Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) NCFE CACHE Level 3 (RQF)
This CACHE Level 3 childcare course is the best qualification to prepare learners for a career as early years educators. This means that once you achieve your diploma, you will be ready to work with children aged 5 and below and will have developed an understanding of children up to 7 years old.
Awarded by the UK specialist organisation for children and adult care, this RQF qualification (QRN: 601/2629/2) has been approved by the National College for Teaching and Leadership. This distance learning course for Level 3 Early Years Educator is the leading qualification for anyone looking to work as a childminder, nursery practitioner or pre-school childcarer.
The course was designed to suit any level of experience and qualification. This means you can qualify as an early years educator with only English & maths GCSE at grade C (or above).
If you require help to achieve the necessary grades for your GCSEs, you can enrol on one of our Functional Skills courses and study alongside your qualification.
Who should study this course?
This course is aimed at anyone interested in working with young children. Whether you want to retrain or earn money while you start a family, this type of work suits anyone that needs to fit their working schedule around small children.
Please note that from September 2014, anyone seeking work as a fully qualified early years practitioner will be required to complete this Early Years Educator course.
While previous qualifications are not required to enrol on this course, GCSE English and maths at grade C or above are necessary to be able to qualify for this Level 3 diploma.
Am I required to do a placement?
In order to achieve your NCFE CACHE Level 3 childcare qualification, you will be required to do a minimum of 350 hours in a suitable placement.
For you to get the most out of your placement, we strongly advise that you get experience in 1 or 2 work settings, to ensure it covers the following age ranges:
| Age range |
Hours |
| 0 – 1 year 11 months (working with babies) |
25 |
| 2 – 2 years 11 months (working with toddlers) |
133 |
| 3 – 5 years (working with pre-school children) |
192 |
As practical evidence is required for all age groups in all units, we recommend that you complete the hours for all age groups throughout the duration of your course. This will ensure you are able to meet the practical evidence requirements to pass the qualification.
If you already have a placement in a setting that provides care and education for multiple age groups, such as a nursery (for ages 0 to 5), then you can cover your work experience within a single setting.
What happens after the course?
At the end of your course, you will have the in-depth knowledge and practical skills to be able to care for young children, as a nursery nurse, a pre-school practitioner or a home-based childcarer.
If you want to continue studying, you can gain Early Years Professional Status by taking a degree with a higher education institution.
After you earn this qualified status, you will be able to work with young children in different settings, be it within private, public or voluntary capacities.
You can even stay at home, look after your own children and others, and earn money as a self-employed childminder.
Studying and qualifying with our distance learning courses is all about giving you the right options to choose from for your future career. Some of the possible jobs you could have following this Level 3 childcare course are:
- Nursery nurse
- Early years practitioner
- Nursery teacher
Qualification: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (RQF)
On completion of this course you will receive the NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (RQF) qualification. This qualification is listed on the RQF(Qualification Number: 601/2629/2).
NCFE CACHE is the UK's only specialist awarding organisation for the children and adult care sectors. NCFE CACHE continue to develop the most up to date and relevant qualifications for the new RQF and work closely with Sector Skills Councils to ensure the highest level of quality and a cutting-edge service to their customers, our learners, and the sector.
Requirements for Entry
Please note: For this qualification you must be working, or have a placement, in England.
As detailed in the course description you need to have a placement(s) of 350 hours in a suitable child care setting. This can be full or part time, paid or unpaid.
GCSE English and Maths at grade C or above are required before your Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce qualification can be counted in any employer’s setting ratio numbers at level 3.
Please note: We do offer GCSE courses that you can study alongside your qualification if you have not yet achieved the required grades: GCSE Maths, GCSE English.
Professional Membership
On completion of this course you will be eligible to join the following Professional Associations(s):
Stonebridge is a NCFE CACHE registered Centre
NCFE CACHE is the UK's longest established awarding body, recognised as a highly professional and responsive organisation, committed to maintaining excellent customer service and a friendly approach.
NCFE CACHE is one of the UK’s fastest growing national awarding bodies, designing and awarding qualifications that are nationally recognised to meet the needs of learners and employers.
Accreditation by NCFE CACHE is a guarantee of quality. It means that the college has been inspected and approved by an independent and experienced education professional and is quality audited biannually by NCFE CACHE. The centre delivering the programmes has been licensed by NCFE CACHE on the basis of its own quality systems. At the end of an accredited course, successful learners will also receive an NCFE CACHE Award certificate of achievement.
NCFE CACHE provide a wide range of qualifications accredited by Ofqual at different levels and in a variety of subject areas. NCFE CACHE also offer NVQs, Key Skills, Basic Skills and Entry Level qualifications.
Accreditation by NCFE CACHE is a guarantee of quality. It means that the college has been inspected and approved by an independent and experienced education professional and is quality audited biannually by NCFE CACHE . The centre delivering the programmes has been licensed by NCFE CACHE on the basis of its own quality systems. At the end of an accredited course, successful learners will also receive an NCFE CACHE Award certificate of achievement.
Our NCFE CACHE accredited courses are accredited to various levels (from level 1 – level 5). These courses lead to a nationally recognised NCFE CACHE certificate for successful learners. That means that the course is independently accredited at a level of learning equivalent to that level on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Last year over a quarter of a million learners from almost 1000 training organisations chose NCFE CACHE as the awarding body to help them move their careers forward.
If you would like to visit NCFE CACHE ’s website, please click here.
Anyone who is studying for or has completed a course endorsed by an Ofqual approved awarding body is eligible to join Qualifications Register. The Qualifications Register (QR) is an independent register that aims to serve both members of the public and those professionals who hold recognised qualifications.
QR's primary aim is to provide transparency to members of the public and employers. The QR is a searchable database that allows them to find a practitioner and view the relevant qualification and endorsements the practitioner holds. The member of the public is then able to make an informed decision in relation to the suitability of the practitioner. QR also tracks whether practitioners have insurance, again something that is useful for members of the public. QR can also help professionals gain insurance or find professional indemnity cover. Click here to find out more.
Members of the public can check an independent source with complete confidence that the practitioner has the qualification(s) they claim to have and that any additional CPD the practitioner has, is verified and quality assured to make sure that the CPD is being done on a regular basis. QR tracks a practitioners endorsed CPD (in unison with our CPD accreditation partner Lifetime Awarding) and other key signals to help members of the public and employers to come to a more informed decision about the professional they intend to use. This is an enormously valuable signal that's increasingly important as business becomes more deregulated and privatised.
For practitioners QR helps you market your skills, endorsements and feedback transparently to a wider audience. It also gives you access to a community to help make you more able to progress and succeed in your field of expertise. Click here to find out more.
The Early Years Educator Qualification is structured around four themes:
Theme 1: Health and well-being
Unit 1.1 (L/505/9300) Support healthy lifestyles for children through the provision of food and nutrition
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the impact of food and nutrition on children’s health and development.
- Understand how food choices impact on health and development during pre-pregnancy, pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Understand the nutritional needs of children.
- Understand the impact of poor diet on children’s health and development.
- Understand individuals’ dietary requirements and preferences.
- Be able to support healthy eating in own setting.
Unit 1.2 WB (A/505/9809) Promote healthy lifestyles for children through exercise
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand children’s need for exercise.
- Be able to support children’s exercise in an indoor and outdoor space
Unit 1.3 WB (M/505/9810) Support physical care routines for children
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the physical care needs of children.
- Be able to use hygienic practice to minimise the spread of infection.
- Understand rest and sleep needs of children.
- Understand childhood immunisation.
- Be able to support children in personal physical care routines.
Unit 1.4 WB (T/505/9811) Promote children’s emotional well-being
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand children’s needs in relation to emotional well-being.
- Understand the requirements for promoting emotional well-being in relation to current frameworks.
- Understand the needs of children during transition and significant events.
- Be able to promote the emotional well-being of children in own setting.
Unit 1.5 (A/505/9812) Understand how to support children who are unwell
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Know common childhood illnesses.
- Know the signs of ill health in children.
- Understand legal requirements for reporting notifiable diseases.
- Understand the role of the early years practitioner in minimising ill health in children.
- Understand care routines when a child is ill.
- Understand how to support children for planned hospital admission.
- Understand the therapeutic role of play in hospitals.
- Understand the role of the early years practitioner when supporting children who are chronically ill.
Theme 2: Legislation, frameworks and professional practice
Unit 2.2 (F/505/9813) Understand legislation relating to the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand legislation and guidelines for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children.
- Understand policies and procedures for the safeguarding, protection and welfare of children.
- Understand how to respond to evidence or concerns that a child has been abused or harmed.
- Understand the purpose of serious case reviews.
Unit 2.3 WB (J/505/9814) Follow legislation relating to the health and safety of children
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand legislation and guidelines for health and safety.
- Understand policies and procedures for health and safety.
- Be able to manage risk within an environment which provides challenge for children.
- Be able to identify, record and report accidents, incidents and emergencies.
Unit 2.4 WB (L/505/9815) Follow legislation relating to equality, diversity and inclusive practice
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand how legislation, policies and procedures inform equality, diversity and inclusive practice.
- Be able to use information, advice and support to promote equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Be able to work in ways which support equality, diversity and inclusive practice.
Unit 2.5 WB (R/505/9816) Working in partnership
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the principles of partnership working in relation to current frameworks when working with children.
- Understand how to work in partnership.
- Understand challenges to partnership working.
- Be able to work with parents/carers in a way which encourages them to take an active role in their child’s play, learning and development.
- Be able to complete records.
Theme 3: Play, development and learning for school readiness
Unit 3.1 (Y/505/9817) Understand the value of play in early years
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the role of play.
- Understand children’s rights in relation to play.
- Understand play at different stages of children’s development.
- Understand different types of play for all children.
- Understand inclusive play practice.
Unit 3.2 WB (D/505/9818) Plan, lead and review play opportunities which support children’s learning and development
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches which support play.
- Be able to apply theoretical perspectives and philosophical approaches in planning play opportunities.
- Be able to lead and support play opportunities.
- Be able to review how planned play opportunities contribute to own practice.
Unit 3.4 WB (H/505/9819) Promote enabling play environments
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the play environment.
- Understand how the early years practitioner supports children’s behaviour and socialisation within play environments.
- Be able to support children’s behaviour and socialisation within play environments.
- Understand how the characteristics of an enabling indoor and outdoor play environment meet the age, stage and needs of children.
- Be able to provide enabling play environments.
- Be able to plan and lead opportunities which support children’s understanding of the world.
- Be able to plan and lead opportunities which encourage children’s engagement in expressive arts and design.
Unit 3.5 WB (Y/505/9820) Developing children’s emergent literacy skills
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the language and communication needs of children.
- Be able to support children’s language and communication needs.
- Understand strategies which support emergent literacy.
- Be able to use strategies to plan and lead activities which support emergent literacy.
- Be able to review how planned activities support emergent literacy.
- Be able to work with parents/carers in a way which encourages them to take an active role in their child’s play, learning and development.
Unit 3.6 WB (D/505/9821) Developing children’s emergent mathematical skills
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand how mathematics relates to children’s everyday lives.
- Understand how working with others supports children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Understand how to create an environment which supports children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Understand the role of the early years practitioner in relation to supporting children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Understand how opportunities support children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Be able to implement activities to support children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Be able to review how planned activities support children’s emergent mathematical development.
- Be able to work with parents/carers in a way which encourages them to take an active role in their child’s play, learning and development.
Unit 3.7 WB (H/505/9822) Support children’s transition to school
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand ‘school readiness’ in relation to the role of the early years practitioner.
- Understand ‘school readiness’ in relation to the current framework.
- Be able to work in partnership with others to support children’s readiness for school.
Unit 3.9 WB (K/505/9823) Develop children’s cognitive skills
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand about cognitive development in children.
- Understand theory underpinning cognitive development.
- Be able to implement a learning experience which supports the development of sustained shared thinking in children.
- Be able to evaluate the provision for supporting cognitive development in own setting.
Unit 3.10 WB (M/505/9824) Promote children’s speech, language and communication
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand theory and current frameworks which underpin children’s speech, language and communication development.
- Understand how the early years practitioner supports the development of speech, language and communication of children.
- Be able to create a language rich environment to develop the speech, language and communication of children in own setting.
- Be able to lead activities which support the development of speech, language and communication of children.
Unit 3.11 WB (A/505/9826) Promoting children’s physical development
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand physical development of children.
- Understand theory and current frameworks in relation to children’s physical development.
- Be able to implement opportunities which promote the physical development of children.
Unit 3.12 WB (T/505/9825) Promoting children’s personal, social and emotional development
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand personal, social and emotional development of children.
- Understand theory and current frameworks underpinning personal, social and emotional development of children.
- Be able to promote the personal, social and emotional development of children.
- Be able to implement an opportunity which promotes the personal, social and emotional development of children.
Unit 3.13 (F/505/9827) Support children with additional needs
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand biological, environmental and developmental factors which may result in children needing additional support.
- Understand how personal experiences, values and beliefs impact on the role of the early years practitioner.
- Understand the principles of inclusive practice.
- Understand the role of early intervention in partnership working.
- Be able to support the additional needs of children.
- Be able to critically evaluate the provision for children with additional needs in own setting.
Unit 3.14 (J/505/9828) Use observation, assessment and planning to promote the development of children
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the role of observation when working with children.
- Understand observation methods.
- Understand professional practice in relation to the observation of children.
- Be able to carry out observations in own setting in line with current frameworks.
- Be able to work with parents/carers in a way which encourages them to take an active role in their child’s play, learning and development.
Unit 3.15 (L/505/9829) Use longitudinal studies to observe, assess and plan for children’s needs
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand the purpose of undertaking Longitudinal Studies.
- Be able to use observations to assess and plan for the developmental needs of children in line with current frameworks.
- Be able to critically evaluate the outcomes of Longitudinal Studies.
Theme 4: Professional development
Unit 4.1 (F/505/9830) Engage in professional development
The learning outcomes for this unit are:
- Understand professional development.
- Understand theoretical perspectives in relation to reflection.
- Be able to use reflective practice to contribute to own professional development.
How long will the course take to complete?
The course has been assigned approximately 486 guided learning hours. You should reasonably expect the course to take you 18-24 months to complete, although the course can be completed faster if you are able to dedicate more time to your studies, there is no time limit set for this or any other of our courses.
What's Included
- All study materials
- Study Guide
- Full Tutor and Admin support
- The course fee includes the awarding body registration and certification fee (valued at up to £125.00).
- 3 personal tutor visits
