Home
Child Development
Our vision is to cultivate resilient, tolerant, and respectful young people who possess emotional intelligence and compassion. We aim to empower our pupils to understand themselves and the world around them, equipping them with the skills needed for future work and study. By fostering independence and ensuring every student has a voice, we aspire to create an environment where all pupils feel valued and capable.
Our staff are committed to actively reflecting on and improving their practices for the benefit of our pupils. We aim to place a strong emphasis on frequently and effectively considering student voice in our decisions. We maintain high aspirations and expectations for all pupils, guiding them to achieve their fullest potential in both their personal and academic lives.
Staffing
Head of Department: Ms S Jafar (Head of Social Sciences)
Mrs A Sohi-Robinson (AHT Curriculum)
Ms S Kousar (Social Sciences Co-ordinator)
Key stage 4 – Pearson BTEC Level 1/Level 2 Tech Award in Child Development
BTEC Tech Awards are new skills-based qualification for students aged 14-16: equivalent in standard to and designed for study alongside GCSEs. BTEC Tech Awards give pupils the chance to get a taste of what the sector is all about, explore different job roles and start building the technical skills and knowledge they’ll need to pursue a career in it.
The BTEC Tech Award for Child Development is a hands-on course that gives learners a taste of what the sector is like, as well as the skills and confidence to succeed in their next steps. With the new BTEC Tech Award in Child Development, pupils can get to know the core care values, develop valuable skills and explore potential careers.
How the course works – As the BTEC Tech Award in Child Development is a practical introduction to life and work in the sector, pupils will be able to:
- Develop applied knowledge and understanding of child development and growth up to the age of five
- How children learn through play and how meeting the needs of individual children will support their development, play and learning.
- The application of play opportunities for the learning and development of children in a variety of environments
The course has two internally assessed components, and one that’s externally assessed: These components build on each other to motivate pupils by helping them put what they’ve learned into practice and grow in confidence.
Component 1: Children’s Growth and Development (weighting: 30%)
Aim: Investigate the factors affecting growth and development of children from birth to five years old
Assessment: internally assessed assignment
During Component 1, pupils will:
- Pupils will know how growth is measured, and the individuals involved in measuring
- growth. They will understand the importance of measuring growth.
- Pupils will understand the principles of development.
- Pupils will explore different stages of development that children aged from birth to 5 years
- Pupils will explore the different factors that can affect a child’s growth and development from birth to five years old. Pupil will consider the positive and negative impact of these factors on child development.
Component 2: Learning Through Play (weighting: 30%)
Aim: Develop an understanding of how play activities can influence children’s learning between the ages of birth and five years old. They will consider the different types of play in which children engage, and how activities can support children’s learning and progress across the five areas of development.
Assessment: internally assessed assignment
During Component 2, pupils will:
- Understand how children play
- Understand how children’s learning can be supported through play
- How play can be organised to promote learning
- The role of adults in promoting learning through play
- Planning play opportunities for children
Component 3 – Supporting Children to Play, Learn and Develop (weighting: 40%)
Aim: Investigate how a child learns and develops and how to adapt activities to support the inclusion of all children in play.
Assessment: Externally assessed task, pupils will complete activities related to children’s play, learning and development and will plan how to support children with individual needs.
To do this, pupils will:
- Know about adaptations that may need to be made to activities for children in order to meet individual needs and support learning and development, promote inclusion and be aware of the role of the adult in managing safe environments
- Demonstrate understanding of the types of adaptations that may need to be made to activities due to a child’s individual needs, and environmental risks and hazards that may impact children’s learning and development.
- Apply knowledge and understanding to adapt activities to meet children’s individual needs and promote inclusion
- Making connections between areas of development, children’s individual needs and activities to ensure the adapted activities best support individual children to develop and to promote inclusion
Homework
Homework tasks will be used to support the understanding of classwork as well as complete work towards assignments. This could include research, consolidation activities and practice questions.
The Pearson Level 3 Alternative Academic Qualification BTEC National in Early Childhood Development (Extended Certificate) allows pupils to engage in a broad investigation of the children’s care and education sector (0-8 years).
There are four mandatory units; two examined and two internally assessed. The internally assessed units give pupils the opportunity to engage in applied knowledge and understanding tasks to develop their early childhood development knowledge.
Pupils will study the following units:
Unit 1 – Children’s development – Children’s developmental progress from birth up to eight years, including the theories, principles and factors relating to development, and the potential impact of a range of factors on a child’s progress through the developmental milestones. (Exam)
Unit 2 – Keeping Children Safe – Health and safety and safeguarding responsibilities of an individual working in an early years setting; emergency best practices and when to address concerns about a child’s welfare. (Exam)
Unit 3 – Play and Learning – The concept of play, the influence of theories and approaches to play, and the benefits of play and learning activities for children. (Assignment)
Unit 4 – Research and Reflective Practice – The influence of research findings on policy and provision for children and how this influences the behaviours and expectations of an individual working in an early years setting. (Assignment)
Homework
Homework tasks will be used to support the understanding of classwork as well as to complete work towards assignments. This could include research, consolidation activities or independent study.
Resources that will help pupils extend their knowledge
Textbook
Publisher: Pearson
ISBN: 9781292444628
Written by an author team of BTEC teachers and professionals, this Student Book includes:
- Full coverage of all three components, structured to match the specification
- Plenty of case studies and examples that pupils can relate to
- Additional features including key terms, ‘did you know’ sections and plenty of assessment practice.
Resources that will help pupils extend their knowledge – Additional reading, websites, activities
Textbooks/Journals
Student book BTEC Tech Award 2022 Child Development Student Book Publisher: Pearson Author: ISBN: 9781292444598
Nursery World Magazine
Early Years Educator Magazine
Practical Pre-school Books:
English as an Additional Language (EAL) in Practice by Alice Bevan
What does it mean to be….? Series by Jennie Lindon
Podcasts/Websites
Videos
Social Media Twitter
@under5mag
@nurseryworld
@EYEearlyEd
@nurseryworldmagazine
@theearlyyearseducator
Nursery World Magazine
Early Years Educator
Extra-curricular
The department organises external visits and invites outside speakers, linked to child care professions.
Careers
The broad skill set gained from studying Child Development can lead to success in numerous careers.
Careers directly linked to Child Development: Teacher, Early Years Practitioner, Nursery Worker, Teaching Assistant , Nutritionist , Play Therapist, Counsellor, Paediatric Nurse, Educational Psychologist, Child Welfare Officer, Social Worker and many more.