CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) 601/2147/6

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) 601/2147/6 CACHE 2013 1

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) CACHE Copyright 2013 All rights reserved worldwide. Reproduction by approved CACHE centres is permissible for internal use. Any photographs in this publication are the exclusive property of CACHE. They are protected under copyright law and cannot be reproduced, copied or manipulated in any form. This includes the use of any image or part of an image in individual or group projects and assessment materials. All images have a signed model release. Published in Great Britain by CACHE Publication date 29 November 2013 25 November 2013 30 September 2013 Publisher Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education Apex House 81 Camp Road St Albans Hertfordshire AL1 5GB Telephone: 0845 347 2123 Registered Company No: 2887166 Registered Charity No: 1036232 CACHE 2013 2

Contents Introduction 4 Qualification Purpose 4 National College for Teaching and Leadership Entry Requirements 4 CACHE Entry Requirements 4 Availability 4 Qualification Structure 5 Placement hours 5 Proposed Assessment Strategy 6 Re-submissions 6 UCAS 6 Assessment Strategy Diagram 7 Rationale for synoptic assessment 7 Unit Overview 9 Sample Longitudinal Study 12 CACHE 2013 3

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) Introduction Welcome to our new Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator). This pack provides draft information to assist you with your planning for the next year for this crucial qualification. The information provided may be subject to change. Qualification Purpose The CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) prepares learners to become Early Years Educators, enabling them to work with children from birth to 5 years and gain knowledge of children aged 5 to 7 years. Upon achievement of this qualification it is intended that learners will be able to enter the workforce as Early Years Educators or access Higher Education (UCAS points will be applied for). In response to the Department for Education and National College for Teaching and Leadership Policy, Improving the quality and range of education and childcare from birth to 5 years, we have built a qualification to meet the Full and Relevant Criteria required for those wishing to become Early Years Educators. We have also incorporated the design criteria for the 16 19 Performance Tables and will be submitting this qualification for approval in Spring 2014. As the leading Awarding Organisation in the care sector we have surpassed the minimum requirements set out in the Full and Relevant Criteria to develop a qualification which reflects the priorities of practitioners and employers to meet the needs of young children. From September 2014 the Early Years Educator Qualifications will be the only qualifications to confer a licence to practice National College for Teaching and Leadership Entry Requirements Information about the GCSE English and Maths entry requirement is not yet available from the National College of Teaching and Leadership. CACHE Entry Requirements Learners must be at least 16 years old. CACHE does not set any other entry requirements but Centres may have their own guidelines. Availability Registrations from 1 September 2014. CACHE 2013 4

Qualification Structure In order to aid holistic delivery and assessment we have structured the units around the following four themes: Theme 1: Health and well-being Theme 2: Legislation, frameworks and professional practice Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness Theme 4: Professional development Please see the Unit Overview (pp.9 11) for details about which units are grouped under each of the themes. Learners must achieve: all 27 mandatory units GLH: 643. Placement hours Placements are required for achievement of this qualification. A minimum of 730 placement hours is required. We recommend that placements should be undertaken in at least 2 different settings to cover the following age ranges: Age range Hours 0 1 year 11 months 50 2 2 years 11 months 280 3 5 years 400 Learners who work within a setting which provides care and education for children across these three age ranges, and are able to gain the necessary hours of experience, need not seek placement outside of their setting. When working in partnership with employers, decisions relating to learners competence must be made by qualified, occupationally competent Assessors. Assessment principles are in development and we will release assessor requirements when development is complete. During placement, learners will need support from a professional within the Real Work Environment who will be required to complete professional development records. CACHE 2013 5

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) Proposed Assessment Strategy To gain this qualification the learner will need to achieve the following: Pass in all units All units in this qualification are mandatory. Units will be internally assessed. CACHE will create innovative non-mandatory tasks for all units, with the exception of Unit 3.16 (see Longitudinal Study below) Longitudinal Study (Unit 3.16) This will be a mandatory task set by CACHE. It will be internally assessed. Synoptic Assessment 1 Short Answer paper based on Themes 1: Health and well-being & Theme 2: Legislation, frameworks and professional practice. Synoptic Assessment 2 Reflective Study based on Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness Synoptic Assessment 3 Extended Essay based on Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness All synoptic assessments will be externally set and externally marked. Competence in a real work environment Full achievement of the qualification will not be possible until all components are complete. Unit certification will be available. Re-submissions Re-submission rules for this qualification are currently being reviewed. UCAS We will be applying for UCAS points for this qualification to enable learners to access Higher Education. We would hope that this qualification will attract points similar to other Level 3 CACHE qualifications. CACHE 2013 6

Assessment Strategy Diagram Rationale for synoptic assessment Synoptic assessment encourages learners to combine elements of their learning and to show their accumulated knowledge and understanding across units and/or learning outcomes. Synoptic assessment enables learners to show their ability to integrate and apply their skills, knowledge and understanding with breadth and depth. It also requires learners to demonstrate their capability to apply their knowledge and understanding across a range of units and learning outcomes for which they are being assessed. Synoptic external assessment is also required to ensure that the qualification is suitable for the 16-19 Performance Tables. There will be there THREE synoptic assessments, externally set and externally assessed. CACHE 2013 7

Unit Overview Units are listed numerically within themes. We recommend that this qualification is delivered and assessed holistically. Theme 1: Health and well-being Unit Ref Unit title Level GLH Y/505/8177 Support healthy lifestyles for children through the provision of food and nutrition 2 20 D/505/8118 Support healthy lifestyles for children through exercise 2 12 H/505/8119 Support physical care routines for children 2 14 Y/505/8120 Promote children's emotional well-being 3 21 H/505/8122 Understand how to support children who are unwell 3 19 D/505/8135 Understand the needs of the mother and baby during pre-conception, pregnancy and the first year of life 3 22 Theme 2: Legislation, frameworks and professional practice Unit Ref Unit title Level GLH K/505/8123 An introduction to the role of the early years practitioner 2 10 M/505/8124 Understand legislation relating to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children 3 21 F/505?8127 Use legislation relating to the health and safety of children 3 23 L/505/8129 Use legislation relating to equality, diversity and inclusive practice 3 25 D/505/8121 Work in partnership 3 22 CACHE 2013 9

CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness Unit Ref Unit title Level GLH T/505/8125 Understand the value of play in early years 3 20 J/505/8128 Plan, lead and review play activities which support children s learning and development in relation to current frameworks 3 20 F/505/8130 Apply theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches to play 3 40 J/505/8131 Contribute to enabling play environments 3 25 L/505/8132 Develop emergent literacy skills of children 3 33 R/505/8133 Develop emergent mathematical skills of children 3 38 Y/505/8134 Understand the needs of the child in preparing for school 3 20 H/505/8136 Understand how to plan to meet the needs of the developing child 2 9 K/505/8137 Facilitate the cognitive development of children 3 26 M/505/8138 Develop the speech, language and communication of children 3 29 T/505/8139 Promote the physical development of children 3 29 K/505/8140 Promote the personal, social and emotional development of children 3 29 M/505/8141 Support children with additional needs 3 30 J/505/8145 Use observation, assessment and planning to support the development of children 3 37 T/505/8142 Use longitudinal studies to observe, assess and plan for children s needs 3 34 CACHE 2013 10

Theme 4: Professional development Unit Ref Unit title Level GLH A/505/8143 Engage in professional development 3 15 GLH Qualification totals 643 Recommended placement hours 730 Total hours 1373 CACHE 2013 11

Sample Longitudinal Study Sample Longitudinal Study This mandatory task will assess the learner s knowledge, understanding and skills of the observation, assessment and planning cycle. Within this task there are opportunities to achieve assessment criteria from units across other themes. This will be highlighted in delivery and tutor guidance (under development) to enable holistic learning and assessment. Learners must complete two longitudinal studies of two children from two age ranges in a real work environment. The first study will require the learner to choose a minimum of three different developmental areas to observe, assess and plan for. The second study will require the learner to focus on a child s specific needs and interests. Each longitudinal study will be made up of a total of SIX observations. Throughout the studies a minimum of three different observation methods must be used. Learners will make their choices by selecting two age ranges from the following: 0 1 year 11 months 2 2 years 11 months 3 5 years. On completion of each observation an evaluation must be completed in order to plan the next steps for the child based on the assessment of the child s needs. Each plan must be implemented with the child and used to inform the next observation as part of the observation and assessment cycle. Once each longitudinal study has been completed an overall evaluation must be completed in relation to: child s developmental stage, interests and needs learner s role choice of methods current frameworks theoretical perspectives partnership working. CACHE 2013 12

Qualification summary Title Type CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) (VRQ) - 601/2147/6 (VRQ) Qualification number Aim 601/2147/6 This qualification prepares learners to become Early Years Educators, enabling them to work with children from birth to 5 years and gain knowledge of children aged 5 to 7 years. Purpose Ofqual code and description (where applicable) Guided learning hours D1. Confirm competence in an occupational role to the standards required Min 643 Max 643 Credit value 82 Minimum age of learner Age ranges covered by the qualification 16 Birth to 7 years. Vocational competency is gained with children from Birth to 5 years and knowledge only with children from 5 to 7 years.

Real work environment (RWE) requirement / recommendation Placements are required for achievement of this qualification. We recommend a minimum of 730 placement hours. Placements should be undertaken in at least 2 different settings to cover the following age ranges: 0 1 year 11 months (50 hours) 2 2 years 11 months (280 hours) 3 5 years (400 hours) Learners who work within a setting which cares for children across the age ranges need not seek placement outside of their setting if they are able to gain the necessary hours within each age range. Rules of combination In order to achieve this qualification, learners must complete: 27 mandatory units a mandatory Longitudinal Study three Synoptic Assessments. NB: Full achievement of the qualification will not be possible until all components are complete. Learners who achieve only the units will be able to claim unit certification. Progression including Job Roles (where applicable) Equivalencies / Performance Points Recommended assessment methods Additional assessment requirements Upon achievement of this qualification learners will be able to enter the workforce as an Early Years Educator or access Higher Education (UCAS points to be applied for). This qualification will be submitted to the Department for Education for approval to sit on the 16-19 performance tables. The units within this qualification (with the exception of Unit 3.16) will be internally assessed using a range of methods. These may include: direct observation within the workplace, a portfolio of evidence, written assignments or a task set by CACHE. Please see How to for the full range of recommended assessment methods. Unit 3.6 must be assessed using the mandatory assessment task provided by CACHE. Themes 1, 2 and 3 will each be assessed by a Synoptic Assessment, set by CACHE and externally marked. CACHE 2013 14

Grading system How long will it take to complete? Entry requirements / recommendations Units: Pass/Refer Qualification: A* D This qualification will usually take 2 years to complete. Learners must be at least 16 years old. CACHE does not set any other entry requirements but Centres may have their own guidelines. Information about GCSE English and Maths entry requirement is not yet available from the National College for Teaching and Leadership. The content of this qualification is currently in draft form and may be subject to change. CACHE 2013 15