Foundation Degree (Arts) Supporting Children in Primary Education

School: School for Education Futures

The FD (Arts) Supporting Children in Primary Education is designed to allow support staff working in primary schools a progression route to qualified teacher status (QTS).

Throughout the course there is an emphasis on the development of practical, personal and professional attributes required to promote the development of a world class workforce. This includes developing a knowledge of supporting children in literacy and numeracy in the primary school as well as supporting pedagogy.

Graduates will be able to progress to a top-up degree in BA (Hons) Childhood and Family Studies or the BA (Hons) Special Needs and Inclusion which they can combine with the Registered Teacher Programme, or progress to GTP or PGCE after their Honours programme. These graduates will combine years of experience with academic knowledge, in a market where mathematics teachers are in high demand, making them very employable.

In year one you will study modules related to child development, diversity and personal achievement and safeguarding and promoting well-being as well as developing you as a reflective practitioner.

In the second year you will study supporting children in literacy & numeracy in the primary school, research methods, enabling learning, leading practice and developing critical reflection as well as modules related to either Childhood and Family Studies or Special Needs and Inclusion Studies.

Hold a level three qualification (A levels, NVQ level three, NNEB diploma, BTEC National Diploma, Diploma in Child Care and Education).

A minimum of 1 year’s experience supporting children in primary school.

On completion of the course, students will be enabled to:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the importance and challenges of inter-agency working when leading practice to meet the needs of children and families, including health and well-being.
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the expected pattern of children’s development, including pedagogical approaches, creative planning of learning opportunities, the curriculum, the learning environment, assessment and methods of researching these.
• Demonstrate the underlying values and principles relevant to the ideologies of inclusion, including the diversity of learners and the complexities of the inclusion process.
• Process a range of relevant empirical and theoretical data to propose solutions to problems in different contexts.
• Reflect on their own value system, relating this to social diversity and global citizenship.
• Develop the qualities and transferable skills necessary for lifelong learning, including digital literacy.

• The Foundation Degree is designed to be studied flexibly, around your current work commitments.
• Students can choose to specialise in the second year to focus on Childhood and Family Studies or Special Needs and Inclusion Studies, dependent on your current role and career aspirations.
• Successful completion of the FD (Arts) Supporting Children in Primary Education allows progression on to either the BA (Hons) Childhood and Family Studies or BA (Hons) Special Needs and Inclusion Studies which can be combined with the Registered Teacher Programme in order to gain QTS. Alternatively a PGCE or GTP could be completed following the Honours degree.