About this course
V Level Education is ideal for students who are interested in how people learn and develop and who are considering a future career working with children or young people. It provides an opportunity to explore education from a practical perspective while developing an understanding of the theories and approaches that underpin effective teaching and learning.
You will look at how learning can be planned and supported, how different learners can be included and how progress can be assessed. You will also explore the importance of positive relationships, effective communication, safeguarding and creating environments where learners can participate and make progress.
The course combines theoretical knowledge with applied activities, giving you opportunities to consider how education works in real settings. You will develop your understanding of different pedagogical approaches, human development and cognitive science, while also considering how technology can support learning.
It is particularly suited to students who enjoy working with others, thinking about how people develop and finding ways to support learning and progress.
What will you learn?
You will explore the knowledge and skills needed to support effective learning and development. The course considers both the theory behind education and how this can be applied in different learning environments.
You will study areas including:
Health, safety, safeguarding and wellbeing
Pedagogical approaches and theories of learning
Cognitive science and how people learn
Human development from birth to adulthood
Planning effective learning sessions
Learning goals, success criteria and assessment
Inclusion, access, participation and progress
Effective communication with learners, families and professionals
Positive relationships and supportive learning environments
Feedback and using assessment information to support progress
Reflective practice, including approaches such as Kolb, Gibbs and Schön
The use of technology in education
Risk assessment in different learning environments
You will also develop an understanding of how learning can be adapted to meet individual needs and how information about learners can be used to set meaningful goals and improve outcomes.
Who is this course aimed at?
This course is aimed at students who are considering a career in education or who are interested in how children, young people and adults learn and develop. You might be thinking about becoming a teacher, teaching assistant or working in another education or early years role.
You will need to be interested in people and willing to consider different perspectives on learning and development. The course involves applying ideas to realistic situations, so you will need to be able to communicate clearly, think about how different learners may experience education and consider how learning could be adapted to support individual needs.
V Level Education can also provide a useful foundation for students who want to progress to higher education. Relevant degree routes could include Education, Primary Education, Early Childhood Studies, Education with Sociology or Education with Psychology.
It is a good choice if you want to understand not just what happens in education, but why particular approaches can support learning and development.
Students should have achieved a minimum of grade 4 in GCSE English and GCSE Maths. For students considering a career in primary teaching or early years, a minimum of grade 4 in GCSE Science is also expected. The course is best suited to students with a strong interest in education, learning and supporting the development of others.
Assessment focuses on applying knowledge, understanding and skills to realistic, work-related situations. Students will demonstrate their learning through activities such as planning learning sessions, considering how to communicate effectively with parents, families and professionals, recommending adaptations to support inclusion, completing risk assessments and evaluating assessment information.
The course combines applied activities with knowledge and understanding, allowing students to demonstrate how they would use what they have learned in education settings.Throughout the course, you will develop practical and transferable skills that are valuable in education and a wide range of other settings.
Planning and organisation: planning learning activities, setting appropriate goals and considering how learning can be structured effectively.
Communication: communicating purposefully with learners, parents, families, carers and other professionals and adapting communication for different audiences.
Supporting inclusion: identifying barriers to participation and considering how learning can be adapted to support access, inclusion and progress.
Assessment and evaluation: using assessment information and feedback to understand progress, identify needs and contribute to future learning goals.
Reflective practice: evaluating your own approaches, considering what works well and identifying how practice could be improved.
Problem solving and decision making: considering different situations, identifying appropriate responses and making informed decisions based on the needs of learners.
Progression routes
V Level Education can support progression into further study and careers across education, teaching, early years and related fields. Students may go on to explore careers working in schools, nurseries, colleges or other learning environments, including roles supporting teaching, learning and child development.
The qualification can provide a foundation for degree-level study in areas such as Primary Education, Education, Early Childhood Studies and Education combined with subjects such as Psychology or Sociology. Students considering teaching can also use further study to work towards the qualifications and training required for a teaching career.
There are also apprenticeship pathways, including routes into teaching assistant roles and other education-related employment. The communication, planning, assessment and interpersonal skills developed through the course can be valuable across many careers involving people, learning and development.
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