The Child Development course at Castle Donington College covers all aspects of child development and parental responsibility, from conception to five years. 

Pupils learn about children and play, as well as working practice in early years’ settings. Pupils work towards the Cambridge National Level 1 / Level 2 National Certificate in Child Development which includes a combination of theory and practical activities, including an assessed activity with a young child. During the course pupils explore the key characteristics of early childhood growth and development from birth to five years across the developmental areas. Pupils develop knowledge, understanding and technical skills by planning, developing and adapting play opportunities suitable for young children across the five areas of development. 

Pupils gain experience on a range of topics that are important to the early years, such as the importance of play and how child-friendly environments help to support this. By studying Child Development our pupils learn about societal influences, which enables pupils to gain a real insight into all of the challenges, excitement, considerations and responsibility surrounding children’s development. 

Pupils will have the opportunity to experience life in an early years setting through a work experience placement. This experience will enable them to understand what play really means for children and how important it is to plan appropriate learning activities to develop young children’s knowledge and skills. Work experience encourages multiple approaches to learning, such as practical opportunities and real-life scenarios, which will support pupils to develop their applied knowledge and practical skills.