Childcare

We offer a range of full-time and part-time programmes, at different levels, to help you land your dream job looking after infants. Our programmes cover all aspects of childcare and playwork and offer you both direct access employment as well as progression to Higher Education.

NHC programmes provide clear routes directly into work as well as on to higher education programmes. If you continue to higher education, you could later pursue careers in teaching, paediatric nursing and social work as well.

• Childcare in nursery settings: nursery assistants work with babies and young children from birth up to the age of five. You will learn how to plan and supervise play and learning activities like arts and crafts, music and cooking, as well as develop the children’s numeracy and literacy skills through counting games and story reading. You will also learn how to feed and change children as well as monitor and record their progress to feed back to parents and carers. Other units of study will include supporting children’s linguistic, social and emotional development.
• Home-based childcare: these programmes are suitable if you are considering childminding. A childminder works with children for more than 2 hours a day in their own home, performing a very similar role to a nursey assistant. Childminding is not an easy ‘stay-at-home’ job, as you will be regularly monitored by Ofsted and your local authority to ensure you are working to legal regulations. You will also develop business skills such as marketing, budget management, writing policies and risk assessments in order to run and promote a childminding business.
• Early years education: these programmes will prepare you for roles such as teaching assistant or support teacher in which you would work closely with teachers to aid children with learning activities in the classroom. You will learn about child development, safeguarding and the role of play in education. Teaching assistants often work with children who have learning needs and your role is to ensure that they can access and enjoy schoolwork and develop their literacy, numeracy and social skills. Tasks may include helping teachers to plan and prepare classrooms for lessons; reading to children and listening to them read; supporting teachers to manage pupil behaviour or assisting on school trips or sports event.

Our department is run by a well-qualified and experienced team of staff who share a commitment to excellence in teaching and to ensuring that you reach your full potential. You will mix theory with practical work to gain an understanding of the childcare sector as well as receiving help to strengthen your functional skills in maths and English.