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Kit list
Find out what equipment and resources you'll need before you join as a West Notts student.
Download kit list
Guided campus tour
Get a glimpse into the facilities you will be using as an education and early years student at West Notts College.
What our students say
Hear what our Education and Early Years students have to say about their course.
FAQs - Education and Early Years
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.
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Where will I study?
Our Education and Early Years courses are based at the Derby Road site and have a dedicated area with rooms for study and presentations.
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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 Education and Early Years, 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 T Level programme you will have a formal licence to practice and can progress to a fully qualified position as an Early Years practitioner or a Teaching Assistant in a school environment.
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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 the Early Years are very visual and creative, however the higher the level the more written assignment and theory work will be built into the programme.
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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 alongside your chosen course. At the end of your first year you will take a re-sit 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
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What will I have to wear?
In college Education and Early Years 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 skills 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 wear 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.
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Will I have to do a work placement?
Work placement is embedded at all levels of Education and Early Years 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 will allocate a work placement 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.
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