Get degree ideas using our A level explorer tool

Early Years

Entry requirements


A level

D,D,E-D,D,D

Excluding General Studies

We will accept 2 AS levels in lieu of one A level but must be accompanied by 2 A Levels or BTECs General Studies is excluded.

Pass with 9-15 Level 3 credits at Merit/Distinction with a minimum of 3 credits at Distinction

GCSE/National 4/National 5

GCSE Grade C or 4 English Language or an acceptable equivalent qualification

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

MPP-MMP

or a combination of BTEC Level 3 grades

T Level

P

P (D or E)

UCAS Tariff

64-72

Must be achieved from 3 A levels, BTECs or other acceptable Level 3 qualifications

About this course


Course option

2years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Work-based learning

This two-year Foundation degree is designed for people working or volunteering in educational settings who want to explore their potential. You’ll learn through flexible study, attending University 22 days a year and working (or volunteering) for at least 10 hours per week in an educational setting. On-line material supports your independent study time.

This foundation degree is focused on those significant early years of childhood and will help you to understand the theories underpinning practice. You’ll develop a theoretical understanding of how children develop and learn, using your experience as a starting point. You’ll gain insights which will help you to have a more positive impact on the children and families you work with.

You’ll explore how government policy impacts on the lived experience of children and families, as well as practice in early years settings. You will be encouraged to become more aware of the values which motivate you, and to consider how we can best prepare children for their future in a complex and unpredictable world. From start to finish, you’ll be challenged and inspired in equal measure.

**Why this course at Marjon?**
• Study at a university which excels in helping you to fulfil your potential and particularly welcomes mature students.
• Designed for working people, with a close-knit support group of fellow students.
• Two-day induction so you can get to know other students and get ready for study.
• Expand your professional network and advance your career.

**What might I become?**
You may view this as a stepping-stone to becoming a fully qualified teacher; many students progress into the final year of an honours degree and then into postgraduate teaching programmes such as School Direct, PGCE or Early Years Initial Teacher Training. These degrees on their own also offer great scope for career development, with students progressing into leadership and management roles within current settings, or taking on specific highly skilled roles such as SENCO. Early years settings are known to benefit greatly from having staff who have studied at this level.

**Find out more at Open Day**
Open Day is your opportunity to find out more about studying Early Years at Marjon. You’ll meet lecturers and find out why we are ranked second in the UK for teaching quality*. Our student life talks will help you prepare to go to university, covering topics such as careers, funding, sport and our award winning on-campus student support service. You can also take a tour of the campus with a current student and find out about the student-led clubs and societies.

**Book on to an Open Day at: www.marjon.ac.uk/open-day**

**Why study at Marjon?**

• Small, person-focused university
• No.2 university in England for Student Satisfaction (Complete University Guide 2024)
• No.4 university in the UK for Career Prospects (WhatUni Student Choice Awards 2023)
• No.4 uni in England for Education (Student Experience) (The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2023)

Modules

Chris Simpson - Course Lead, Early Years;
"In the first year we learn about safeguarding, how the brain develops in young people and gain an understanding of how children learn. In the second year you will focus on how children grow up in a globalising world, look at diversity in learning and carry out your own research project."

1st Year
Reflective and Professional Practice
Engaging with Learning
Safeguarding Children and Young People
Bio-Psycho-Social development in Children and Young People
Learning and Teaching
Policy and Practice

2nd Year
Global childhoods
Creative Pedagogies
Reflective and Professional Practice
Diversity in Learning
Research in Practice

Assessment methods

There are no exams involved. Assessment includes reports and essays, building on-line portfolios, presentations and designing interventions for your own workplace.

Tuition fees

Select where you currently live to see what you'll pay:

Channel Islands
£6,000
per year
England
£6,000
per year
EU
£6,000
per year
Northern Ireland
£6,000
per year
Scotland
£6,000
per year
Wales
£6,000
per year

The Uni


Course location:

Plymouth Marjon University

Department:

Institute of Education

Read full university profile

What students say


How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Personal development

Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.


Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

100%
UK students
0%
International students
58%
Male students
42%
Female students

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

C
C
E

After graduation


Sorry, no information to show

This is usually because there were too few respondents in the data we receive to be able to provide results about the subject at this university.

Explore these similar courses...

Share this page

This is what the university has told Ucas about the criteria they expect applicants to satisfy; some may be compulsory, others may be preferable.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is the percentage of applicants to this course who received an offer last year, through Ucas.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Course location and department:

This is what the university has told Ucas about the course. Use it to get a quick idea about what makes it unique compared to similar courses, elsewhere.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF):

We've received this information from the Department for Education, via Ucas. This is how the university as a whole has been rated for its quality of teaching: gold silver or bronze. Note, not all universities have taken part in the TEF.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

Have a question about this info? Learn more here

The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

Have a question about this info? Learn more here