Course Description

The ‘BTEC’ Tech Award in Child Development is an exciting course. The course is a vocational qualification with an aim to:

· Inspire and enthuse learners to consider a career in early years or related sectors, where knowledge of child development is relevan

· Give learners the opportunity to gain a broad knowledge and understanding of and develop skills in the early years sector, for example, child development and the importance of play to promote child development

· Give students the potential opportunity, in due course, to enter employment

The course consists of the following three components

Component 1: Children’s Growth and Development

Component 2: Learning Through Play

Component 3: Supporting Children to Play, Learn and Develop

Assessment Structure

Component 1, ‘Children’s Growth and Development’ and Component 2, ‘Learning through Play’ are broken down into specified tasks which target different learning aims. Tasks will be handed out and submitted within a  specified time frame set by the exam board. They are then marked internally, moderated and returned to students with grade banding for each task completed. 

The third component, Component 3, ‘Supporting Children To Play, Learn and Develop’ is externally assessed in a written 2 hour assessment taken in Year 11. Edexcel sets and marks the assessment which is taken by the learner under examination conditions and is worth approximately 40% of the final mark.

Why study this subject?

The BTEC Tech Award is an introduction to vocational learning. This course is for students who wish to acquire knowledge, understanding and technical skills through vocational contexts as part of their Key Stage 4 learning. The course gives students the opportunity to build applied knowledge and skills that show an aptitude for further learning, both in the sector and more widely. It recognises the value of learning skills, knowledge and vocational attributes to complement GCSEs and will broaden the learner’s experience and understanding of the varied progression options available to them.

The BTEC Tech Award in Child Development provides the knowledge, understanding and skills for Level 2 students to progress to:

· Other Level 2 vocational qualifications

· Level 3 vocational qualifications, such as the BTEC Nationals in Children’s Play, Learning and Development or the BTEC Nationals in other sectors, such as in Health and Social Care

· Related academic qualifications

Apprenticeships within the early years and health and social care sectors