PGCert Early Years Practice

Gain the knowledge and skills to be an early years leader, and ensure children get a positive start in life, with our PGCert Early Years Practice course.

Work with babies, toddlers and young children in your chosen settings, and learn at one of the UK's leading providers of teacher training – the Institute of Education.

Options with PGCert Early Years Practice at the 黑瓜吃料网

For those seeking to work with babies, toddlers and young children: Graduate Entry (GE), full-time for 12 months.
For those already employed in the sector: Graduate Employment-based (GEB), part-time for 12 months.

On each pathway you will train to teach early education and care across the birth-to-five age range, gaining 60 master’s credits and Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

There are no fees to pay as the Department for Education fully funds this degree.

How you’ll learn

On this EYTS course, you will learn through a series of lectures, workshops, tutor- and student-led seminars, and placements.

Throughout your course, you will:

work on tasks in groups
have individual tutorials
carry out work-based learning activities
present work to your peers and the academics
undertake self-guided independent study
review relevant legislation and statutory frameworks
gain practical experience in different settings.

You will participate in activities designed to help you plan your teaching and care effectively and imaginatively.

We encourage you to share your experiences and expertise with other trainees. This enables open discussion and group support, as well as building individual confidence and peer respect.

Your learning environment

The Institute of Education offers an exciting and nurturing environment, where you’ll be challenged and supported to grow as an individual and as an early-years practitioner.

Your tutors are on hand to offer regular guidance and support, ensuring any potential issues are addressed as early as possible. In addition to academic support, our Student Support Team offers counselling services and wellbeing information.

Partnership with schools

This course is designed in collaboration with our school's partnerships, ensuring that it meets both your needs as a learner and the needs of the children you teach.

We have long-standing partnerships with hundreds of child-based settings and are renowned for our excellent relationships with our partners. It is a testament to the strength of these partnerships, and the reputation of our graduates, that most Berkshire schools employ at least one graduate from the 黑瓜吃料网.

Placements

On our PGCert Early Years course, we ensure that your placements meet your needs and complement your previous experience. You will gain invaluable experience in a number of different settings, one of which could be a children's centre. The variety of placements we offer will strengthen your knowledge and help develop your practical skills in real-life situations.

While you are on a placement, you will be fully supported and closely monitored by your University tutors. You will also be visited by a member of our academic staff.

Your placements will provide you with the perfect opportunity to connect with potential employers and build a professional network.

Facilities

The Institute of Education, based at our historic London Road campus, has recently undergone a £30m refurbishment to create a dedicated world-class education centre.

We have an incredible collection of teaching resources housed in our Learning Hub. A treasure trove for teachers, the Learning Hub contains an extensive selection of teaching aids for loan or reference, from big books to puppets. A printing and binding facility and technical equipment library are also available for your use.

Climate and sustainability education

At the 黑瓜吃料网, we believe climate and sustainability education is everyone's responsibility. You will be given access to training that enables you to incorporate climate education into your teaching, as part of our National Climate Education Action Plan.

You will learn about:

what is happening to our climate, how to help children learn about climate and sustainability in an age-appropriate and accessible way, and how to develop your own positioning as a teacher
climate justice, the impact of current and future changes to our environment and climate on ourselves and others, and the implications for teachers
how to translate knowledge and theory into change and personal action through building climate and sustainability education into your planning, teaching and children's learning.

Visit our Partnering for the Planet site to find out more about the 黑瓜吃料网’s world-leading work in climate science.

Research

98% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Education).

For more information, please visit the Institute of Education website.

Overview

Gain the knowledge and skills to be an early years leader, and ensure children get a positive start in life, with our PGCert Early Years Practice course.

Work with babies, toddlers and young children in your chosen settings, and learn at one of the UK's leading providers of teacher training – the Institute of Education.

Options with PGCert Early Years Practice at the 黑瓜吃料网

For those seeking to work with babies, toddlers and young children: Graduate Entry (GE), full-time for 12 months.
For those already employed in the sector: Graduate Employment-based (GEB), part-time for 12 months.

On each pathway you will train to teach early education and care across the birth-to-five age range, gaining 60 master’s credits and Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

There are no fees to pay as the Department for Education fully funds this degree.

How you’ll learn

On this EYTS course, you will learn through a series of lectures, workshops, tutor- and student-led seminars, and placements.

Throughout your course, you will:

work on tasks in groups
have individual tutorials
carry out work-based learning activities
present work to your peers and the academics
undertake self-guided independent study
review relevant legislation and statutory frameworks
gain practical experience in different settings.

You will participate in activities designed to help you plan your teaching and care effectively and imaginatively.

We encourage you to share your experiences and expertise with other trainees. This enables open discussion and group support, as well as building individual confidence and peer respect.

Learning

Your learning environment

The Institute of Education offers an exciting and nurturing environment, where you’ll be challenged and supported to grow as an individual and as an early-years practitioner.

Partnership with schools

This course is designed in collaboration with our school's partnerships, ensuring that it meets both your needs as a learner and the needs of the children you teach.

Placements

While you are on a placement, you will be fully supported and closely monitored by your University tutors. You will also be visited by a member of our academic staff.

Your placements will provide you with the perfect opportunity to connect with potential employers and build a professional network.

Facilities

The Institute of Education, based at our historic London Road campus, has recently undergone a £30m refurbishment to create a dedicated world-class education centre.

Climate and sustainability education

You will learn about:

what is happening to our climate, how to help children learn about climate and sustainability in an age-appropriate and accessible way, and how to develop your own positioning as a teacher
climate justice, the impact of current and future changes to our environment and climate on ourselves and others, and the implications for teachers
how to translate knowledge and theory into change and personal action through building climate and sustainability education into your planning, teaching and children's learning.

Visit our Partnering for the Planet site to find out more about the 黑瓜吃料网’s world-leading work in climate science.

Research

98% of our research is of international standing (REF 2021, combining 4*, 3* and 2* submissions – Education).

For more information, please visit the Institute of Education website.

Entry requirements

Entry requirements: Normally a good undergraduate honours degree (2:2 or above), or equivalent from a university outside the UK.

You will also need GCSE Grade C (or 4) or above in English Language* (English studied as a foreign language is not an equivalent), mathematics* and a science*.

As part of the application process for this programme, you will be required to attend an interview. However, each application is assessed on a case-by-case basis and practical experience may be taken into account where appropriate.

*Please note: some tests stated as being a GCSE equivalent are not accepted for Early Years Initial Teacher Training (ITT). Please contact your provider for advice on suitable courses before booking.

Additional requirements for the Graduate Employment-Based Pathway:

trainees must be employed in an appropriate Early Years setting for at least 16 hours per week
trainees must be working in settings that operate the Early Years Foundation Stage framework.

IELTS: 6.5 overall with no element less than 6.0 (or equivalent)

Pre-sessional English language Programme

Our Pre-sessional English Programme is for international students who need to meet their degree programme's English language requirements.

Our courses equip you with the skills and language needed for academic success, including critical thinking, self-reflection, learner autonomy, research skills and integrating sources. The Pre-sessional English Programme is accredited by , which guarantees you will receive a high-quality student experience.

To find out more, visit Pre-sessional English.

Structure

Modules

The following modules have been approved in principle for delivery in 2025/26. Please note that as part of our current curriculum improvement process, all modules require final University approval and may be subject to change.

Core modules:

Professional Studies: The Reflective Early Years Teacher
Families and Learning
Shared Implementation (Early Years)
Guided Implementation (Early Years)
Independent Implementation (Early Years)

You can also register your details with us to receive information about your course of interest and study and life at the 黑瓜吃料网.

Fees

New UK/Republic of Ireland students:

£0.00 per year

New international students:

£0.00 per year

This degree is fully funded by the Department for Education (DfE)

Additional costs

Some courses will require additional payments for field trips and extra resources. You will also need to budget for your accommodation and living costs. See our information on living costs for more details.

Financial support for your studies

You may be eligible for a scholarship or bursary to help pay for your study. Students from the UK may also be eligible for a student loan to help cover these costs. See our fees and funding information for more information on what's available.

Further information

The DfE may award bursaries to trainees who have a UK degree with a first or 2:1 degree classification.

Careers

Successful completion of an early years teacher training course leads to the award of Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). This award is different to the award of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), and is designed for those who wish to specialise in work with babies and young children from birth to five years.

Through our PGCert Early Years Practice course, you'll train to become a graduate leader, responsible for organising and leading high-quality practice in early years settings. The placements you complete, along with your academic training, ensure that you are highly attractive to employers. In fact, our trainee teachers are so sought after, most have jobs before they finish their course.

Upon graduation, you will be qualified to work in a wide range of settings, including:

day care, nurseries and preschools
academies and free schools
out-of-school settings
children's centres
home-based childcare settings, such as childminding.

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