Posted on: 04/02/25
Childcare and Early Education
With huge demand in Scotland for qualified early learning and childcare workers, there has never been a better time to turn your dream of working with children into a reality.
Whether you want to work as an Early Years Practitioner, Early Years Support Worker, or Pupil Support Assistant, you will get to use the knowledge and skills learned on your college course to change the world, one little person at a time!
Why choose Childcare and Early Education
Working with young children and helping them learn essential skills for life is very rewarding and worthwhile. Our courses combine theory and practical work experience, helping you develop an awareness and understanding of all aspects of children’s growth and development from birth.
Our wide range of courses will provide you with the transferable skills and practical work experience you need to advance in a career in early learning and childcare. And for those already working within this sector, our flexible work-based and part-time study options mean you can fit studying around work and family commitments.
Our courses can lead to careers as an Early Years Manager, Lead Early Years Practitioner, Childcare Assistant and more!
What we offer
- Early Learning and Childcare
- Childhood Practice
- Childhood Studies
- Working with Communities
- Introduction to Care Practice
- Additional Support Needs
Progress to a degree
Did you know that an HNC or HND qualification is the equivalent of first year (HNC) or second year (HND) of a degree at university?
So depending on the subject studied, successfully completing an HNC or HND at Fife College could mean that you have the opportunity to progress on to Year 2 or 3 of a related degree course.
For example, the following route to a degree at Fife College is currently available to students of HNC: Childhood Practice:
Year 1: HNC: Childhood Practice
Year 2: HND: Childhood Practice
Year 3/4: BA (Hons): Childhood Studies
Studying at Fife College can be a cost-effective, local alternative route to a degree, in the same amount of time as studying at university!
Find out more about degree pathways.
Kirsten Paterson
BA: Childhood Practice
“The lecturers have been very inclusive and taken my opinions and views on board, which has been fantastic."
Latest news from the department
View our courses
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HND: Additional Support Needs: Managing and Supporting the Services
This HND Additional Support Needs - Managing and Supporting the Services is designed to provide you with a specialist qualification if you want to work with children or adults who have additional support needs, with an emphasis on the management of support services. This course is designed for those who are working within the area of additional support needs (ASN) and wish to undertake further professional development. It is also for those who are considering entering this field, who have previously achieved a related HNC award (or equivalent). This is an intensive course of study with 18 SQA credits which are delivered over five full days and therefore requires a great deal of commitment and hard work to achieve. The HND Additional Support Needs - Managing and Supporting the Services also provides a progression route to BA Inclusion and Support in Society. You will also complete a practical work placement as part of the course (two days per week on the full-time course). Placements can be in a range of settings and physically demanding. Fitness to practice will be discussed before any placement commences.
BA: Childhood Practice
The BA: Childhood Practice degree programme, delivered in partnership with Queen Margaret University, is designed to provide a rigorous, academic area of study, enabling you to develop the necessary skills and understanding to register as a Lead Practitioner or Manager of Childcare Settings with the Scottish Social Services Council. The degree meets the rules and requirements set out in the Standard for Childhood Practice (Revised 2015) and is jointly approved by the Scottish Social Services Council. The BA: Childhood Practice provides a practice-based examination of the theoretical approaches important to leadership and management within childhood practice. Central to the degree programme is an interdisciplinary approach, drawing on education, health and welfare, sociology, psychology, geography, history, children’s rights, law and justice, political and economic science, anthropology, social policy and philosophy. Theory and practice are combined to ensure that you reflect appropriately on your experience and draw upon recent and relevant research to evaluate and drive towards improvement.
HNC: Childhood Practice
This course will provide you with a rich understanding of working with children and young people, and will help you to integrate knowledge and theory into practice, including the importance of the National Care Standards and Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) Codes of Practice. This course will teach the importance of play to children's development, leadership skills, a thorough understanding of child development theories, strategies to support children with additional support needs, how to understand and support children's behaviour, contemporary family issues, collaborative working and the importance of health, wellbeing and safeguarding. You will participate in a minimum SQA Mandatory requirement of 60 days of practice-based experience in an Early Learning and Childcare Setting where you will also undertake 3 SVQ (Vocational Qualification) units. Placements can be physically demanding and fitness to practice will be discussed before any placement commences. From this course, you can apply for registration as a Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) professional and go into employment within nurseries, playgroups, after school clubs and other play schemes. This course is perfect for those who are progressing on from our NC Early Education and Childcare course.
BA: Childhood Studies
The BA (Hons): Childhood Studies degree programme, delivered in partnership with Queen Margaret University, is designed to provide a rigorous, academic area of study, enabling you to develop the necessary skills and understanding to progress in your career. You will graduate with the knowledge of the multi-disciplinary nature of working with young children and their families, as well as the importance of quality partnerships with parents and other agencies. Central to the degree programme is an interdisciplinary approach, that is underpinned by engagement with social justice, and a focus on children’s rights, equality, and inclusive working with families and communities. Theory and practice are combined to ensure that you reflect appropriately on your experience and draw upon recent and relevant research to evaluate and drive towards improvement.
BA (Hons): Childhood Studies
To apply for this course you must hold a BA Degree in Childhood Studies The BA (Hons) Childhood Studies degree programme (SCQF Level 10), delivered in partnership with Queen Margaret University, is designed to provide a rigorous, academic area of study, enabling you to develop the necessary skills and understanding to progress in your career. You will graduate with the knowledge of the multi-disciplinary nature of working with young children and their families, as well as the importance of quality partnerships with parents and other agencies. Central to the degree programme is an interdisciplinary approach, that is underpinned by engagement with social justice, and a focus on children’s rights, equality, and inclusive working with families and communities. Theory and practice are combined to ensure that you reflect appropriately on your experience and draw upon recent and relevant research to prepare, research, and write your dissertation.
Intermediate Certificate: Childhood Studies
This course is for you if you already have some experience of working with children and young people and/or have a certificated academic qualifications at SCQF level 4 or above. This SCQF Level 5 course combines theory and hypothetical practical experiences for working with children and young people, allowing you to develop an awareness and understanding of all aspects of children’s growth, development and the importance of play, well-being and families. You will participate in a number of hypothetical practical experiences and online learning opportunities to develop your skills and understanding for working with children and young people. As part of your studies you will explore mental health and well-being that will develop your resilience and support your knowledge of this contemporary subject.
Professional Development Award: Education Support Assistance
This course is designed for those who wish to work, or are presently working, as an Education Support Assistant (sometimes known as a classroom assistant, pupil support assistant (PSA) or support for learning assistant – this covers all of these roles). Education Support Assistants are generally employed in schools to support the work of class teachers in learning activities, support Assistants are often involved in supporting and supervising tasks set by teachers to individuals and groups of pupils. This can be in primary schools, secondary schools, and sometimes in the private childcare sector.
Certificate: First Steps to a Career in Childcare including National 4: Early Learning and Childcare – Skills for Work
Do you dream of working with children but don't know where to start? This course is for you if you have limited experience of working with children and of academic study, but wish to develop the skills to progress within the field of childhood studies. You will develop the knowledge to organise a safe environment for children and to plan for play experiences. You will also gain a solid introduction to child development and learn how to care for a child’s needs, whilst developing the skills for further study.
Intermediate Certificate Gateway to Childcare Studies
You will begin to develop their knowledge and skills required to work within Childcare settings from nurseries, schools and after school settings. Studies will include Working in Early Learning and Childcare, Care of Children and Contemporary Families from the National 5 Early Learning and Childcare Award. Throughout studies practical sessions will form part of learning both inside and outside through various play activities, while written tasks will support learning.
HNC: Social Services SCQF Level 7
HNC Social Services, formerly known as HNC Social Care, is for those interested in a career in social care or those already employed within a care setting who may wish to undertake a formal qualification. It involves both practical and theoretical work and will include online delivery supported by face-to-face classroom support. You will undertake a work experience placement during the course. This course meets the criteria for Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) registration as a care practitioner.
HND: Childhood Practice SCQF Level 8
This qualification is suitable for you if you hold a Practitioner qualification as specified by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) such as HNC Childhood Practice or SVQ Social Services: Children & Young People at SCQF Level 7 and have achieved 120 SCQF credits.
Intermediate Certificate: Child Health and Social Care
This course provides an introduction to all areas of the health and social care industry and is aimed at those who want to investigate the different types of opportunities there are in the sector of health, social care, nursing and other allied health professions. The course will allow students to understand what the sector has to offer and how to progress into the area that they feel passionate about.