T Level Technical Qualification in Education and Early Years Vocational

What You Will Explore with the Childcare Pathway

The T Level in Education and Childcare provides an in-depth exploration of the key areas essential for a career in early years education, including both theoretical and practical knowledge. Throughout your studies, you will gain a comprehensive understanding of the following:

• Child Development (Birth to 19 Years): Learn about the stages of physical, cognitive, emotional, and social development, and understand how these influence learning and behaviour in children and young people.

• Supporting Early Years and Primary Education: Develop the skills needed to support children’s learning and development in educational settings, from nurseries to primary schools.

• Safeguarding and Child Protection: Explore how to create safe environments for children, with a focus on safeguarding practices and responding to concerns about child welfare.

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND): Understand the diverse needs of children with SEND and how to provide tailored support to promote inclusive learning.

• Curriculum Planning and Assessment: Learn how to design, plan, and evaluate educational activities that meet children’s developmental milestones and educational goals.

• Professional Roles and Responsibilities: Discover the various roles within early years education, including understanding the professional standards and responsibilities that support children’s well-being.

Core Studies in Education and Childcare

As part of your core studies, you will explore a broad range of topics that are essential to working in the childcare sector:

Core Studies:

• Element 1: The wider context – Explores factors impacting early years education, including government policies, legislation (e.g., EYFS), community, family dynamics, and the role of multi-agency working in providing quality care.
• Element 2: Supporting education – Focuses on practitioners’ role in supporting children’s learning, including strategies for behaviour, inclusive environments, and working with families to support educational progress.
• Element 3: Safeguarding, health and safety, and wellbeing – Covers safeguarding principles, health and safety regulations, promoting emotional wellbeing, and creating safe environments for optimal child development.
• Element 4: Behaviour – Focuses on managing children’s behaviour, promoting positive behaviour, setting clear expectations, and supporting social-emotional development.
• Element 5: Parents, families, and carers – Emphasizes building strong relationships with families, effective communication, and supporting children’s needs through collaboration and cultural understanding.
• Element 6: Working with others – Highlights collaboration with multi-agency teams to support child development, ensuring effective communication and sharing information for the best outcomes.
• Element 7: Child development – Focuses on the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of children from birth to eight, including milestones and the role of practitioners in supporting development.
• Element 8: Observation and assessment – Covers observation techniques and assessments used to track and plan for children’s learning, ensuring support is tailored to their needs.
• Element 9: Reflective practice – Encourages self-evaluation and continuous professional development to improve care, teaching methods, and interactions with children.
• Element 10: Equality and diversity – Focuses on promoting an inclusive environment where all children are treated fairly, supporting their diverse needs and backgrounds.
• Element 11: Special educational needs and disability – Covers strategies to support children with SEND, including early intervention, legal frameworks, and creating inclusive learning environments.
• Element 12: English as an additional language – Focuses on supporting children whose first language is not English, using strategies to promote language development and communication skills.
• Occupational Specialism: Early Years Educator
• Supporting and promoting children’s play, development, and early education – Focuses on fostering children’s learning through play, aligning activities with developmental milestones and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• Developing relationships with children to facilitate their development – Emphasizes building trust and positive communication to support children’s emotional and social growth.
• Planning, providing, and reviewing care, play, and educational opportunities – Covers planning and evaluating activities that promote children’s cognitive, emotional, and physical growth, ensuring continuous progress.
• Safeguarding and promoting the health, safety, and wellbeing of children – Focuses on safeguarding, health and safety regulations, and strategies to support children’s emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Working in partnership with colleagues, parents, carers, and other professionals – Highlights collaboration with families and other professionals to support children’s development and ensure the best outcomes.

Please note: students who take any Care course will be required to pay for a DBS (Disclosing and Barring Service) check and be required to wear a course uniform in placement.

Click here for link to Exam Board specification for T Level Education and Childcare

Through a blend of classroom learning and industry placement, you’ll build valuable skills that prepare you for direct employment or higher-level study, including:

• Planning and delivering learning activities
• Observing and assessing children’s progress
• Creating inclusive and engaging environments
• Applying child psychology and development theory
• Working collaboratively with children, parents, and professionals

You’ll complete a minimum of 750 hours of high-quality industry placement, giving you real experience and confidence in a working education setting.

As well as specialist knowledge, you’ll gain a wide range of transferable skills that will serve you in any professional setting:

• Communication and teamwork
• Initiative and problem-solving
• Organisation and time management
• Resilience and adaptability
• Ethical and reflective practice

Your training will have a real and immediate impact, supporting children’s learning, wellbeing, and development in meaningful ways.

Further and Higher Education

• Direct entry into employment as an Early Years Educator, Teaching Assistant, or Learning Support Assistant
• Progression to university to study:
  • Primary Education with QTS
  • Early Childhood Studies
  • Child Psychology
  • Social Work or Youth Work

Career Opportunities

• Early Years Practitioner
• Nursery Manager (with further training)
• Primary School Teaching Assistant
• Special Educational Needs (SEN) Support Worker
• Progression to Teacher Training (e.g., PGCE or School Direct)

T Levels are highly valued by universities, employers, and training providers. This qualification opens doors to a wide range of professional roles in education and beyond.

The Care Department at Itchen continues to see successful outcomes for our students, with 100% of our students progressing into related occupations, apprenticeship or degree courses.

The Child Care courses offer 100% pass rate year after year. There is excellent progression for all our students, with all the second years gaining employment, apprenticeship or university placements.