Learners develop the knowledge and practical skills required to manage effective care routines that support children's individual needs, health, wellbeing and development.

Topics include:

• The importance of responsive and individualised care routines.
• Supporting children's physical and emotional wellbeing.
• Promoting healthy eating, hygiene and personal care.
• Managing appropriate care arrangements.
• Supporting children's independence and self-care skills.
• Recognising individual care needs and preferences.
• Promoting dignity, respect and inclusive practice.
• Maintaining safe and effective care environments.
• Working collaboratively with parents and carers.
• Monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of care routines.

Learners develop advanced knowledge of children's emotional wellbeing and resilience and the leadership approaches required to promote positive mental health and emotional development.

Topics include:

• The importance of emotional wellbeing in early childhood.
• Attachment, relationships and emotional security.
• Supporting children's confidence and resilience.
• Recognising factors affecting emotional wellbeing.
• Supporting children through transitions and significant events.
• Promoting positive relationships and a sense of belonging.
• Developing emotionally supportive learning environments.
• Recognising individual emotional and developmental needs.
• Supporting colleagues to promote children's wellbeing.
• Evaluating approaches to improving emotional wellbeing and resilience.

Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to model, promote and support positive behaviour within early years environments.

Topics include:

• Understanding children's behaviour and emotional development.
• Factors influencing behaviour in early childhood.
• Supporting self-regulation and emotional understanding.
• Modelling positive interactions and relationships.
• Developing consistent and inclusive behaviour approaches.
• Supporting children with individual behavioural needs.
• Promoting respectful and positive learning environments.
• Working with parents and carers to support behaviour.
• Guiding colleagues in positive behaviour approaches.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of behaviour-support strategies.

Learners develop the advanced knowledge and skills required to lead effective approaches to children's speech, language and communication development.

Topics include:

• Speech, language and communication development in early childhood.
• Factors influencing communication and language acquisition.
• Recognising communication difficulties and additional needs.
• Creating communication-rich learning environments.
• Planning purposeful language and communication experiences.
• Supporting verbal and non-verbal communication.
• Promoting listening, attention and understanding.
• Supporting children with English as an additional language.
• Working collaboratively with families and professionals.
• Leading colleagues in effective communication practices.
• Evaluating approaches to supporting language development.

Learners develop the ability to lead and evaluate effective early education practices that promote children's learning and holistic development.

Topics include:

• The principles of effective early years education.
• Applying the Early Years Foundation Stage.
• Supporting an ambitious and inclusive curriculum.
• Understanding early years pedagogy.
• Planning purposeful learning experiences.
• Supporting child-initiated and adult-led learning.
• Creating stimulating and enabling environments.
• Using observation and assessment to inform practice.
• Supporting children's individual learning needs.
• Leading colleagues in effective teaching and learning.
• Evaluating curriculum implementation and impact.
• Identifying opportunities to improve educational provision.

Learners develop an advanced understanding of children's holistic development from birth to seven years.

Topics include:

• Theories and principles of child development.
• Cognitive and neurological development.
• Physical development and motor skills.
• Speech, language and communication development.
• Personal, social and emotional development.
• Early literacy and mathematical development.
• Attachment and emotional security.
• Factors influencing developmental progress.
• The impact of family, social and environmental circumstances.
• Recognising individual developmental differences.
• Supporting transitions and significant events.
• Applying developmental knowledge to professional practice.

Learners develop the knowledge and practical skills required to support children's early literacy development.

Topics include:

• The importance of early literacy.
• Supporting communication and language as foundations for literacy.
• Developing children's interest in books and stories.
• Supporting early reading behaviours.
• Phonological awareness and early phonics.
• Mark-making and emergent writing.
• Creating literacy-rich environments.
• Supporting literacy through play.
• Adapting literacy activities to individual needs.
• Working with parents and carers to support literacy.
• Observing and assessing early literacy development.
• Evaluating approaches to promoting emergent literacy.

Learners develop the knowledge and practical skills required to support children's early mathematical understanding.

Topics include:

• The importance of early mathematical development.
• Developing number awareness and counting skills.
• Supporting mathematical language and understanding.
• Exploring patterns, shapes and spatial awareness.
• Introducing measurement and comparison.
• Supporting problem-solving and reasoning.
• Developing mathematical learning through play.
• Creating mathematically rich environments.
• Adapting activities to children's developmental needs.
• Supporting mathematical confidence and curiosity.
• Working with parents and carers to encourage mathematical learning.
• Observing and evaluating children's mathematical development.

Learners develop advanced safeguarding knowledge and the ability to contribute to effective organisational safeguarding arrangements.

Topics include:

• Statutory safeguarding responsibilities.
• Relevant legislation and safeguarding guidance.
• Recognising signs and indicators of abuse and neglect.
• Understanding organisational safeguarding responsibilities.
• Developing and reviewing safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Responding appropriately to safeguarding concerns.
• Recording and reporting concerns.
• Information sharing and confidentiality.
• Working with safeguarding leads and external agencies.
• Understanding the Prevent Duty and wider safeguarding responsibilities.
• Supporting staff safeguarding knowledge and practice.
• Monitoring the effectiveness of safeguarding arrangements.
• Promoting a strong organisational safeguarding culture.

Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to support effective health, safety and risk management within early years provision.

Topics include:

• Health and safety legislation and organisational responsibilities.
• Developing and reviewing health and safety procedures.
• Identifying hazards and assessing risks.
• Supporting safe indoor and outdoor environments.
• Managing accidents, incidents and emergencies.
• Infection prevention and control.
• Supporting safe working practices.
• Promoting children's health and wellbeing.
• Monitoring compliance with organisational procedures.
• Supporting colleagues in applying health and safety requirements.
• Evaluating risk management arrangements.
• Identifying opportunities for improvement.

Learners develop the ability to promote inclusive professional practice and challenge barriers to equality and participation.

Topics include:

• The principles of equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Relevant legislation and statutory responsibilities.
• Recognising discrimination, prejudice and bias.
• Promoting inclusive environments and experiences.
• Respecting individual differences and family backgrounds.
• Supporting equitable access to learning opportunities.
• Identifying and reducing barriers to participation.
• Promoting children's rights and individual needs.
• Supporting colleagues in inclusive practice.
• Working with families and professionals.
• Challenging discriminatory practice appropriately.
• Evaluating and improving inclusive approaches.

Learners develop advanced knowledge of SEND and the leadership approaches required to promote effective support for children with additional needs.

Topics include:

• Understanding Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.
• Relevant legislation and the SEND Code of Practice.
• Recognising individual learning and developmental needs.
• The graduated approach to SEND support.
• The role and responsibilities of the SENCO.
• Supporting early identification and intervention.
• Planning and adapting inclusive learning experiences.
• Removing barriers to learning and participation.
• Working collaboratively with parents and carers.
• Supporting multi-agency working.
• Guiding colleagues in inclusive practice.
• Monitoring and evaluating SEND support arrangements.

Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to establish and maintain effective partnerships that support children's learning, development and wellbeing.

Topics include:

• The importance of partnership working.
• Building effective relationships with parents and carers.
• Supporting family engagement and participation.
• Communicating with families from diverse backgrounds.
• Recognising parents as partners in children's learning.
• Working collaboratively with colleagues.
• Understanding the roles of external professionals.
• Supporting multi-agency working.
• Maintaining confidentiality and appropriate information sharing.
• Managing professional relationships and boundaries.
• Supporting children and families through transitions.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of partnership arrangements.

Learners develop advanced leadership and management skills required to support and manage effective early years teams.

Topics include:

• Leadership and management theories and approaches.
• The responsibilities of early years leaders and managers.
• Understanding organisational structures and team roles.
• Developing effective team relationships.
• Communicating expectations and organisational objectives.
• Supporting staff motivation and engagement.
• Delegating responsibilities appropriately.
• Managing team performance and accountability.
• Supporting recruitment, induction and professional development.
• Managing conflict and workplace challenges.
• Coaching and mentoring colleagues.
• Supporting organisational change.
• Promoting reflective and collaborative working.
• Evaluating team effectiveness and performance.

Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to manage accurate, appropriate and secure records within early years environments.

Topics include:

• The purpose and importance of professional record-keeping.
• Statutory and organisational documentation requirements.
• Maintaining accurate and timely records.
• Data protection and confidentiality.
• Secure information storage and sharing.
• Recording children's learning and development.
• Maintaining safeguarding and welfare records.
• Preparing professional reports.
• Supporting effective information management.
• Using records to inform decision-making.
• Monitoring the quality and accuracy of documentation.
• Improving organisational record-keeping practices.

Learners develop the knowledge and leadership skills required to evaluate and improve the quality of early years education and care.

Topics include:

• The principles of high-quality early years provision.
• Statutory and regulatory requirements.
• The relationship between leadership and quality improvement.
• Monitoring and evaluating professional practice.
• Reviewing curriculum implementation and impact.
• Understanding quality assurance and self-evaluation.
• Gathering and analysing evidence of performance.
• Identifying strengths and areas for development.
• Supporting staff involvement in quality improvement.
• Developing and implementing improvement plans.
• Monitoring the impact of improvement activities.
• Promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

Learners develop the knowledge and skills required to support their own professional development and that of colleagues.

Topics include:

• The importance of Continuing Professional Development.
• Identifying individual and organisational development needs.
• Supporting reflective professional practice.
• Developing professional development plans.
• Coaching and mentoring approaches.
• Supporting colleagues to develop knowledge and skills.
• Providing constructive feedback.
• Supporting staff learning and development activities.
• Monitoring progress against development objectives.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of professional development.
• Promoting a positive learning culture.
• Encouraging ongoing professional improvement.

Learners develop advanced reflective and evaluative skills to review their professional knowledge and identify opportunities for continued improvement.

Topics include:

• The importance of critical reflection.
• Evaluating professional knowledge and understanding.
• Reviewing current approaches to children's learning and development.
• Using research and evidence to inform practice.
• Identifying personal strengths and development needs.
• Recognising the impact of professional decisions.
• Evaluating the effectiveness of teaching and learning approaches.
• Using feedback to support improvement.
• Developing professional learning objectives.
• Planning Continuing Professional Development.
• Reflecting on leadership and management responsibilities.
• Applying learning to improve professional practice.