Welcome childcare and early years education applicants!

Guided campus tour

Get a glimpse into the facilities you will be using as an early years and education student at West Notts College.

What our students say

Kia shares his experiences from the past year studying childcare with us. In our on-site nursery, he touches on things such as what kind of topics you will study, as well as guest speakers, college trips and some key experience he’s gained.

• 

  Kit list

  Find out what equipment and resources you'll need before you join as a West Notts student.

  Download kit list

Gallery

Early years students joined the crowds at Mansfield’s One Call stadium with a fundraising mission in mind, volunteering for Sheffield-based Bluebell Wood Children’s Hospice. The groups raised over £600.

The childcare curriculum have worked hard gathering in kind donations of chocolate selection boxes ready to pass on to families less fortunate. BLAST (Building Lives Around Shirebrook Town) visited the college to take over 50 selection boxes to their charitable mission, ready to give out to families who use the service.

From my work placement at a primary school, I believe that I have more confidence as I was put into a situation where I didn’t know anybody, this has helped my communication skills – Alana Gibson.

I’ve had the best education at West Nottinghamshire College, not only because you’re treated like an adult, but because of the strong relationships with new friends and tutors – Phoebe Repton.

Having work placement as part of the course is extremely helpful in my opinion, because you learn about things in college and can then put them into practice at placement – Ellie Hollingworth.

I have to say my best experience at college by far was the opportunity to work with a charity called The Maun Refuge where I planned and led several activities with children, each time based on a different theme – Courtney Abbott.

The fact I have gained lots of work experience since enrolling on this course has made it a lot easier when applying.

FAQs - childcare and education courses

The following information will hopefully give you a little bit more of an insight into what it will be like to be a student with us.

• Where will I study?

  Our childcare and education courses are based at the Derby Road site and have a dedicated area with rooms for study and presentations. The college bus runs from 13 different routes into the Derby Road site.

• What is it like?

  College is an adult professional environment and we expect our students to behave in the way that they would in a job with an employer. Attendance and punctuality are very important too. In childcare and education this is particularly important due to the industry that you are going into. The team are very supportive but have very exacting standards in terms of behaviour and conduct, this is because at the end of a level 3 programme you will have a formal licence to practice and can progress to a fully qualified position as an Early Years worker or a Teaching Assistant in a school environment.

• What will I study?

  The courses are largely classroom based but with lots of practical and creative activities built into it. You will study a range of topics from childhood development, through to safeguarding and health and safety. The team are all very experienced childcare and teaching practitioners and will bring a wealth of experience to support your studies’. Many of the assignments and tasks within childcare are very visual and creative, however the higher the level the more written assignment and theory work will be built into the programme.

• What about English and maths?

  If you start at college and you haven’t yet achieved your English and Maths GCSEs at grade 4 or above, then you will continue to study these for three hours each week per subject. At the end of your first year you will take a resit GCSE exam. It is important you attend your English and Maths lessons alongside your chosen course.

  Take a look at our fact sheets to find out why English and maths is important within this industry.

  View English and maths fact sheets

• What will I have to wear?

  In college childcare students can wear whatever they want to as long as it is not offensive. Please be aware that as you will be attending a work placement, to gain the important skils and knowledge to work with children, there are some dress and health and safety codes, that you will need to follow. It is an expectation that you do not use hair colours that do not match a natural shade.

  Students on work placement will be expected to a polo shirt with the college logo and smart black trousers with flat shoes. Long nails are not allowed when students go out on placement, this is an industry expectation and is to support the safety of children that you will be working with.

• Will I have to do a work placement?

  Work placement is embedded at all levels of childcare and is a mandatory element of the course at level 2 and above. Level 1 students will be given the opportunity for placement. At level 2 and 3 you will be expected to complete a placement two days each week. The childcare team work placement assessors who will allocate a work placeemnt to you and will work with you and employers to assess performance. You will undertake a range of placements in a range of settings.

  All of our students will be engaged with our learning companies which are in-house opportunities to gain real world experience. This year students are developing story sacks for local schools and sure start centres.

Not answered your question? Then ask your teacher

Send your questions to your teachers using our simple online form.

Ask a question