The intent of the Child Development curriculum is to give students an insight into the challenges, excitement, and responsibilities surrounding children’s’ development. The curriculum aims to develop applied knowledge and understanding of how children up to the age of five develop and grow, how children learn through play and how meeting the needs of individual children will support their development, play and learning.

Our curriculum focuses on ensuring that all pupils:

• Gain a deeper understanding of the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children from pregnancy to five years.
• Gain an understanding of the roles and responsibilities of being a parent, the needs of young children and the social, environmental, and economic influences which affect family life.
• Gain practical knowledge and creative thinking skills by planning and adapting play opportunities that are suitable for young children.
• Gain experience of roles in the childcare sector through visits by childcare workers and through observing childcare practice.

We endeavour to inspire our students and ensure our pupils develop a passion for childcare led by the belief that every child should have access to safe and purposeful learning opportunities led by a responsible, educated professional. Likewise, the professional skills and personal attributes needed to work in this field will be instilled to students, so that by the end of the course our pupils will be ready to pursue their chosen career path either at KS5 or a vocational apprenticeship.