Early Years Education and Leadership FdA
Support children’s learning and development from birth to five. Make a positive change in early years settings. On our foundation degree in Early Years Education and Leadership, you’ll develop the knowledge and tools to become the best practitioner you can be.
Overview
| Course length: | 2 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Start dates: | September 2025 |
| Location: | Edge Hill University or Holy Cross College and University Centre (Bury) |
| Example offers: | E (A Level) or P (BTEC) View full entry criteria |
| Subject(s): | Education and Teaching |
| Faculty: | Education |
| Department: | Early Years Education |
Recent college or sixth form leaver? Currently working in an early years setting? Experienced early years practitioner or leader? Wherever you’re at in your career journey, this course is for you. We’ll support you to make a positive impact on babies and young children’s lives, their families and communities.
This unique foundation degree is designed to offer flexible entry requirements for all. Take the opportunity to gain a higher education qualification and boost your career progression. Our inclusive entry criteria means that we’ll consider three years’ experience in the early years sector instead of traditional entry requirements.
Already working in an early years setting? This course is ideal for you. Our flexible delivery mode is designed to suit busy working lives. With a maximum of six classroom-based sessions per year, you’ll be able to access the rest of your learning online with the support of expert tutors.
On this two-year foundation degree, we’ll teach you the theory and practice behind working or leading in the early years sector. You’ll build professional skills and confidence, preparing you for further success in your career or future learning. When you graduate, you’ll have the option to progress to our one-year BA (Hons) conversion degrees in Early Years Education or Early Years Leadership.
The course is mapped to Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies and meets the full and relevant DfE criteria to be counted in the staff:child ratios of the Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage.
What you'll study
In Year 1, we’ll help you to develop key personal, professional and academic skills. This will set you up to succeed throughout the course. We’ll teach you best practice and the principles of working with families and communities. And we’ll also explore the theoretical perspectives concerning early years education – including children’s wellbeing, communication, social and emotional development.
In Year 2, you’ll build on your knowledge of working with babies and children under three. We’ll also explore international perspectives of early years education. And we’ll consider the issues surrounding leadership and management in the complex early years sector. You’ll showcase everything you’ve learned in a small-scale research project, supported by your tutors.
How you'll study
Delivered through a combination of virtual study blocks with interactive classroom-based sessions, the structure of the course has been designed to enable you to become a graduate practitioner and gain leadership expertise while you work.
You will study through a combination of online and face-to-face sessions. Your online sessions will consist of sessions with your tutors, directed tasks and independent research.
Supported learning using the internet and Edge Hill University’s online resources is a major feature of the programme. No prior IT experience is necessary, as full support will be provided.
How you'll be assessed
You will be assessed through coursework which involves portfolios, written essays, presentations, self-evaluations and the completion of a small-scale research project.
There are no formal written examinations as part of the current assessment methods on this programme.
Who will be teaching you
You will be taught by a highly experienced team of early years lecturers and associate tutors who have extensive expertise and experience, as well as a passion for early years. All of the team are involved in current research and have actively contributed to projects including the development of the Early Years Foundation Stage and the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL). Each member of the team brings a particular expertise and all are highly respected researchers and professionals.
Entry criteria
Entry requirements
Typical offer 16 UCAS Tariff points. No specific subjects are required.
You can achieve the required number of UCAS Tariff points from A Level Grade E, BTEC National Subsidiary Diploma (QCF) P, or T Level with an overall grade of Pass (E or above on the core).
Alternatively, you may be eligible to join the programme with a minimum of three years experience in the early years sector.
GCSE English Language and GCSE Mathematics at Grade C or Grade 4 or above (or equivalent) are desirable.
You must be working on a full-time, part-time or voluntary basis in an early years setting with children aged 0-5 years. A statement of support will be required from your current employer.
If you accept a formal offer from Edge Hill University you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced Disclosure indicating that you meet the mandatory criteria of ‘Clearance to Work with Children and/or Vulnerable Adults’. If you already have DBS Enhanced Disclosure through your current employer, this will also be accepted. Further information will be sent to you after you have firmly accepted an offer.
How to apply
There is an online application process for this course. 2025 application links will be added when available.
Should you accept an offer of a place to study with us and formally enrol as a student, you will be subject to the provisions of the regulations, rules, codes, conditions and policies which apply to our students. These are available at www.edgehill.ac.uk/studentterms.
If you join a full time undergraduate degree at Edge Hill University, we will guarantee you the offer of a room in our halls of residence for the first year of your course.
Discover our accommodation
Facilities
The Faculty of Education enjoys the enviable position of being one of the country’s leading providers of transformative education, training and research for the teaching and education workforce. Housed in a state-of-the-art £9m building, the Faculty of Education enjoys a stunning setting from both its lakeside and piazza buildings.
Facilities in the lakeside building include a 300-seat lecture theatre, five well-equipped ICT suites, and 18 teaching rooms complete with the latest technology.
Our nearby piazza building houses our Research Hub and our Secondary and Further Education department including a lecture theatre and a number of seminar rooms.
If you choose to study at Holy Cross College and University Centre in Bury. You’ll be taught by Edge Hill lecturers and staff, and have access to a range of modern facilities, including recent building upgrades and refurbishments. There’s a range of study spaces and a coffee shop where you can relax before lectures. Holy Cross is especially proud of their library, IT facilities, modern classrooms and meeting rooms in the Mary Kelly building where the face-to-face sessions will take place.
Where you'll study
Faculty of Education
Finance
Tuition fees
2025/2026 fee information will be added when available.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme, as well as Irish nationals, may be eligible for the UK tuition fee rate.
Financial support
Subject to eligibility, UK students joining this course can apply for a Tuition Fee Loan from the Government to cover the full cost of tuition fees. Please view the relevant Money Matters guide for comprehensive information about the financial support available to eligible UK students.
EU/EEA and Swiss students who have settled or pre-settled status under the EU Settlement Scheme may be eligible to apply for financial support. Irish nationals can ordinarily apply to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). Please see our EU student finance page for further details.
Your future career
When you graduate from our foundation degree, you’ll be able to go straight into work within the early years sector. You’d be well suited to roles in:
- free schools
- academies
- local authorities
- children’s centres
- play groups
- nurseries
- pre-schools
- multi-agency/consultancy work
You might decide you’d like to continue studying, and you’ll be well placed to do that. You can join a one-year Level 6 conversion degree, allowing you to graduate with a full undergraduate degree. We offer two BA (Hons) conversion degrees here at Edge Hill, designed specifically for graduates of our foundation degree. Choose between Early Years Education or Early Years Leadership.
You might like to gain qualified teacher status and go on to teach in schools. Completing our foundation degree, followed by a one-year conversion degree, will set you up perfectly to apply for a PGCE.
Course changes
Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this information, however our courses are subject to ongoing review and development. Changing circumstances may necessitate alteration to, or the cancellation of, courses.
Changes may be necessary to comply with the requirements of professional bodies, revisions to subject benchmarks statements, to keep courses updated and contemporary, or as a result of student feedback. We reserve the right to make variations if we consider such action to be necessary or in the best interests of students.
