CHILDREN'S CARE LEARNING AND DEVELOPMENT Level 3 Extended Diploma (Top Up)

Applicants must be at least 16 years of age on or before 1st July in the year of proposed entry to the course and have recently been in education to key stage 4 (completion of compulsory education).

Applicants should normally hold the following:

• 15 points or greater at GCSE, consisting of at least 4 GCSEs at Grade C, or equivalent; OR
• BTEC Level 2 First Diploma or equivalent at Pass or above with an overall profile equating to 15 points; OR
• NVQ Level 2 (in relevant subject area); OR
• Leaving Certificate – a profile equivalent to 12 points (of which 3 subjects must be achieved at Grade C3 or better at Ordinary Level) pre-2017. From 2017 onwards, or entry in 2018, 3 subjects must be achieved at 04 or better at Ordinary Level; AND
• Successful achievement of the Level 3 Diploma in Children's Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland).

Attendance at Pre-Entry Advice Sessions (individual and group interviews) required.

Applicants to this course must also:

• Provide a reference from current employer/academic setting.
• Secure and complete a work placement throughout the duration of the qualification before certification.
• Provide clear evidence of completed placement hours from the Level 3 Diploma qualification (570 hours if Level 2 qualification held or experience in the last 2 years) (600-700 hours if no previous experience).
• All learners must have access to either employment or work experience in a real work setting to support them to develop and practice their skills and apply their knowledge at an appropriate level. This ensures that learners are able to demonstrate consistent competence at level 3 to meet the requirements of the Level 3 Diploma for Children’s Care, Learning and Development (Northern Ireland) units.
  
• All learners must undergo initial assessment against the requirements of the qualification.
• All learners must complete an Access NI check and additional vetting as required per setting i.e. medical, reference checks and social service checks. Applicants and learners will be subject to the Professional Suitability and Fitness to Practise Policy.
• The work setting must be either a regulated (via social services) or an inspected (via social services or the Education and Training Inspectorate) early years setting. This means that the learner must have access to working with children aged from 0–5 years and 11 months for all of their practice/placement hours. Appropriate settings, including Irish-medium schools, would be:
  • registered childminding settings –working with children up to 5 years 11 months
  • playgroups
  • day care nurseries
  • statutory nursery settings
  • early years foundation stage provision up to the age of 5 years 11 months
  • Sure Start provision

The above requirement cannot be met by time spent with children within a learner’s family/extended family, babysitting or through other informal arrangements.

To achieve this qualification learner's are required to have already achieved 56 credits from the 8 Diploma mandatory units and 14 credits from 13 Diploma optional units,

For this top-up qualification you will achieve 66 credits from the 7 extended diploma graded mandatory units and 1 external assessment.

Units of study include:

• Developing study skills for professional practice
  
• Enabling play environments
• Partnership working in early years
• Understanding perspectives on childhood in society
• Understand the role of the practitioner when supporting children with special educational needs and disability
• Understanding neuroscience in early years
• Planning for improved outcomes when working with babies and children in an early years setting

This qualification is internally assessed and externally quality assured. The assessment consists of 2 components:

1. An internally assessed portfolio of evidence which is assessed by College staff; and
2. An externally quality assured assessment by NCFE, externally set and assessed extended assessment.

Competence on work placement is also assessed.

Learners must be successful in all components to gain the Level 3 Extended Diploma for Children’s Care Learning and Development (Northern Ireland).

The Extended Diploma units are graded A-D.

Further information can be found here

Upon achievement of this qualification learners may be able to access higher education and/or progress into a wide range of job roles within children’s care, learning and development in Northern Ireland such as Classroom Assistant, Pre-School Leader or Sure Start Room Leader.

On successful completion, and if deemed suitable, you may undertake further study in:

• Level 5 Leadership and Management in Children's Care, Learning & Development
• Level 5 Foundation Degree in Early Childhood Studies
• Level 6 BA (Hons) Degree in Early Childhood Studies
• Playwork

You may also seek employment in a level 3 position in the childcare sector.