Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner Level 2

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  • Start Date: 01/09/2026
  • Course is for: School Leaver
  • Course Length: 1 Year
  • Funding Support Funding Support:
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This is an exciting one year full time course aimed at helping you to develop the skills needed for a career in early years and childcare.

We are committed to ensuring you are job ready when you leave us and we will provide the knowledge and skills needed when working under supervision with children and young people from birth to seven years.

This course will help you to develop the necessary skills and knowledge to show any potential employers that you have the right attitude, work ethic and high standards that would be an asset to any organisation.

You will gain an understanding of all aspects of:

  • childcare
  • child development
  • child safety
  • learning and play
  • communication

You will learn and develop your skills by using a range of exciting and innovative teaching and learning methods including:

  • Trips and visits, for example to Beamish Museum and the Centre for Life
  • Attending guest lectures
  • Completing projects, presentations, posters and displays
  • Assignment work.

You’ll attend tutorial sessions, work in groups, complete special projects on equality and diversity and take part in fundraising activities.

Required Entry Qualifications

GCSE grade 4 English Language

GCSE grade 3 in maths

We use lots of different assessments methods to measure your progress and give you feedback to help you to improve.

These include:

  • Presentations
  • Projects
  • Hands on experiences
  • Google expeditions
  • Group work
  • Activity planner

Your will be delivered by a teaching team who are passionate about the subject area.

All teachers maintain their industry knowledge and skills by returning to practice at least once a year.

Several sit on the early year’s professional exchange and some are also Governors in local schools.

We have excellent links with a range of high quality employers in day nurseries and primary schools where you may be provided with an opportunity to work alongside a professional as part of a work placement to put what you have learnt in the classroom into practice.

After this course, you can progress onto a Level 3 course.

As a result of successful work placements some of the students are employed by their placements employers.

Whatever support you need, we’re here for you and will make sure you get the most out of your time at college.

We have expert teams in place to look after every single one of our students.

Our specialist teams can help with:

  • Learning difficulties
  • Physical and sensory disabilities
  • Dyslexia, dyspraxia, neurodiversity or other specific learning difficulties
  • Mental health and well being
  • Exam access arrangements
  • Money, finance and bursary advice
  • Careers advice, job and university applications

See here for more information, pop into one of our enrolment events, call us on 0191 490 4627.

You’ll need to buy a tunic for your work placement and have black trousers and sensible shoes to wear.

We’ll let you know how much this costs during the application process and funding is available to cover these costs for those who meet the eligibility criteria.

WHAT CAN I DO WITH A QUALIFICATION IN DIPLOMA FOR THE EARLY YEARS PRACTITIONER LEVEL 2?

  • Early Education and Childcare Assistants
  • Early Education and Childcare Practitioners

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Median Salary
£18,185

Average Qualifications
Level 2 NVQ; GCSE at grades A*-C

Find Out More

Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service: Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

Psychology: Knowledge of human behaviour and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioural and affective disorders.

Education and Training: Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.

English Language: Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.

Public Safety and Security: Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.

Median Salary
£21,371

Average Qualifications
Level 2 NVQ; GCSE at grades A*-C

Find Out More

Skills

Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
View More About This Career

Skills

Learning Strategies
Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Mathematics
Using mathematics to solve problems.
Science
Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
View More About This Career
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Thursday 11 June 2026

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Monday 15 June 2026

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School Leaver Course Guide 2026/2027

View or download our course guide for 16-18 year olds.

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