HND Early Childhood Education and Care HTQ Foundation degree at Coventry University
HND Early Childhood Education and Care HTQ at Coventry University is nationally recognised and accredited by a UK degree-awarding body. Coventry University holds Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
About this course
Develop into a professional, self-reflecting individual able to meet the demands of employers in the early education and care sector and adapt to a constantly changing world. From the provider’s course page.
HND Early Childhood Education and Care HTQ is a Foundation degree (HND) at Coventry University, based in CU London (Dagenham). It runs 2 years, studied full-time.
For the typical curriculum, specialisations, career paths and graduate earnings for Education & Teaching, see the sections below.
Curriculum & modules
Real modules published for this course, grouped only where the source gives a year, stage or level.
Year one 5 modules
- Using Research to Promote Inclusive Early Childhood EnvironmentsCompulsory30 credits
Module details
You will be introduced to the concept that practitioners are researchers within the field and be introduced to essential research skills. It is anticipated this will then inform your practice as well as support your academic competence through the sourcing, reading and analysis of contemporary literature. You will use critical thinking and writing skills to explore and assess a broad range of texts around your chosen research topic. You will also explore data collection methods currently used in
- Professional Development and Protecting Children in Early Childhood EnvironmentsCompulsory30 credits
Module details
Holistic child-centred practice is embedded into the daily roles of early childhood practitioners working with children in the age ranges of 0–8 years. Completion of this module gives you an opportunity to embed reflective practice into your everyday role. It gives insight into management, change and holistic child-centred approaches, designed to facilitate progression in, and onto, advanced practice in early childhood education and care-related careers. It should also support continuing higher
- Promoting and Supporting Children's DevelopmentCompulsory30 credits
Module details
You will consider how biology, neurological brain development and environmental experiences play a major role in influencing children's development and learning through the first three years of life. You will demonstrate how you, as a practitioner, can support others in implementing best practice that leads to positive long-term impact on children's holistic development. By applying your reflective understanding of children's development, you should be able to identify and justify innovative pra
- Play, Learning and Promoting Health LivingCompulsory30 credits
Module details
You will examine the complexities and challenges that play provides in early childhood practice. You will be encouraged to challenge perspectives on play and see the reasoning behind developing a deep understanding of play. Practical skill development in recording quality observations of children's self-chosen play is an essential part of this unit. Considering the differing perspectives on play through a consideration of a range of disciplines such as psychology, sociology, play work, health an
- Year 1 Placement ModuleCompulsory
Module details
There is a mandatory work placement or experience element embedded within this course. You have to complete placement hours in each stage of the course in early education and/care settings in order to achieve the qualification. There is a requirement of 575 cumulative hours' work placement or experience in early education and/care settings over the two-year period of the course.
Year two 5 modules
- Investigating Childhood: Action Research for Early Childhood PractitionersCompulsory30 credits
Module details
This module aims to support you in evaluating practice and initiating a small change to practice in your settings based on the reading and research you have undertaken. You will explore what is meant by action research and what it might involve, considering a range of research methods and data collection tools before deciding upon and justifying an action research project in your setting. You will also explore the ethical implications involved in undertaking your research project, referring to y
- Managing and Leading People in Early Education and CareCompulsory30 credits
Module details
This module will develop your understanding of the relationship between leadership and management and the methods by which these are applied in early years settings. Through examining your own role, you will use the knowledge gained to develop appropriate opportunities to effectively lead and manage people and a team in a children's early education and care environment. This should include promoting a positive culture, clear communication, a shared vision, setting shared objectives and monitorin
- Managing and Improving Quality in Early Childhood Education and Care EnvironmentsCompulsory30 credits
Module details
This module explores the strategic relationships with key stakeholders including social services, schools, health, and inspection frameworks. You will consider the nature and purpose of curriculum with a focus on how management implements the curriculum to meet the holistic needs of the children. You should also develop an understanding of how to manage staff resources effectively to deliver high-quality provision. The module will introduce you to a range of evidence and data to encourage the de
- Innovative Approaches to Children's Play and Learning in PracticeCompulsory30 credits
Module details
This module will support you to explore new initiatives in global practice and reflect on how this could impact your own practice. Practical skill development in the use of observation as a research technique and how to comply with complex ethical procedures will be supported. You will use observation in practice to create small-scale innovative change. The voice of the child is a strong focus in this module.
- Year 2 Placement ModuleCompulsory
Module details
There is a mandatory work placement element embedded within this course. You have to complete placement hours in each stage of the course in early education and/care settings in order to achieve the qualification. There is a requirement of 575 cumulative hours' work placement or experience in early education and/care settings over the two-year period of the course.
Source: provider course page. Modules can change; required/optional status, credits, descriptions and assessment are shown only when explicitly published.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course develops you into a professional, self-reflecting individual who can meet employers' demands in early education and care whilst adapting to a constantly changing world. A course like this typically begins with foundations in how children learn and how schooling is organised, alongside child development from birth through adolescence. Early school placements and observation start in Year 1. Year 2 deepens your understanding of curriculum planning, teaching and assessment, alongside learning to support learners with special educational needs and disabilities through sustained classroom practice. You'll usually progress to specialist options in Year 2 or later, such as early years, primary teaching, SEND and inclusion, education policy, or QTS routes, culminating in final placements and professional studies that ground your teaching practice against national standards.
Who it's for
This course suits those seeking a structured qualification in early childhood education and care, whether you're entering the field or progressing within it. Full-time study over two years allows you to combine coursework with placement experience.
Careers & job market
Across Education and Teaching courses nationally, 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Of those working, 70% are in highly skilled roles or undertaking further study. National earnings data shows starting salaries (15 months post-graduation) typically fall between £22,000 and £30,000, rising to £21,250–£30,000 after five years. These are national figures; individual outcomes vary. Retention is strong: 85% of students continue past their first year.
University & format
This HND Foundation degree is studied full-time over 2 years at Coventry University's London campus in Dagenham, with instruction in English. Coventry University is a nationally recognised degree-awarding body; the university achieved Gold for teaching quality in the Office for Students' TEF 2023 and is.
Applicant information
The next application dates for this course, followed by facts the provider publishes.
- 2027 entryCompleted applications can be submitted
Your application needs a reference before you can send it.
- 2026 entryFinal date for 2026 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2026 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
- 2027 entryEqual-consideration deadline
18:00 UK time for most undergraduate courses.
Show 5 later dates
- 2027 entryUCAS Extra opens
Applicants who used all five choices and hold no offer may be able to add another choice.
- 2027 entryLast day applications go directly to providers
Applications received after 18:00 UK time are entered into Clearing.
- 2027 entryClearing opens
Eligible applicants can see vacancies and release themselves into Clearing.
- 2027 entryFinal date for 2027 applications
Applications must reach UCAS by 18:00 UK time.
- 2027 entryLast day to add a Clearing choice
Check that this course still has a vacancy before adding it.
Work placement. Availability, selection and pay can vary.
See and book current events. Dates can fill or change.
Entry & how to get in
Entry & your chances
An honest read from the official entry data, plus your personal match.
Entry is set by the university and based on your offer. Use your predicted grades to see how you compare, then check the university's stated requirements.
How to apply
Undergraduate applications go through UCAS. Here’s what matters for this course, the right deadline, the grades to aim for, and the steps in order.
- 1Register on UCAS Hub
Create your UCAS application and add this course. One application covers up to five choices.
- 2Write your personal statement
A single statement covers all your choices, so keep it broad enough for similar courses while showing genuine interest in this subject.
- 3Submit by 13 January 2027, 18:00 UK time
UCAS equal-consideration deadline for most undergraduate courses. Source: UCAS 2027 dates.
- 4Reply to your offers
When decisions are in, pick a firm (first) choice and an insurance (back-up) choice with slightly lower grades.
- 5Results day & confirmation
On results day (mid-August) your place is confirmed if you meet the offer. Just missed? Talk to the university, or find a place through Clearing.
Fees & funding
What this course costs and how UK student finance covers it.
Tuition per year
Provider fee page (England 2026/27 cap where not stated).
Check fees at Coventry University →For students who normally live in England
2026/27 Student Finance England figures. Maintenance support is means-tested and this two-point view is not an entitlement calculator. The course total uses its published length and home fee where both are available; a missing full-time fee uses the clearly labelled England-cap scenario, while part-time fees and unknown lengths are never guessed. Use the official calculator. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland use separate systems: SAAS, Student Finance Wales, and Student Finance NI.
Starting on or after 1 January 2027?
The Lifelong Learning Entitlement is a separate system. A new learner’s tuition entitlement is currently stated as £39,160 (about 480 credits at 2026/27 fee levels), subject to prior study and eligibility. Check the official LLE guide.
Paying for it
- Tuition Fee Loan: can cover eligible tuition up to the applicable limit and is paid straight to the provider.
- Maintenance Loan: up to £10,830/yr away from home outside London (England, 2026/27), means-tested on household income.
- Repayment: 9% of income above £25,000, nothing below it; written off after 40 years.
- Earn alongside: most students work part-time in term, part-time roles on the StudySmarter job board.
England figures shown; Scotland, Wales & NI run their own schemes, check gov.uk.
Scholarships & bursaries you could qualify for
That does not mean no funding exists. Check the university directory for current amounts, eligibility and application dates.
National funding for this subject
- Teacher-training bursaries: Postgraduate bursaries and scholarships are available for selected shortage subjects. Official guidance
We only display a named award when its provider source identifies the award and who it is for.
Still deciding what to study?
StudyKit brings course choice, applications and funding together in one place, with a personal AI assistant. Find what really fits you and start your UCAS application step by step.
Careers & earnings
What Education & Teaching graduates actually earn, from real outcome data, 15 months, 3 years and 5 years after graduating.
- 1Graduate roleFirst role after the degree · 0–2 yrs
- 2Specialist / PractitionerWorking in education & teaching · 2–5 yrs
- 3Senior / LeadLeading work and people · 5–10 yrs
- 4Head of / ExpertSenior leadership or deep expertise · 10+ yrs
How pay grows: this course vs Education & Teaching nationally
National figures for Education & Teaching graduates, HESA Graduate Outcomes (15 months) and the Longitudinal Education Outcomes (LEO) dataset (3 & 5 years). These are national, not university-specific; actual pay varies by employer, region, role and experience. Different cohorts, so the bars are not one group over time.
Work out your pay
Headline figures hide a lot. Calculate realistic take-home pay for this field by role, region and experience, then check your CV before you apply.
Job market & outlook
How Education & Teaching graduates fare in the labour market, and how AI is reshaping the work.
How AI is changing the work
AI doesn't replace the profession, it shifts it: routine tasks get automated, while judgement, working with people and using AI well become more valuable.
What AI takes off your plate
- Routine information gathering
- First-draft writing and summaries
- Standard analysis and admin
- Repetitive processing tasks
More human than ever
- Judgement and original thinking
- Working with and leading people
- Owning and sense-checking AI output
- Ethics and accountability
The strongest graduates pair subject depth with the ability to use AI tools critically.
Roles & employers
Where Education & Teaching graduates typically go, indicative destinations from graduate career data. Each role links to live openings on the StudySmarter job board.
Roles graduates go into
Where they work
- Schools & academy trusts
- Local authorities
- Education charities
- Tutoring providers
Jobs after this course
Current roles from the StudySmarter job board that suit Education & Teaching graduates.
Who studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
Coventry University
Education and teaching across the UK
HESA student record 2024/25. Counts are rounded.
Local crime-data context
A neutral snapshot around the published teaching location.
Around CU London (Dagenham)
1,102 street-level reports returned within roughly one mile across 2026-04 to 2026-06.
Police.uk street-level API. Approximate locations, not confined to campus. England, Wales and Northern Ireland; not Scotland.
Is Education & Teaching right for you?
Tick what applies to you and see how good a fit it is.
International students
What applying to Coventry University from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is £9,790 / year for this course (from the provider’s fee page). You’re not eligible for UK Tuition Fee or Maintenance Loans, so plan for fees plus living costs upfront.
English language
Most UK undergraduate courses ask for around IELTS 6.0–6.5 (no band below 5.5–6.0), or an accepted equivalent. If you’re just short, most universities run a pre-sessional English course that counts towards the requirement.
Student visa
You’ll usually need a Student visa (Student Route). After you accept an offer the university issues a CAS; you then show funds for fees plus about £1,023–£1,334/month living costs and pay the Immigration Health Surcharge for NHS access.
Scholarships & funding
Many universities offer international/global scholarships (often £2,000–£6,000/yr), check Coventry University’s funding pages.
Living costs
Budget roughly £1,100–£1,400/month outside London and £1,400–£1,800/month in London for rent, food and travel; the figure also matters for your visa.
Working while you study
A Student visa usually allows up to 20 hours/week in term time and full-time in holidays, useful alongside study, though not something to rely on for fees.
Visa rules and fees change. Always confirm the current requirements with Coventry University and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at Coventry University
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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