The new NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) qualification (QRN: 601/2629/2) (verify) has been approved by the National College of Teaching and Leadership. It has been introduced to entirely replace the current Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce (RQF) from September 2014.

This qualification sets the standards that all early years practitioners must meet to ensure that they are able to support and promote children’s early education and that children develop correctly taking care to see that they are kept safe and healthy. The course promotes teaching and learning to make sure that children have the skills they need to start school with a broad range of knowledge.

The NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) training course and subsequent qualification will enable you to enjoy a childcare work in partnership with colleagues, parents/carers or other professionals.

What is an Early Years Practitioner (EYP)?

From September 2014 anybody who wishes to work as a fully qualified Early Years Practitioner will be required to complete this Early Years Educator course. It will be the only level 3 vocational qualification that will allow you to fully engage in childcare.

Early Years Practitioners will work in various settings to care for babies and children aged from birth to five years old and have an understanding of children aged 5 – 7 years. It will be the role of the Early Years Educator to help the children learn, develop and prepare for school. The EYP may support Early Years teachers or indeed may deliver the childcare and teaching themselves.

Am I required to do a placement?

In order to achieve your NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) qualification you will be required to do a minimum of 350 hours in a suitable placement.

In order to get the most out of your placement, we strongly advise that placements should be done in I or 2 settings to cover 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

Practical evidence is required for all age groups in all units so we recommend that you complete the hours for all age groups throughout the length of your time studying. This will ensure you are able to meet the practical evidence requirements to pass the qualification.

If you have a placement in a setting which provides care and education for children and allows you to get the required experience across these three age ranges (for example a nursery looking after babies from 6 weeks to 5 years) then you do not need to do a placement outside of this one setting.

What about the theory aspect of the training?

Our course is designed to be as flexible as possible and allows you to fit it in with your existing commitments. Unlike a traditional college (where you are required to attend lessons at set times) you will be able to study the theory element in your own time and in the privacy of your own home either online or via printed material through the post. Also your tutor will come out to visit you 3 times in your work setting. This will give you the opportunity to work with your tutor face to face which is a real benefit for anybody considering studying this home study course.

What can I do on completion of the Early Years Educator course?

Once you have your Early Years Educator qualification you will have a full authorisation to practise as an Early Years Educator. You will be able to work in the statutory, voluntary or private sectors doing things like:

1. Nursery Nurse
2. Nursery Practitioner
3. Early Years Practitioner
4. Day Nursery Practitioner
5. Pre School Practitioner
6. Nursery Teacher
7. Early Years Teacher
8. Pre-School Assistant
9. Nursery Worker
10. Home based child carer
11. Nanny
12. Child-minder

"Qualified and experienced nursery workers can earn between £15,000 and £22,000, depending on responsibilities." - Source: National Careers Service

How can I progress further with my studies?

On completion of your NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) qualification, which has been assigned 61 credits on the RQF (QRN: 601/2629/2), you will be able to progress onto a foundation degree/higher education.

NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (RQF)

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.

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