Children’s Play Learning & Development
BTEC First Award Children’s Play Learning & Development (Pearson)
In BTEC Children’s Play, Learning and Development (CPLD) we aim to provide students with essential skills and knowledge to prepare them for the next step in their lives, whether that be further education, training or the workplace. At Acklam Grange School, we aim to equip students with the knowledge and skills required to contribute to further study or employment within the Childcare sector. Through the study of this sector at KS4, our students will have the opportunity for practical application alongside conceptual study. In turn, we want our students to be prepared for post-16 progression in this key sector.
Around 370,000 people work within the childcare sector within the UK (2019). This covers jobs and careers from childminders to nursery nurses as well as specialist provision and care for children with additional needs. By pursuing a high level of sector specific knowledge and skills in a practical learning environment, our students develop important attitudes and values which they can take forward into future careers. As a result of this exposure students can become informed and understand the different needs of children at different age groups. They can also develop their knowledge and understanding of how important inclusive practice is and how to provide this for all children within a setting.
Our curriculum naturally consists of engaging, knowledge-rich subject content which can bring the real-world to life for our students. The BTEC CPLD course involves teaching learners topics relevant to society, including milestones for children aged between 0-8, the different areas of growth and development and how this can be measured and tracked, and the role of adults in caring for children ensuring that their needs are met. This is known as inclusive practice and is something that students can experience first-hand in the classroom as well as in theory through the use of real-life case study examples. Additionally, this course also allows learners to develop their team working skills, their practical skills and gives them the opportunity to develop their own opinions, initiative and moral compass.
Further to knowledge, the purpose of BTEC CPLD is to develop assessment and evaluation skills, therefore enabling learners to develop a range of skills that can be applied to other aspects of life.
The enthusiastic team of dedicated teaching staff delivering the course are driven to provide students with the transferable skills they will need to be successful in this ever-developing technological world we live in. The subject naturally lends itself to supporting students in their other studies around the school and into their futures, including many links to numeracy (graphs, centile charts, specific ages) and literacy (key terms and technical vocabulary and language). Our curriculum has been developed to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate creativity, zest as well as independence through project work.
In conclusion, BTEC CPLD provides the required theory, explained through practice and real-life case studies, and helps to raise new generations of skilful, informed and responsible citizens prepared for life in modern Britain.