HND Early Years Professional Leadership Foundation degree at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College
HND Early Years Professional Leadership at NWSLC. You'll engage with core theory, research methods and applied practice, alongside specialist options and an independent project, all designed to build professional expertise in early years leadership.
About this course
In 2023 the government created approved Higher Technical Qualifications as an alternative to apprenticeships or degrees From the provider’s course page.
HND Early Years Professional Leadership is a Foundation degree (HND) at NWSLC, based in Nuneaton Campus. 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
A typical UK Education & Teaching degree builds from foundations to specialist options and a final project. An indicative structure:
| Stage | Module |
|---|---|
| Year 1 | Foundations of Education How children learn and how schooling is organised. |
| Year 1 | Child Development Cognitive, social and emotional development birth to adolescence. |
| Year 1 | First school experience Observation and supported teaching placements start early. |
| Year 2 | Curriculum & Pedagogy Planning, teaching and assessing across core subjects. |
| Year 2 | Inclusion & SEND Supporting learners with special educational needs and disabilities. |
| Year 2 | School placement 2 Sustained classroom practice with increasing responsibility. |
| Year 3 | Behaviour, Assessment & Professional Studies The craft and standards of the profession. |
| Year 3 | Specialist options Typically early years, subject specialisms or education policy. |
| Year 3 | Final placement & QTS assessment Leading classes against the Teachers' Standards (QTS routes). |
Typical structure for this subject (indicative). Modules vary by university. Check the provider's course page for the exact curriculum.
Specialisations & pathways
Tip: click a specialisation → current jobs in that area.
Course in depth
What this course covers, who it suits and where it leads.
What you'll study
This course is an HND Foundation degree set up as an alternative to apprenticeships or degrees for higher technical training. You'll study the foundations of education and child development, exploring how children learn and how schooling is organised. Early school placements begin from Year 1 through observation and supported teaching. In Year 2, you'll move into curriculum planning, teaching and assessment across core subjects, alongside study of inclusion and special educational needs. You'll also undertake sustained classroom practice placements with increasing responsibility. Year 2 leads into professional studies covering behaviour, assessment and the standards of the profession. Throughout, you'll usually encounter specialist options such as early years, primary teaching, SEND & inclusion, education policy and school placements, culminating in practical work within settings.
Who it's for
You're someone drawn to working with young children and developing as a leader within early years settings. You have a clear interest in the theory and practice of child development, and you're ready for a hands-on programme that combines foundational knowledge with specialist workplace skills. You'll thrive in a two-year full-time course that treats study as something active and grounded, not abstract, where your learning feeds directly into practice. This qualification suits people who want to progress into senior or leadership roles within nurseries, pre-schools and early years services without necessarily pursuing a three-year degree.
Careers & job market
National figures across Education and Teaching show that 90% of graduates are in work or further study within 15 months. Of those working, 70% move into highly skilled roles or continue studying. Graduate earnings nationally range from £22,000–£30,000 at the 15-month point, rising to £21,250–£30,000 after five years. These are sector-wide outcomes, not individual guarantees. The early years sector continues to expand, and this Foundation degree positions you for management, training or specialism within professional childcare and education settings.
University & format
The HND Early Years Professional Leadership is delivered over 2 years as a full-time course at North Warwickshire and South Leicestershire College, a higher education college based on the Nuneaton Campus. Teaching is conducted in English. The qualification is a nationally recognised Foundation degree, accredited as a recognised UK degree-awarding body.
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.
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
Standard capped home fee at English providers (2026/27); Scotland, Wales & NI differ.
Check fees at NWSLC →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.
Education SEN MentorMacIntyreEducation Recruitment ConsultantAcademicsEducation Delivery Consultant - Fast Paced, Dynamic Organisation - WorcestershireAP EducationEducation Trustee - Lead Youth Careers & Outdoor LearningRacing to SchoolEducation Recruitment Consultant - Build Futures & Earn UncappedProtocol EducationEducation Recruitment Consultant: Grow Your Desk & ImpactEducation AssetsWho studies here and in this subject?
Provider- and UK subject-level context.
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 Nuneaton Campus
849 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 NWSLC from outside the UK involves: fees, English, visa, funding and living costs.
Tuition fees
International tuition is set per course by NWSLC; international fees are typically £12,000–£30,000/year for classroom subjects and higher for lab/clinical ones. 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 NWSLC’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 NWSLC and gov.uk before you apply.
Related courses
More at NWSLC
Common questions
What are the entry requirements?
What do graduates earn?
What will it cost me?
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