Foundation Degree in Educational Support (Part-time)

This three-year course is designed for practitioners who are supporting teaching and learning in schools, colleges and other education settings. Students are expected to work or volunteer in a practice setting.

This setting may be anywhere where education takes place – informal or formal – and will include care homes/centres, businesses, arts organisations, voluntary or community based organisation, e.g. museums, health centres, as well as colleges, primary, secondary and special schools, nurseries and children’s centres.

These contexts will enable students to use and apply their knowledge and skills as acquired during their course of study and to reflect upon their practice in the workplace to develop it further.

The aims of the programme are to:

• Develop an understanding of the variety of roles played by professionals and practitioners in a range of educational settings, enabling students to locate their own place and contribution to educational processes developing personal and professional skills
• Provide students with broad and balanced knowledge and understanding of the principal features of education and theoretical perspectives in order to enhance their ability to construct reasoned arguments about educational issues
• Broaden students’ knowledge of educational practice from beyond their specific setting into the local, national and international arena
• Enable students to become accomplished, flexible practitioners who are able to respond to the needs of learners in educational settings
• Provide a vocationally specific curricula in which academic study is closely integrated with reflection and investigation of work based practice
• Enhance a range of professional, academic and lifelong learning skills, knowledge and understanding in support of workplace and academic learning, enhancement of current practice and preparation for career development and further study.

Year One

• Child Development and the Life Course
• Thinking and Learning
• Reflective Professional Practice

Year Two

• The Voice of the Learner
• Positive Interactions
• Partnership Working
• Reflective Professional Practice

Year Three

• Education for Social Justice and Equality
• Enhancing Subject Knowledge
• Research Skills
• Reflective Professional Practice

Applicants will normally need to have had two years’ experience of working in an educational setting which may have been with children, young people or adults and have achieved a qualification in English/literacy and maths/numeracy, equivalent to at least Level 2 of the National Qualifications Framework.

• 56 UCAS Tariff points from BTECs, A-levels etc.
• Work as a volunteer or in paid employment for at least 16 hours per week
• NCFE Level 3 CACHE in supporting teaching and learning or any related NVQ qualification
• Access to Higher Education Diploma in an appropriate pathway
• Five GCSEs grade 9/4 (A*-C) or equivalent – to include English and maths.
• Overseas students must have IELTS 6.0 or equivalent
• Satisfactory DBS clearance.
• Students who do not meet the minimum academic entry requirements but have significant life and/or work experience will be considered on the basis of evidence of personal, professional and educational experience which indicate an applicant’s ability to meet the demands of a foundation degree.

The Foundation Degree in Educational Support part-time route is a three-year course which includes the following qualifications: 

– Year 1/2 – Level 4 Certificate in Higher Education
– Year 2/3 – Level 5 Foundation Degree in Educational Support

Assessment is through coursework and presentations. The course will be delivered over half a day per week at out South Bristol Skills Academy Centre. 

Students will not gain a Cert HE Level 4 until the end of Semester 1 or Year 2. A Foundation degree will be gained by the end of Year 3.

Upon successful completion of the Foundation Degree, students will be able to apply for progression to a relevant Honours degree in Education in Professional Practice at UWE.

As a City of Bristol College student, you may incur additional costs to attend your course. For example, it is likely you may need to pay for travel and stationery. 

Many courses offer learning opportunities that you may need to pay for. This may include things like study visits and visiting speakers. We will let you know in advance if there will be additional costs.

If you are on a limited income, you may be able to receive help from our Learner Support Funding Bursary.