Childcare
Curriculum Intent
The intent of the 14–19 childcare curriculum is to provide a clear pathway for young people (aged 14–19) to develop the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary for a career in childcare, early years education, or related fields. This curriculum is typically part of vocational education programs, such as those offered in schools, colleges, or apprenticeships, and its primary objectives include:
1. Preparing for Careers in Childcare and Early Years Education
- The curriculum equips students with practical skills and theoretical knowledge required to work with children from birth to the age of five or in broader child development roles.
- It provides an introduction to childcare professions, teaching students about child development, health, safety, safeguarding, and educational practices.
2. Developing Practical Experience
- Students are often given opportunities for hands-on learning through work placements in nurseries, preschools, or childcare settings, allowing them to apply classroom learning in real-world environments.
- This practical experience helps students build essential skills like communication, problem-solving, and teamwork.
3. Achieving Qualifications
- The curriculum is designed to lead to qualifications that can help students transition directly into the childcare workforce or continue their education in fields like early childhood studies or teaching.
- It also helps students meet the regulatory requirements for working in childcare, which often include a combination of knowledge, skills, and practical hours.
4. Promoting Child Development Understanding
- A significant focus is on understanding child development stages, including cognitive, physical, emotional, and social aspects. Students learn how to create developmentally appropriate activities and environments to support children's growth.
5. Fostering Professionalism and Ethics
- The curriculum emphasizes professionalism, including ethical practices, confidentiality, communication with parents, and working within legal and regulatory frameworks for child welfare and safeguarding.
6. Supporting Progression to Further Education or Employment
- For students who wish to continue their education, the curriculum often includes pathways to higher education in fields such as childhood education, social work, or psychology.
- For those entering employment, it provides a robust foundation for roles such as teaching assistants, nursery workers, or early years educators.
7. Developing Personal and Social Skills
- Along with vocational skills, the curriculum aims to develop personal attributes like responsibility, empathy, and leadership, all of which are essential in childcare roles.
- It also helps students become more confident, reflective, and capable in interacting with children, families, and colleagues.
In summary, the intent of the 14–19 childcare curriculum is to prepare students for a successful career in childcare by providing them with both theoretical knowledge and practical skills, while also offering pathways to further education and professional development.
Ambition-
Learners (aged 14-16 years) who embark on this course are keen to enter further education in the care sector.
- The first topic of study (R057) underpins all of the other learning in this qualification. Students will develop the essential knowledge and understanding in child development, covering reproduction, parental responsibility, antenatal care, birth, postnatal checks, postnatal provision, and conditions for development, childhood illnesses and child safety. Knowledge gained will enable progression to other routes of study including PHSE and Biology.
- In the second topic of study (R058), students will gain knowledge of the equipment needs of babies and young children and an understanding of the factors to be considered when choosing appropriate equipment to meet all of these needs. This topic will cover nutrition and hygiene practices and students will be given the opportunity to investigate feeding solutions, comparing these to nutritional requirements and evaluating the outcomes. Evaluation skills are developed, which would be of use in further studies in a number of areas.
- In the third topic of study (R059), students will gain an understanding of the developmental expectations from birth to five years and the stages and benefits of play. Students will gain knowledge of, and skills in, developing activities to observe developmental expectations in children up to the age of five years. This topic will include researching, planning and carrying out activities with a child and observing and evaluating these activities, as well as comparing the child to the age related expectations. Researching planning, observing and evaluating skills would be useful in further studies as these are transferable skills and could be applied in many subject areas but are particularly valuable to those entering higher education in the Early Years Arena.
• Learners who show an enthusiasm and commitment for the subject will be encouraged to progress onto the sixth form childcare provision.
Aims
UAH Childcare department will map the following curriculum to meet the needs of each pupil in order to ensure that they have developed the required knowledge & skills in:
R057 ( Year 10 and 11)
LO1-Understand reproduction and the roles and responsibilities of parenthood.
LO2- Understand antenatal care and preparation for birth.
LO3- Understand postnatal checks, postnatal provision and conditions for development.
LO4-Undertand how to recognise, manage and prevent childhood illnesses and providing a safe environment.
RO58 (Year 10 or Year 11)
L01 Understand the key factors when choosing equipment for babies from birth to 12 months.
LO2 Understand the key factors when choosing equipment for children from one to five years.
LO3 Know the nutritional guidelines and requirements for children from birth to five years
L04 Be able to investigate and develop feeding solutions for children from birth to five years
RO59 (Year 10 or Year 11)
LO1 Understand the physical, intellectual and social development norms from birth to five years.
LO2 Understand the benefits of learning through play.
LO3 Be able to plan different play activities for a chosen developmental area with a child from birth to five years.
LO4 Be able to carry out and evaluate different play activities for a chosen developmental area with a child from birth to five years.
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Autumn Term 1 |
Spring Term 1 |
Summer Term 1 |
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Topic Area 2: Antenatal care and preparation for birth
In this module the students will explore types of antenatal care and how to prepare the mother for her birth experience.
The topics included are as follows: 2.1 The purpose and importance of antenatal clinics 2.2 Screening and diagnostic tests 2.3 The purpose and importance of antenatal (parenting) classes
Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO59) Task One- Topic Area 1: Physical, intellectual and social developmental norms from one to five years |
Topic Area 2:
In this module the students will explore types of antenatal care and how to prepare the mother for her birth experience.
The topics included are as follows: 2.7 The signs that labour has started 2.8 The three stages of labour and their physiological changes 2.9 The methods of assisted birth
Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO59) Topic Area 2: Stages and types of play and how play benefits development
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Topic Area 3: Postnatal checks, postnatal care and the conditions for development
In this module the students will explore postnatal checks, postnatal care and the conditions for development of a child between the ages of 1 and 5.
The topic included are as follows: 3.1.1 – Post natal checks that are carried out on the baby immediately after birth and reason why 3.1.2 - Post natal checks that are carried out on the baby one to five days after birth and reason why 3.2 – Post natal care of the mother and the baby 3.3 – The development needs of a child from birth to five years
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Autumn Term 2 |
Spring Term 2 |
Summer Term 2 |
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Topic Area 2: Antenatal care and preparation for birth
In this module the students will explore types of antenatal care and how to prepare the mother for her birth experience.
The topics included are as follows: 2.4 The choices available for delivery 2.5 The role of the birth partner in supporting the mother through pregnancy and birth 2.6 The methods of pain relief when in labour
2.7 The signs that labour has started 2.8 The three stages of labour and their physiological changes 2.9 The methods of assisted birth
Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO59) Task Two- Topic Area 3: Topic Area 3: Observe the development of a child aged one to five years
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Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO59) Topic Area 4: Plan and evaluate play activities for a child aged one to five years for a chosen area of development |
Students will be covering the other unit of coursework (RO58) Topic Area 3: Nutritional needs of children from birth to five years |
Year 11
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Autumn Term 1 |
Spring Term 1 |
Summer Term 1 |
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Topic Area 4:
In this module the students will explore a range of childhood illnesses and a child safe environment.
The topics included are as follows: 4.1 Recognise general signs and symptoms of illness in children 4.2 How to meet the needs of an ill child 4.3 How to ensure a child-friendly safe environment
Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO58) Task one- Topic Area 1: Creating a safe environment in a childcare setting |
Topic Area 1: Topic Area 1: Pre-conception health and reproduction
In this module the students will explore what is needed for good pre-conception health and the explain the reproductive system.
The topics included are as follows:
Students will also be covering any outstanding coursework tasks.
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Examination preparation
Students will complete structured exam preparation sessions to support progression to Key stage 5.
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Autumn Term 2 |
Spring Term 2 |
Summer Term 2 |
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Topic Area 1: Topic Area 1: Pre-conception health and reproduction
In this module the students will explore what is needed for good pre-conception health and the explain the reproductive system.
The topics included are as follows:
Students will also be covering one unit of coursework within this time (RO59) Task Three- Topic Area 3: Topic Area 3: Nutritional needs of children from birth to five years
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Examination preparation
Students will complete structured exam preparation sessions to support progression to Key stage 5. |
Examination preparation
Students will complete structured exam preparation sessions to support progression to Key stage 5. |