Access to HE Diploma (Education Professions)

Build the university-level writing skills that support every subsequent assessed unit on this programme. You learn to plan, structure and develop a coherent written response, tailor your voice for different academic audiences and purposes, and apply scholarly conventions consistently, an investment that pays dividends across every Education and child-focused topic that follows.

Develop the active reading techniques that distinguish university study from passive reading. The unit covers a range of strategies for engaging critically with academic texts, examines how context and purpose shape an author's language choices, and equips you with practical note-making methods that convert complex reading into organised, usable knowledge.

Study the family as a fundamental social institution and examine its relationship to wider society. The unit explores the diversity of family structures and role relationships in contemporary Britain, evaluates feminist perspectives on domestic life and gender inequalities within the home, and considers how sociological theories of the family inform educational practice and policy.

Analyse the policy landscape shaping education in England today. The unit traces the historical trajectory of key educational reforms, evaluates the influence of government, Ofsted and awarding bodies on curriculum and assessment, and examines current debates around standards, accountability and school structures that every prospective teacher needs to navigate.

Explore the physical, cognitive, social and emotional development of children from birth through the early years. The unit examines attachment theory and the role of early socialisation in shaping identity, analyses the influence of family, peers and culture, and draws on the work of theorists including Piaget, Vygotsky and Bowlby to explain how young children learn and grow.

Examine the science of food, nutrients and the digestive system in a context directly relevant to child health and wellbeing. The unit covers the major food groups and their functions, traces the anatomical pathway of digestion from ingestion to absorption, and evaluates the role of nutrition in children's physical development, concentration and learning.

Investigate the central role of play in children's development and formal education. The unit examines the theoretical foundations of play-based learning, from Piaget and Bruner to the Early Years Foundation Stage framework, evaluates different types of play and their developmental benefits, and analyses how practitioners design purposeful play experiences within the curriculum.

Develop confident numeracy skills relevant to both classroom practice and subject knowledge requirements for primary teaching. The unit strengthens fluency in number, calculation, fractions, ratio and basic algebra, connects mathematical concepts to the primary National Curriculum, and builds the pedagogical awareness needed to explain mathematical ideas clearly to young learners.

Examine the rapidly changing role of generative AI tools in educational settings. The unit explores how large language models and AI content generators work, evaluates the ethical challenges including bias, academic integrity and data privacy, and develops practical frameworks for using AI responsibly in teaching, learning and assessment contexts.

Compare the major sociological and philosophical perspectives that have shaped how we think about the purpose and practice of education. The unit evaluates functionalist, Marxist and interactionist theories of schooling, examines the relationship between education and social mobility, and analyses how different ideological viewpoints inform curriculum design, assessment and inequality in schools.

Study the biological processes of human reproduction and physical development across childhood and adolescence. The unit covers the male and female reproductive systems, the stages of foetal development, and the physiological changes of puberty, providing the biological literacy expected of professionals working in educational and care settings with children and young people.

Examine the principles and legal frameworks that require educators to promote equality and respect diversity. The unit draws on the Equality Act 2010 and related guidance to explore protected characteristics and their relevance in school settings, evaluates strategies for creating genuinely inclusive classrooms, and analyses the persistent barriers that disadvantage learners from marginalised groups.

Develop the literary critical skills required to analyse prose fiction at degree level. The unit introduces key concepts of narrative, character, theme and authorial technique, applies close reading to extracts from canonical and contemporary novels, and builds the academic vocabulary and analytical confidence needed for literature-based study in Education and English degree programmes.

Examine the legislative and professional frameworks that place a duty of care on all those working with children and young people. The unit covers the statutory guidance in Working Together to Safeguard Children, explores the categories and indicators of abuse and neglect, and analyses the roles and responsibilities of schools, local authorities and multi-agency partnerships in protecting vulnerable learners.

Investigate how individuals present themselves, communicate and form relationships within social groups. Drawing on sociological and psychological theory, the unit examines the processes of group dynamics, conformity, authority and prosocial behaviour, and applies these insights to the social environment of schools and the relational demands of professional practice in education.

Explore the landscape of special educational needs and disability (SEND) in English schools. The unit covers the SEND Code of Practice, the role of Education, Health and Care plans, and the responsibilities of SENCOs and classroom practitioners, and evaluates evidence-based strategies for differentiating learning and promoting inclusion for children with a wide range of additional needs.