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Male teacher playing guitar to a group of toddlers

Early Childhood Education and Care BA(Hons)

  • Intro
  • Course
    content
  • Careers
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Intro

Our Early Childhood Education and Care degree course BA(Hons) provides you with the skills required to be employed across a range of multidisciplinary early childcare settings, primary schools, children’s centres, healthcare environments, social work contexts and research. 

You’ll gain an in-depth understanding of child development from birth to five years and explore education, sociology, psychology, health and social policy, as well as examine the roles of the family and wider institutions. 

To maximise your career prospects, you will complete two placements where you’ll gain the hands-on experience and key skills valued by employers. You’ll also engage in observational visits to different early years settings to develop your understanding of the broader sector. 

Completion of the course and its placements will lead to you being counted as a level 3 early years practitioner, providing you hold suitable literacy and numeracy qualifications. Completion of this course also comes with a guaranteed interview to our postgraduate teaching courses for those interested in a career in teaching. 

Our team of tutors are experts in the field of early childhood care and education through their experience as successful professionals, and status as highly regarded researchers, including Dr Jools Page who coined the term ‘professional love’. 

The team, alongside guest lecturers and visiting experts, will challenge and support you to develop a deep and critical understanding of the early years sector.

See our upcoming events

Key facts

Location Brighton: Falmer

UCAS code X310

Full-time 3 years

Apply now with UCAS for 2023

  • We're 8th in the UK for education courses – Guardian University Guide 2023

  • We're in the top 20 in the UK for education courses – The Times League Tables 2023

  • We're in the top 20 in England for education courses – Complete University Guide 2023

Course content

Course structure 

We have a balanced approach to teaching and learning, employing a combination of theory and practical skills, which you will experience through seminars, workshops, placements, research, and independent study.

Learning and teaching approaches

The course will provide you with a challenging, inclusive and creative environment including:

  • personal and group tutorial support
  • group work, discussion and debate
  • independent and enquiry based learning
  • seminars, workshops and lectures
  • Observational study visits

During the first and second year of study you will engage in a number of observational study visits. These are closely linked to modules and include the observation of children in appropriate settings.

Although education has a significant focus within the course, you will also explore multi-agency working and other early childhood contexts, according to your individual interests and career goals.

Making sure that what you learn with us is relevant, up to date and what employers are looking for is our priority, so courses are reviewed and enhanced on an ongoing basis. When you have applied to us, you’ll be told about any new developments through Student View.

Group of students working from curriculum centre

Year 1 

You will learn how babies and toddlers start to make sense of the world around them, along with key theories surrounding children’s physical, emotional and social health. You will consider the role of wider systems on a child’s development including family and community, and policy and legislation.

Modules

  • Knowing and Learning in Higher Education

    This module will help you to make the most of your studies in higher education. You'll improve your self-confidence as a learner and develop your capacity to meet the academic requirements and expectations of the programme.

  • How Children and Young People Learn

    This module explores major theoretical traditions and more contemporary ideas relating to learning and development, including the degree to which children and young people’s diverse cultural and social contexts have been considered. To understand the theory-practice relationship students will critically evaluate learning theories by demonstrating awareness of relevant academic debates, and apply chosen perspectives to examples of educational practice across diverse educational settings (early childhood, primary, secondary, and youth and community). 

  • Philosophy of Education and Early Childhood

    In this module you will develop your understanding of key influential theorists in education and early childhood. You will be introduced to philosophical thinking, reading and writing and will be supported to consider ways in which different philosophies have influenced education and the development of early childhood education and care.

  • Child Development: Physical, Social and Emotional Development

    This module is the first of three modules designed to support your understanding of child development within an ecological context. The focus of this module is physical, social and emotional development. The module will explore the role of early attachment relationships and the affect of this on learning, development, health and wellbeing. Perspectives from health, social care and education will be included.

  • Families and Communities in Early Childhood Contexts

    In this module you will develop your understanding of ecological contexts and the ways in which working with families enhances children’s learning and development. The module will support your understanding of theory and research related to effective parent partnerships. You will also explore the factors affecting children’s outcomes, including poverty and issues of inequality.

  • Policy and Legislation in Early Childhood Contexts

    This module will promote your knowledge and understanding of policy and legislation as it applies to early childhood education and care. You will develop an understanding the role policy and legislation has on curriculum development and safeguarding practices.

The Child Development, Physical, Social and Emotional Development module, and the Families and communities in Early Childhood Contexts include 12 hours of observational study visits to early years settings

ECEC_male_teacher_stepping_blocks

Year 2 

You will focus on child development to consider the role of play and children’s developing communication, language and literacy. You will delve further into wider societal influences on children’s lives when you consider equalities and inclusion in early childhood and how policy and legislation influence and reflect children and families’ experiences.

Modules

  • Child Development: Play for Learning and Development in Early Childhood*
  • Research Methods
  • Equalities and Inclusion in Early Childhood Contexts
  • Child Development: Communication, Language and Literacy in Early Childhood
  • Placement: Understanding Young Children and Young Children's Services*

*These modules include your five-week placement in an early year setting.

children at nursery

Final year 

You will draw on placement experiences to explore the complexities of multi-agency and interdisciplinary working as well as how childhood is interpreted across the globe. You will also consider the ways that different agencies approach the assessment of children’s learning and development needs.

You will also have the opportunity to research in depth the areas of early childhood that most interest you.

Modules

  • Teamwork, Collaboration and Leadership
  • International Perspectives on Childhood
  • Assessing Learning and Development in Early Childhood
  • Reflection on Learning
  • Dissertation: Researching Early Childhood
ED_BA_STUDENTS29NOV17_052

Meet the team

Dr Lesleann Whiteman - course leader

"At the School of Education, University of Brighton, my goals for the early childhood degree course focuses on student engagement, customer service, and academic rigour, supported by diverse flexible and multidisciplinary teaching and learning experiences for students.

"I have worked for 31 years in early childhood development teacher education with diverse organisations in the United Kingdom, Asia, North America, and the Caribbean to ensure that Early Childhood Teacher Education Programmes use a holistic curriculum approach in training early childhood educators.

"My work speaks to that of designing professional development programmes for early childhood educators and developing parent education programmes with a strengths-based approach, in addition to advocating for relevant early childhood policies for the development of early childhood care and education."

Read Lesleann's full profile.

Other members of the team:

  • Julie Canavan
  • Eve Lumb
  • Dr Jools Page
  • Annie Richardson
  • Dr Jodi Roffey-Barentsen
  • Jacqueline Webb
Lesleann Whiteman School of Education

Placements

In your second year you will spend 120 hours in practice over a five to ten week period in a setting of interest as part of the placement module.

Our teaching staff will ensure that you are well prepared for your placement and that you have all the support and guidance you need to make the most of the opportunity. You will also have a pre-placement briefing and attend a pre-placement preparation day

You will also keep a reflective journal for the duration of the placement as a focus for your reflections and engage in group forum discussions to enhance your work-based learning.

ECEC_forest_school_image

Facilities 

Curriculum Centre
Our specialist Curriculum Centre on the Falmer campus houses more than 30,000 specialist resources, spanning all the subjects in the national curriculum. The collection includes games, DVDs, CD-ROMs, pictures, charts, education packs and an extensive collection of children’s books.

Falmer library
The Falmer library houses an extensive array of literature and resources related to early childhood education and care.

Teaching students in library

Click the image to view a virtual tour of the curriculum centre.

Our latest news

Meet education student, Nicole Travnicek

Meet education student, Nicole Travnicek

Nicole Travnicek is currently studying for an Early Childhood Education and Care degree, we caught up with her recently to find out more about why she choose to study this subject and her experience at Brighton so far.

Meet Kayleigh Morley

Meet Kayleigh Morley

The School of Education is fortunate to have a technical service team on hand to provide support and access to great facilities including laser cutting, vinyl cutting, 3D printing, robots, experiments, graphic design examples, photography, programming, animation, and much more!

Education employability day

Education employability day

Students from our Education BA(Hons) and Early Childhood Education and Care BA(Hons) recently attended the school’s annual employability day, which provides a range of enlightening sessions to help prepare them for their upcoming placements as well as a career in the education sector.

Meet Dr Lesleann Whiteman

Meet Dr Lesleann Whiteman

I am the programme lead for Early Childhood Education and Care BA(Hons) degree, my research interest is focused on developing a parent education model that addresses the issue of breaking the cycle of outdated generational parenting practices, which no longer facilitates the holistic development of young children.

Read more from our blog

86% of our education and teaching students agreed that overall, they were satisfied with their course - National Student Survey 2022

Careers

Prepare for your career  

Completion of our Early Childhood Education and Care degree and its placements will lead to you being counted as a level 3 early years practitioner, providing you also hold suitable literacy and numeracy qualifications at GCSE grade 4 or above or equivalent. 

The degree is also an excellent foundation for a range of careers involving working with children. You’ll leave the course confident, articulate, highly skilled and well equipped to contribute as professionals in a variety of sectors, including health, education and social care.

The course provides subject knowledge and expertise, alongside opportunities to put what you learn into practice through placements and work-related experience. You'll also develop transferable personal skills in teamwork, and project and time management that will be valued wherever your career takes you.

ECEC_female_teacher_mud_kitchen

Placements 

The placement offers you the opportunity to apply your theoretical understanding of child development in practice, develop the key skills valued by employers and gain hands-on experience.

Placements also enable you to explore different career paths and help you to decide what you might want to do when you graduate. We will help you find a placement that meets your interests and aspirations. This could include: a children’s centre, pre-school, nursery, maternity ward, childminder, reception class or children’s support services such as ICAN. 

Prior to going on placement, you will attend our employability day, an annual event run by the school to ensure you are fully prepared.

Placement destinations previous students have chosen include:

  • a children’s community centre
  • a refugee camp
  • an international school
  • nurseries
  • working with charities.

Work-related learning 

Embedded into our course are many experiences that will help you in the workplace.

Observational study visits

During your study, you will take part in two separate observational study visits. These provide time for you to practise observation skills and experience different early year’s environments, supporting your understanding of the sector and highlight possibilities for future employment.

In your first year, you will take part in an observational study visit where you will spend around 12 hours spread over three visits. A second observational visit takes place in your final year. During these visits you’ll observe children’s development and see how theory learnt can be applied in early years practice.

Field trips

Field trips take your learning into the real world and let you get behind the scenes of an organisation. Trips have included a hospital baby unit, nurseries, reception classes, children centres and a forest school.

Visiting speakers

We also invite experts from early childhood fields to give guest lectures and seminars to encourage and challenge your critical reflection and understanding. Speakers have included the co-founders of Crisis Classroom, an SEN school head, managers from nurseries and a speaker from the National Citizen Classroom.

Graduate destinations

Our broad syllabus and focused support on employability ensures you’ll be equipped to be education professionals.

Your specialist knowledge and skills will be attractive to a wide range of employers. Our graduates have gone on to a variety of careers in education including:

  • teaching
  • Social care agencies
  • early years sector
  • SEND roles
  • youth work
  • alternative education
  • learning support
  • educational welfare
  • educational agencies
UoB-SchofEd-046-JH

Further study 

Many of our students choose to stay with us after graduation securing places on our PGCE courses as the next step towards their career.

We also offer an Education MA.

Students in a classroom

Supporting your employability 

Outside of your course, our Careers Service is here to support you as you discover (and re-discover) your strengths and what matters to you. We are here for you throughout your university journey as you work towards a fulfilling and rewarding career.

Connect with our careers team

  • Find part-time work that you can combine with your studies.
  • Find, or be, a mentor or get involved with our peer-to-peer support scheme.
  • Develop your business ideas through our entrepreneurial support network.
  • Get professional advice and support with career planning, CV writing and interview top tips.
  • Meet potential employers at our careers fairs.
  • Find rewarding volunteering opportunities to help you discover more about what makes you tick, and build your CV.

Whatever your career needs, we are here to help. And that's not just while you are a student, our support carries on after you've graduated.

Find out more...

Coloured background with the words Be More, Connected, Skilled, Emlployable

In education, 100% of our research impact is assessed as outstanding or very considerable in terms of its reach and significance in the 2021 Research Excellence Framework.

Entry criteria

Entry requirements

A-levels and BTEC
Entry requirements are in the range of A-level BBB–BCC (120–104 UCAS Tariff points), or BTEC Extended Diploma DDM–DMM. Our conditional offers typically fall within this range.

International Baccalaureate
30 points with three subjects at Higher level.

Access to HE Diploma
Pass with 60 credits overall. Level 3 units in communication, numeracy and IT required. At least 45 credits at level 3, with 24 credits at distinction and the rest at merit.

T-level
Merit in the Education and Childcare T-level. Other T-level subjects are not accepted.

Studied before or got relevant experience?
A qualification, HE credits or relevant experience may count towards your course at Brighton, and could mean that you do not have to take some elements of the course or can start in year 2 or 3. 

  • All offers are subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) enhanced disclosure check.
  • We are committed to safeguarding and child protection. As part of our selection and interview process, we will undertake additional checks to confirm the suitability of candidates.

International requirements and visas

International requirements by country
Country name
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Austria
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Bermuda
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Brazil
Bulgaria
Burma (Myanmar)
Cameroon
Canada
Chile
China
Colombia
Croatia
Cyprus
Czech Republic
Denmark
Ecuador
Egypt
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Ghana
Greece
Guyana
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Jamaica
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Kosovo
Kuwait
Latvia
Lebanon
Liechtenstein
Libya
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Macedonia
Malaysia
Malawi
Malta
Mexico
Moldova
Montenegro
Morocco
Namibia
Nepal
Netherlands
New Zealand
Nigeria
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Palestinian National Authority
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Qatar
Romania
Russian Federation
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Sierra Leone
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Africa
South Korea
Spain
Sri Lanka
Syria
Sweden
Switzerland
Taiwan
Tanzania
Thailand
Tunisia
Turkey
Uganda
Ukraine
United Arab Emirates
United States
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

We can help you meet our English language or academic entry requirements.

Visit our language centre

For English language preparation courses.

Visit our International College

For degree preparation courses.

Visas and immigration advice

Applying for a student visa

Check out our step-by-step guidance.

Flexible admissions

When you apply to Brighton we want to hear about who you are. Grades are never the whole picture; we're interested in things like creativity, resourcefulness, persistence and the capacity to think big and find new ways of doing things. And we recognise that not everyone has the same background. That's why we treat everyone who applies as an individual. We recognise many qualifications and we care about all of your achievements and the experiences you've had that set you apart.

Find out more

Graphic with the text 'Potential + possibility'

Fees

Course fees

UK (full-time) 9,250 GBP

International (full-time) 15,300 GBP

What's included

You may have to pay additional costs during your studies. The cost of optional activities is not included in your tuition fee and you will need to meet this cost in addition to your fees. A summary of the costs that you may be expected to pay, and what is included in your fees, while studying a course in the School of Education are listed here.

  • You will have access to computers and necessary software, however many students choose to buy their own hardware, software and accessories. The amount spent will depend on your individual choices but this expenditure is not essential to pass any of our courses.
  • In most cases coursework submissions are electronic but you may wish to print notes and should budget approximately £30 for printing.
  • For courses which require a placement, you’ll be expected to pay for your travel expenses but you may be able to claim some travel costs back from the university, depending on where your placement is in relation to where you live.
  • Course books are available from the university but you may wish to budget up to £150 to buy your own copies
  • You may wish to consider budgeting up to £25 for stationery/teaching materials.

You can chat with our enquiries team through the Stay in touch panel at the end of this page if you require further information. Or check our finance pages for advice about funding and scholarships as well as more information about fees and advice on international and island fee-paying status.

Info

The fees listed here are for full-time courses beginning in the academic year 2023–24.

Further tuition fees are payable for each subsequent year of study and are subject to an annual increase of no more than 5% or RPI (whichever is the greater). The annual increase for UK students, who are subject to regulated fees, will increase no more than the statutory maximum fee.

You can find out more about our fees in the university's student contract and tuition fee policy (pdf).

The tuition fee you have to pay depends on a number of factors including the kind of course you take, and whether you study full-time or part-time. If you are studying part-time you will normally be charged on a pro rata basis depending on the number of modules you take.

Location and student life

Campus where this course is taught

Falmer campus

Set in the South Downs, our Falmer campus is around four miles from Brighton city centre. Students based here study a range of subjects – from 2024 these will include education studies, teaching, sport and exercise, nursing and midwifery, allied health professions and medicine. Brighton and Hove Albion's Amex stadium and beautiful Stanmer Park are right next door.

Falmer campus has two halls of residence on site, as well as a library, restaurant, cafes and the students' union shop and bar.

The campus sports centre has a fitness suite, activity studios and a sports hall. There is also a floodlit astroturf football pitch, netball and tennis courts.

Specialist learning facilities at Falmer include the curriculum centre used by teaching and education students, which houses over 30,000 teaching resources, and clinical skills and simulation suites used by health students. New facilities are being developed ready for September 2024 when all of our sport and health students will be based here. Learn more about the changes at Falmer.

Cycle lanes link Falmer with our other campuses and the city centre. There are regular bus services to the city centre and other campuses. Falmer train station is right next to campus and a nine minute journey to central Brighton.

Newly refurbished atrium in the Checkland Building

Accommodation

Brighton: Falmer

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls of residence to all eligible students.

Halls of residence
We have self-catered halls on all our campuses, within minutes of your classes, and other options that are very nearby.

  • You can apply for any of our halls, but the options closest to your study location are:
  • Falmer campus is linked to the halls on Falmer campus and at Varley Park. All halls are self-catered.
    • Paddock Field and Great Wilkins halls offer a range of rooms on our Falmer campus, minutes from your classes, and on the edge of the South Downs.
    • Varley Park is a popular dedicated halls site, offering a mix of rooms and bathroom options at different prices. It is around two miles from Falmer campus and four miles from the city centre. Public transport in the city is excellent, and there’s a shuttle bus between our Brighton campuses during term time.

Want to live independently? We can help – find out more about private renting.

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Outside views at Falmer accommodation

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Extensive facilities at Falmer sports centre

Students dining at Westlain

Students dining at Westlain

Local area

About Brighton

The University of Brighton is at the heart of our city's reputation as a welcoming, forward-thinking place which leads the way when it comes to the arts, music, sustainability and creative technology. Brighton is home to a thriving creative community and a digital sector worth £1bn a year to the local economy, as much as tourism.

Many of the work-based learning opportunities offered on our courses such as placements and guest lectures are provided by businesses and organisations based in the city.

You can also get involved with city festivals and events such as the Brighton Festival, the Fringe, Brighton Digital Festival, Brighton Science Festival, the London to Brighton bike ride, and the Great Escape festival of new music to name but a few. Other annual highlights include Pride, the Brighton Marathon, and Burning the Clocks which marks the winter solstice.

You'll find living in Brighton enriches your learning experience and by the end of your course you will still be finding new things to explore and inspire you.

It's only 50 minutes by train from Brighton to central London and less than 40 minutes to Eastbourne. There are also daily direct trains to Bristol, Bedford, Cambridge, Gatwick Airport, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Map showing distance to London from Brighton
Brighton Beach sunset

Maps

Falmer campus

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Support and wellbeing

Your course team

Your personal academic tutor, course leader and other tutors are all there to help you with your personal and academic progress. You'll also have a student support and guidance tutor (SSGT) who can help with everything from homesickness, managing stress or accommodation issues.

Your academic skills

Our Brighton Student Skills Hub gives you extra support and resources to develop the skills you'll need for university study, whatever your level of experience so far.

Your mental health and wellbeing

As well as being supported to succeed, we want you to feel good too. You'll be part of a community that builds you up, with lots of ways to connect with one another, as well having access to dedicated experts if you need them. Find out more.

Students talking in a social area

Sport at Brighton

Sport Brighton

Sport Brighton brings together our sport and recreation services. As a Brighton student you'll have use of sport and fitness facilities across all our campuses and there are opportunities to play for fun, fitness or take part in serious competition. 

Find out more about Sport Brighton.

Sports scholarships

Our sports scholarship scheme is designed to help students develop their full sporting potential to train and compete at the highest level. We offer scholarships for elite athletes, elite disabled athletes and talented sports performers.

Find out more about sport scholarships.

Students playing frisbee

Student views  

Nicole Travnicek

I chose to study my course as I wanted to top up my already existing knowledge and experience of early years education and care, and was also hoping that this would improve my income in the future. I have a great love for children and admire their imagination, curiosity, and love to learn, and want to help them to be safe and develop their full potential.

I had already worked in nurseries before studying and was able to continue working part-time. This has greatly helped me to apply the learned in practice, to experiment, and assess my provision.

I have had great experiences in student collaboration at university. We motivate each other, are not shy with compliments, and appreciate each other’s strengths in various areas. I also love learning about how the environment the child lives in impacts the child in various ways.

The uni has very experienced and knowledgeable tutors and lecturers. I feel personally supported as our course consists of a small group of students, therefore there is plenty of opportunity for personal interaction with our tutors.

After graduating, I am thinking of studying a further year for a teacher’s degree. Then, I aim to combine my knowledge about holistic health and early years education and care, and possibly start a business!

Nicole Travnicek ECEC

Josephine Asante

I chose the Early Childhood Education and Care degree course BA(Hons) because I felt that having a degree would equip me to work in schools and early childcare settings more effectively.

The University of Brighton was my first choice because of its renowned reputation and commitment to boosting graduate opportunities. Knowing that the university has highly qualified professors in my filed of interest also helped to affirm my decision.

The team have provided me with advice and encouragement. All members of staff been very patient and in their capacity as lecturers they have always gone the extra mile to support me emotionally during my studies at the university.

My observational study visit helped me to make connections from theory to practice and gave me the platform to display my knowledge I had acquired through theory. I enjoyed observing practitioners interacting with children and this experience was made worthwhile because there was a good balance of adult led activities as well as child-initiated play.

The course has taught me about good practice in early childhood education settings and I feel more confident to challenge anything that is contrary to what I have learned especially when it comes to safeguarding children. I believe it has also prepared me for my future career.

Josephine Anane-Asante ECEC

Shona Williams

I have always been very interested in issues concerning childhood and education. I chose to study Early Childhood Education and Care to deepen my understanding in areas regarding child development and education theory and policy.

The University of Brighton appealed to me due to its extensive library and education resources. The facilities are good, offering laptop loans, as well as lots of computers with printers and scanners on campus. The online library is also fantastic, offering most books in online format.

The course team members were highly supportive. I cannot speak highly enough of the Early Childhood Education and Care lecturing staff. They went above and beyond to offer engaging lectures, insightful feedback and made me feel supported and able to succeed.

I thoroughly enjoyed studying at the University of Brighton and most enjoyed finding new topics and areas of interest from exploring the library and the module outcomes. During my dissertation I had the opportunity to follow my own interests, built upon what I had already learnt within modules, which was the highlight of my course.

I gained many skills from this course. The observational tasks helped to solidify previous learning and gave me confidence to conduct observations in settings in future. Overall, this course has improved my confidence, communication and teamwork skills, and research skills. I hope to go on to further study and feel this course and the opportunities offered have provided a sound foundation for my progression.

Shona Williams ECEC

Chloe Rebecca

I fell in love with the idea of working in childcare at the age of 16, after completing my Level 3 diploma at college so going on to study a BA(Hons) in Early Childhood Education and Care just felt so natural to me.

The University of Brighton was the nicest university I have visited! The second I walked onto campus I knew it was the place for me! As an Early Years Education and Care student the library and resources readily available to you are invaluable. The University of Brighton also boasts a beautiful curriculum centre which has an incredible array of children’s books and resources.

A highlight for me was the course module on International Perspectives on Childhood which definitely sparked my interest the most out of all the amazing modules available! By having this module available on the course, I was able to develop my understanding on education around the world. Later on in my course this became key!

The course team are amazing! they were very supportive in multiple situations for me. I am so thankful to my lecturers for always believing in me and really pushing me to my greatest!

Since graduating I have enrolled onto the Primary 5–11 years PGCE at the University of Brighton. After gaining my QTS I am planning to teach abroad.

Chloe Rebecca ECEC

Amy-Louise Tilley

Before choosing to study Early Childhood Education and Care I was unsure of my career path so did a year-long placement in a nursery which helped me realise I wanted to work with children in some way. The University of Brighton really stood out on their open days and applicant days. It just felt right.

The people I spoke to were so kind and friendly, there was a lot of support on offer. This course is based in Falmer where there is a huge library and open learning centre, specifically for education students, with plenty of resource and book you may need during your studies. I have gained so much knowledge and enjoy the freedom I have in my studies. I can choose my own research topics and have autonomy over my learning.

At times, it has been stressful but there is so much support from lecturers and the university who genuinely want you to succeed. The lecturers on my course all bring a variety of experience in the field of early childhood and take the time to answer any questions we have and adapt the sessions to suit us. My placement and observational study visits have given me a lot of experience in different settings, including a reception class, a nursery and a baby room.

They have all been useful in putting the theory I have learnt into practice. I am hoping to continue my studies after graduating from this route to study either a PGCE course or Early Years Education PGCert with Early Years Teacher Status.

My advice to potential applicants would be to take some time to gain a bit of experience. This can be really helpful in both your application and your studies.

Amy-Louise Tilley

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Find out more about how the academic year and degree courses are organised, and about learning and assessment activities you might get to grips with at Brighton. More specific information about this course is detailed in the programme specification (linked below). You can find out also about the support we offer to help you adjust to university life.

Course and module descriptions on this page were accurate when first published and are the basis of the course. Detailed information on any changes we make to modules and learning and assessment activities will be sent to all students by email before enrolment, so that you have all the information before you come to Brighton.

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Programme specification

The programme specification is the approved description of each course. They give a detailed breakdown of the content and structure of the course, and are updated following course changes.

Programme specification

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