1AH Tel: info@odlqc.org.uk QCA Qualifications and Curriculum Authority Customer Relations 83 Piccadilly London W1J 8QA Tel: info@qca.org.uk SQA Scottish Qualifications Authority The Optima Building 58 Robertson Street Glasgow G2 8DQ Tel: customer@sqa.org.uk The Michael Young Centre Purbeck Road Cambridge, CB2 8HN United Kingdom Switchboard: +44 (0) Fax: +44 (0) info@nec.ac.uk Registered charity The National Extension College was set up as a charity to help people of all ages fit learning into their lives, and has proved that a second chance at education can be a first class experience. We provide home study courses for individual learners, training programmes for public and private sector businesses, and open learning resources for organisations delivering training. Registered as: National Extension College Trust Ltd. A non-profit making company, limited by Guarantee. Registered in England No Registered office: The Michael Young Centre, Purbeck Road, Cambridge CB2 8HN. VAT No. VAT GB Charity No Established 1963 Membership of trade and professional associations: please visit (under Quality Assurance) Information correct at time of printing, March