Child Development
Curriculum Intent
St Anthony’s Child Development students enter employment, training or higher education as employable, confident and ambitious people with the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in their related career.
“What a child can do today with assistance, she can do by herself tomorrow”
Lev Vygotsky
- St Anthony’s Child Development option choices in Key Stage 4 and 5 contributes to our overall approach to raising aspirations and developing an ethos of hard work, within the Mercy Ethos that has long underlined our school.
- Through our Child Development curriculum and through our school ethos, we aim to ensure that students recognise the importance of child development not only as future parents, but also aim to support the aspirations of all our students to ensure that they gain the understanding, skills and experience they need to make progress and succeed in learning and work.
Key Stage 4
- We follow BTEC First CPLD Level 1 or 2 Award. This means students will be graded Pass/Merit/Distinction at either Level 1 or 2, for 3 Units of work, which is equivalent to the performance points at GCSE. The aim of the qualification is to inspire students to learn about the emotional, social, physical and intellectual development of a child 0-8 years, as well as the role of the adult in their development.
- Throughout the course students will acquire transferable skills in research, evaluating, analytical and critical thinking.
- Students in Year 10 are encouraged to attend a childcare setting for their week of work experience.
Key Stage 5
- We follow Pearson BTEC National Extended Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (Early Years Educator Status )
- This Course is 1080 Guided Learning Hours and is equivalent in size to three A Levels. 21 units of which 11 are Mandatory and 3 are external.
Mandatory content (77%) and External assessment (33%)
- This qualification helps learners to develop a common core of knowledge, understanding and skills in the sector through mandatory content, and specialist knowledge through a selection of optional units and is for those with an interest in progressing to a career as an early years educator, for example as a nursery worker, childminder or nanny. It is also appropriate for those who wish to progress to higher education to specialise in a related field.
- No prior study of the sector is needed, but learners will normally have a range of achievement at Level 2 in GCSEs or equivalent qualifications. Learners will also need to achieve GCSEs in English and Maths at grade C or above to practice as an early years educator.
- Work Experience of 750 Hours is required over the 2 years of this course
Minimum of two different settings with a minimum of 100 hours in each of the following age ranges:
- From birth to one year 11 months
- From two years to four years 11 months
- Five years to seven years 11 months
Implementation
What do students cover in Key Stage 4? When do they study it?
Year 10
· 1 Patterns of Child Development
· 2 Promoting Childrens Learning through Play
Work Experience
Year 11
· 3 Early Years Principles.
· 1 Patterns of Child Development (Revision)
What do students cover in Key Stage 5? When do they study it?
Year 12
· 9 Observation, Assessment Planning
· 11 EYFS
· 13 Healthy Eating in EY.
· 3 Play and Learning
· 5 Keeping Children Safe
· 6 Childrens Physical, Development, Health and Care Needs
· 1 Patterns of Development
· 18 Working with Under 3s
Work Placement 2 days per week
Year 13
· 16 Working with Children with Additional Needs
· 7 Supporting Childrens Personal, Social and Emotional Needs.
· 21 Children’s Imaginative Play and Creativity
· 10 Reflective Practice
· 2 Development of childrens Literacy and Numeracy
· 4 Enquiries into Current Research in Early Years
Work Placement 2 days per week
Y10 Child Development Progression Model
Y11 Child Development Progression Model