Pathway to Health and Early Years – Entry Level 3

Required qualifications

This course is designed for learners who are currently working at Entry Level in maths and English and are ready to take the next step in their learning. It’s perfect for those who want to build confidence, develop essential skills, and prepare for progression onto programmes in Health and Social Care or Early Years or into wider college programmes.

What skills will I develop?

On the Pathway to Health and Early Years course, you’ll gain a strong mix of practical skills, essential knowledge, and personal development that prepares you for progression to courses in health and social care or early years. You will:

• Develop key care skills – such as communication, empathy, safeguarding awareness, and understanding the needs of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.
• Build confidence working with others – through teamwork, group projects, and real or simulated workplace tasks.
• Improve your communication – learning how to speak, listen, and write clearly and professionally in a care or early years setting.
• Gain insight into the sector – exploring what it’s like to work in health and social care or early years education, including roles, responsibilities, and expectations.
• Strengthen your English and maths – applying these core skills to everyday tasks like writing reports, managing time, and working with measurements or finances.
• Learn how to stay safe and professional – including understanding safeguarding, equality and diversity, and professional behaviour in the workplace.
• Prepare for employment or further study – with support in CV writing, interview practice, and career planning tailored to the care and early years sectors.

Careers

This course is the perfect first step if you’re interested in a career in health and social care or early years education. It’s designed to help you build a strong foundation of practical skills, confidence, and knowledge that will support your progression onto a higher-level course, depending on your maths and English grades. These next steps can then lead to exciting and meaningful careers, including roles like:

• Nursery Assistant
• Care Support Worker
• Classroom Assistant
• Youth Worker
• Health Care Assistant
• SEN (Special Educational Needs) Support

You’ll also develop transferable skills, like communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and resilience, that are valued in any workplace.

As part of the course, you’ll receive guidance and support to help you plan your future, whether that’s further study or an apprenticeship.

Work experience

Our dedicated Work Experience team are here to help and support you in finding a meaningful work experience opportunity.

Recent studies have shown that employers consider work experience to be extremely desirable. Whilst qualifications are hugely important, employers also require candidates to have skills and experience necessary for the workplace.

Preparing you for the working world is very important to us, so that you may be successful in your next step.

Work experience placements provide you with the opportunity to develop your skills; have a better understanding of the industry you want to work in and give you an insight into what it is like to be employed. They can also be great fun and very rewarding and you may even be offered a great reference, a part–time job, holiday working hours, apprenticeships or full-time jobs.

Once you start your course you will be provided with further information about work experience programmes, but it is never too early for you to start thinking about work experience placements and finding an employer who will offer you an opportunity.

Work experience is an opportunity for you to gain experience in your chosen career path in order to develop relevant skills. Equally, it also helps you to acquire employability skills, attitudes and behaviours that are essential for future employment. There will be an opportunity for you to reflect on your performance during work experience and you will receive some form of reference/feedback from the employer.

English and maths

As part of your course, you’ll attend maths and English sessions alongside your main qualification. These aren’t just extra lessons, they’re a key part of helping you succeed both in college and in your future career.

To support you, we provide a dedicated maths and English resource that you can access on campus and remotely, giving you flexibility to practise and build your skills at your own pace.

In the early years sector, strong maths and English skills are essential. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to develop these through your everyday learning, including:

• Improving spelling, grammar, and sentence structure in your written assignments
• Taking part in class discussions to boost your communication skills and confidence
• Working on group tasks and presenting ideas, helping you become a more effective team player and communicator

These skills are not just important for passing your course, they’re vital for progressing and your next steps.

Other important information

The Pathway to Health and Early Years course is designed to give you a strong foundation in both practical skills and personal development. The units you’ll study are focused on real-world knowledge that prepares you for further education or a future career in health, social care, or early years.

You’ll explore a wide range of topics, including:

• Working in a Team: Develop your teamwork and communication skills by learning how to collaborate effectively, take on shared responsibilities, and contribute to group success—skills that are essential in any care or education setting.
• Problem Solving Skills for Work: Learn how to approach challenges with confidence by identifying problems, thinking critically, and developing solutions in realistic work-related scenarios.
• Food and Nutrition for Children: Understand the importance of healthy eating in early childhood. You’ll learn how to plan nutritious meals and snacks and promote positive food choices, while also exploring food hygiene and safety.
• Caring for Young Children and Babies: Gain key knowledge around the basic care needs of babies and young children, including personal care, routines, emotional wellbeing, and safety.
• Parenting Skills: This unit introduces the key responsibilities and challenges of parenting. You’ll learn how to support a child’s development and create a safe, nurturing environment.
• Improving Own Confidence: Personal development is a big focus of this course. You’ll take time to reflect on your strengths and set goals to build your confidence, resilience, and independence—skills that will benefit you in both life and work.

Each unit is practical, relevant, and designed to help you grow into a confident, capable learner ready for the next step.