Mandatory Units

Unit 300: Developing effective study skills - K/506/0194

• Understand how to develop study skills
• Know a range of study strategies and techniques
• Know the factors that affect study
• Be able to use and apply study skills to achieve a set outcome

Unit 301: Promote partnership working with parents - D/506/0192

• Understand the principles and values that underpin parental involvement in their child’s early learning
• Understand the barriers which could prevent partnership working with parents
• Be able to work in partnership with parents

Unit 302: Model, promote and support positive behaviour with children - F/506/0203

• Understand how legislation, frameworks, codes of practice and policies relate to supporting the positive behaviour of children
• Be able to support children to understand their behaviour
• Be able to respond positively to children’s behaviour
• Be able to promote self-confidence, self-esteem and resilience in children

Unit 303: Principles of safeguarding policies and procedures in early years settings - Y/506/0207

• Understand the main legislation, guidelines, policiesand procedures for safeguarding in early years settings
• Understand the importance of working in partnership with other organisations to safeguard children
• Understand how to recognise and respond to evidence or concerns of abuse or harm in an early years setting
• Understand the importance of e-safety for children in an early years setting

Unit 304 Promoting diversity, equality and inclusion in the early years sector - T/506/0196

• Understand equality, diversity and inclusion in the early years sector
• Understand how to promote inclusive practice
• Be able to promote equality, diversity and inclusion in an early years setting

Unit 305 Working in partnership with colleagues and other professionals in early years settings - D/506/0208

• Understand the reasons for working in partnership with colleague and other professionals to support children and families in the early years sector
• Understand how to identify a support need that requires partnership working
• Understand the duty of care and legislation that requires the early years practitioner to identify and act on support needs
• Be able to work co-operatively with colleagues and other professionals

Unit 306 Plan and implement activities, play opportunities and educational programmes in an early years setting - F/506/0198

• Understand the importance of planning and implementing activities, play opportunities and educational programmes in line with current educational curriculum requirements
• Be able to plan activities, play opportunities and educational programmes in line with current educational curriculum requirements
• Be able to implement activities, play opportunities and educationa programmes in line with current educational curriculum requirements
• Be able to reflect on activities, play opportunities and educational programmes

Unit 307 Promoting children’s health and welfare in an early years setting - J/506/0199

• Understand the health and welfare requirements of the current early years statutory guidance
• Understand the importance of promoting positive health and well - being for children
• Understand how to ensure children receive high quality, balanced nutrition and hydration to meet their growth and development needs
• Be able to provide personal care for children
• be able to meet the nutrition and hydration needs of children

Unit 308 Promoting the health and safety of children - M/506/0200

• Understand the health and safety requirements of the current ear years statutory guidance
• Understand how to identify and manage risks and dilemmas in early years settings
• Understand appropriate responses to accidents, incidents emergencies and illness in work settings and off site visits
• Be able to recognise and manage risks to health, safety and security in a work setting or off-site visits
• Be able to follow infection control procedures within an early years setting

Unit 309 Promote children’s speech, language and communication development - T/506/0201

• Understand the importance of speech, language and communication for children’s overall development
• understand the importance and the benefits of adults supporting the speech, language and communication development of children
• Be able to support children’s speech, language and communication development
• Be able to contribute to maintaining a positive early years environment that supports communication, language, literacy and numeracy/mathematics

Unit 310 Support organisational requirements for recording, storing and disclosing information and providing reports in an early years setting - A/506/0202

• Understand the legal and organisational requirements for recording, storing and disclosing information and providing reports in an early years setting
• Be able to handle information in accordance with agreed ways of working
• Be able to use records and reports to inform judgments and decisions in an early years setting

Unit 311 Supporting children’s creative and imaginative play and experiences - L/506/0205

• Understand the developmental stages of creativity and imaginative playing children
• Know the role of the practitioner in supporting creative development and imaginative play in children
• Understand how the environment, activities and resources can b used to support children’s creative development and imaginative play
• Be able to support children’s creativity and imaginative play
• Be able to support children’s creativity through the use of media and materials
• Be able to use communication to support children’s creativity, creative experiences and imaginative play
• Be able to evaluate and develop practice and activities that support creative and imaginative development for children

Unit 312 Supporting children experiencing transitions and significant events in the early years sector - R/506/0206

• Understand the potential effects of transitions and significant events in the lives of children
• Be able to support children through the management of transitions and significant events

Unit 313 Continuous professional development using reflective practice in the early years sector - J/506/0204

• Understand the importance of continuing professional development and reflective practice in the early years sector
• Be able to agree and implement a professional development plan
• Be able to use reflective practice in own work role in the early years setting

Unit 400 Theories which underpin practice in the early years sector - M/506/0195

• Understand the theories that underpin current early years practice
• Understand the significance of attachment and how to promote it
• Understand the importance of play in supporting children’s learning and development
• Understand the purposes and principles of early years pedagogy and systems in the early years sector

Unit 401 Child development from conception to 7 years - H/506/0193

• Understand the expected pattern and holistic aspects of development for children from birth to 7 years
• Understand pre and post natal neurological and brain development in children from conception to 7 years
• Understand the factors that influence development of children from conception to 7 years

Unit 402 Observation and assessment in the early years sector - A/506/0197

• Understand the purpose and value of observation and assessme in the early years sector
• Understand the principles of observations and assessments in an early years setting
• Know observation and assessment methods available in an early years setting
• Know how to involve others in observation and assessment for early years sector
• Be able to carry out observations and assessments of children in the early years sector
• Be able to use observations and assessments to evaluate and inform practice in an early years setting

To achieve the Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator), learners must achieve 64 credits from the mandatory units shown above. 

Step 1: Course Enrolment 

Step 2: Induction call

Step 3: Submitting Work- with feedback from your assessor

Step 4: Getting Help - when you need help, you can contact your assessor with questions any time and get in touch with our customer support team between 9 am and 6 pm Mon - Fri.  

Step 5: Completion - once you and your assessor are confident that you have met the criteria in each unit,  your portfolio goes into the IQA stage, which takes approximately 9-12 weeks. After this stage, we will be able to claim your certificate.

Approximately 15 minutes after purchase, you will receive your login details (Please check Spam folder) by email, including a link and instructions to log into your course. You can also find your learning portal by clicking on the ‘student login’ button on our website or by clicking here; lms.thelearningstation.co.uk. 

You will get a call to arrange your induction within days of completing the enrolment process. the induction will go through your chosen course, advise on suitability, Help you choose your optional units, and pathways, explain what is expected from your work, provide training on the use of our system and answer any questions that you have. The Induction will take place over the phone.

You can expect any work submitted to be marked within 14 days marking and feedback may take longer if you submit more than 3 assignments in a month.

All our courses are delivered online so no Classroom learning, We have some learning resources but as our qualifications are vocational and work-based courses, you are expected to conduct research and gain skills, knowledge and understanding from your working environment. Your assessor will provide you with assessment plans, which may include guidance and materials, as well as provide constructive feedback on the work that you complete.

Your assessor will provide you with assessment plans with work to complete, as well as their contact information. They will not reach out to you if you are not doing your work, you need to get in touch if you are having trouble with your assignments.

Your assessor should respond to any messages from you within just 3-working days, but it is usually sooner. If you have sent your assessor a message and you haven’t heard back from them, please let us know by emailing [email protected].

Level 2

For anyone who has a level 2 early years qualification that they attained after 1st September 2019, provided that this meets the level 2 relevant and full criteria, they can be counted towards the staff to child ratio at level 2.

Level 3

For a staff member who has a level 3 qualification from 1st September 2014, provided they meet the full level 3 relevant criteria, they can also be counted towards the EYFS staff to child ratio at level 3.

Higher levels

For those staff members who have a qualification in early years at the level of four or five (completed as part of a level 6 course) if that four or five level qualification is not listed as meeting the relevant and full criteria, they will not be able to be part of the EYFS staff to child ratio at level 3.

The DfE has a list of qualifications which meet their criteria allowing the holder of that qualification to count as part of the staff to child ratio according to the regulations set down by the EYFS. If you are not sure whether your qualification qualifies you to work in the early years setting, then you can check the early years qualification list:

This qualification requires an assessment of both competence and knowledge. Throughout your City and Guilds Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) course, you will be assessed through a variety of methods:

• Written assignments and coursework

• Having a manager or colleague complete a witness testimony of tasks completed in a workplace

• Direct observations of you carrying out work-related tasks

• Professional discussions over the phone

• Supplying us with work product evidence.

• Written assignments and coursework
• Having a manager or colleague complete a witness testimony of tasks completed in a workplace
• Direct observations of you carrying out work-related tasks
• Professional discussions over the phone
• Supplying us with work product evidence.

Upon completion of your course, there are steps that we must take to quality assure your qualification to then send to the awarding organisation.

• The Assessor must review your work in full before submitting it to our IQA, this usually takes around 2 weeks.

• The IQA will review any requests within 1-months, but this is usually sooner. If there are actions on your portfolio it will be sent to the assessor for them to complete, and then these steps will be repeated.

• Once the IQA has quality checked and approved your portfolio for external sampling by the awarding body, the office will submit the claim for your certificate within 5 working days.

• The awarding body will usually issue a certificate within 2-weeks from this point; however, they may request sampling of your work, in which case it can be up to one month.

• The usual duration is 1-2 months from completion.