Child Development

Programme of study

This is a vocational qualification so, everything you learn about will be linked to working with children aged 0 -5 years. You will develop knowledge, understanding and practical skills that are used in the childcare sector. And will give you the background knowledge and understanding for a future working with children. This is an engaging qualification and you will learn about how children develop 0-5 years, how to support the health and wellbeing of children from pre-conception right the way up to 5 years and how to create a safe environment and understand the nutritional needs of children 0-5 years.

Unit R057: Health & Wellbeing for Child Development

In this unit, students will learn about the importance of both pre-conception health and creating conditions in which a child can thrive, including the prevention and management of childhood illnesses and creating a safe environment.

Topic 1 – Pre-conception health and reproduction

Topic 2 – Antenatal care and preparation for birth

Topic 3 – Postnatal checks, postnatal care and the conditions for development

Topic 4 – Childhood illnesses and a child safe environment

Unit R058: Create a safe environment and understand the nutritional needs of children from 0-5 years

In this unit, students will learn how to create a safe environment for children from birth to five years in childcare settings. They will investigate and choose equipment that is both suitable and safe for use and will learn about their nutrition and dietary needs.

Topic 1 – Creating a safe environment in a childcare setting

Topic 2 – Choosing suitable equipment for a childcare setting

Topic 3 – Nutritional needs of children from birth to five years

Unit R059: Understand the development of a child from 0-5 years

In this unit, students will learn the expected developmental norms for children from one to five years. They will use observation, research techniques and skills to investigate these development norms and explore their findings. Students will also learn the importance of creating plans and providing different play activities to support children in their development.

Topic 1 – Physical, Intellectual and social development norms from one to five years

Topic 2 – Stages and types of play and how play benefits development

Topic 3 – Observe the development of a child one to five years

Topic 4 – Plan and evaluate play activities for a child aged one to five years for a chosen area of development

How is the course structured & assessed?

The OCR Cambridge National Technical Award in Child Development is run over two years and content is broken down into units. Each unit is worth a specific number of points and, to successfully complete the course, students must complete each unit to the required minimum standard. 

Unit 1: Health and wellbeing for Child Development is externally assessed. This will be a written examination consisting of a  one hour paper. You will take this in Year 11. It is worth 40% of the qualification.

Unit 2 and 3 are assessed through coursework completion and this means that there is no final written examination for these units. Each of these units has a n

umber of assignments to complete in order to fulfil the individual unit requirements.

What can these qualifications lead to?

This course is ideal preparation for progression to more detailed study of Health & Social Care and Early Years, such as an A Level course or a BTEC National 

Qualification (Level 3) in our Sixth Form. Some students may complete the course and progress to an apprenticeship or training within the early year’s field.