Scottish Vocational Qualification
Early Years Care & Education

Introduction

Experiential Play is a Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) approved Centre.

We are offering the SVQ Early Years Care and EducationLevel 2 and Level 3 as detailed within this information pack.

Standards

The SVQ's are based on standards developed by the National Training Organisation (NTO) for Early Years. The NTO for Early Years represent a wide variety of people working in a broad range of occupations within the national health, personal and social services, criminal justices, special needs housing and community work.

The way we deliver our training at the Centre ensures all current Scottish legislation is considered and is embedded in the underpinning knowledge taught.

Structure

The structure of the SVQ is illustrated in the description of the Level 2 and Level 3 courses, as is the delivery programme we will carry out.

Teaching of Underpinning Knowledge

It is hoped that the delivery of the underpinning knowledge can be set up to be flexible. Presently we deliver a teaching session for 3 hours each week as detailed in the plans further in this pack. Should it be more suitable to deliver a 6-hour session every fortnight or two days a week every month, this can also be arranged.

Throughout the programme there may be sessions that will focus on one issue, there may be sessions focused on personal research and information gathering. This will ensure every aspect of the course content is made relevant and exciting to the candidates. The programme will be drawn up, as far as possible for each individual groups needs.

These sessions can be offered from our Centre. Within our centre we have a huge amount of resources available to candidates.

It ranges from textbooks, activity books, practical resources, story sacks, language boxes, videos and a large variety of equipment. This will enhance the delivery for all candidates.

Should our centre not be a suitable venue then other premises will be identified to meet the groups of candidate's needs. Each session will have a similar format, a theory based teaching slot, and a practical session reflecting the theory discussed and a session focused on the paperwork needed to ensure the performance criteria is laid down and achieved.

We have found that the continuity for candidates, having a weekly session, is very supportive. It ensures that they keep up to date with their paperwork and have access to guidance and support when they need it.

Assessment

The course is made up on continual assessment. The candidates will be involved in submitting written evidence on an ongoing basis to their assessor. Their assessor will visit them at least once a month for a 2 - 3 hour assessment visit. The assessor and candidate will plan each visit together and a detailed agreement of what is expected by both parties explained and agreed before the session takes place. This means that the candidate will be visited in their work place no less that 12 time throughout the course.

As the assessor and candidate plan and work together, individual forward plans can be devised to enable the candidate to time manage every aspect of their own training.