Qualifications Review - August 2021
Here at Training Qualifications UK, we aim to keep you up to date with the latest news relating to our qualifications. This post will take you through all the latest qualification news to ensure that you are kept updated and in the know.
This month’s update covers the below areas. Please click the link below to be taken directly to the suite of your choice.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework
The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework are standards that school and childcare providers must meet for the learning, development and care of children from birth to 5. The EYFS framework:
sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well
ensures children are kept healthy and safe
ensures that children have the knowledge and skills they need to start school
There are changes to the EYFS Framework that become law on September 1st 2021 and we have updated our qualifications to reflect the updates within the framework.
Supporting material for the EYFS framework is available on the Foundation Years website.
Paediatric First Aid
TQUK Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid (RQF)
TQUK Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF)
On September 1st, 2021, an updated EYFS framework will apply and our Paediatric First Aid qualifications have been amended in line with the information detailed in Annex A. The updated framework outlines expectations that the EPFA unit (K/615/2495) is "undertaken face-to-face and lasts for a minimum of 6 hours (excluding breaks) and covers the following areas”. The framework defines face-to-face to mean "trainers are physically present with their trainees. This excludes the use of online platforms." In the TQUK Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF), this applies to the Emergency PFA content only.
For both qualifications, we have added the following note about Assessment:
Where stated units should be assessed in line with the EYFS framework. We have also updated K/615/2495 to state that this unit must be assessed in line with Annex A within the EYFS framework.
Centres must ensure their delivery and assessment of the EPFA and PFA courses align with Annex A by September 2021.
Children and Young People's Workforce
TQUK Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce (RQF)
A number of Units have been updated across our Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People’s Workforce qualification.
R/601/5471: We have added guidance to highlight that discrimination can refer to both direct and indirect forms.
K/601/1698: AC 3.3 has been changed to "Analyse the potential tension between maintaining confidentiality with the need to disclose information." The two scenarios previously presented in the assessment criteria have been moved to assessment requirements and an additional scenario ("where the child is at risk of harm") has been added. Learners have to explore a minimum of two scenarios to satisfy this assessment criteria.
R/601/1694: AC 1.2 has been changed to "Assess a child or young person's development". Furthermore, the following two items of guidance have been added:
When assessing a child's development the following areas must be referenced:
Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional
Physical
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding of the World
Expressive Arts and Design
When assessing a young person's development the following areas must be referenced:
Physical
Communication
Intellectual/cognitive
Social, emotional and behavioural
Moral
This allows for new development goals in children to be accounted for, without disrupting young people.
TQUK Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce (RQF)
We have changed the wording in several Units to create more clarity. These Units are listed below:
Y/502/4663: Sitting under the title 'Engage fathers in their children’s early learning', this unit has been replaced by 'M/502/3812 - Engage parents in their children’s early learning'. The use of the term 'parents' in the context of the unit is much more appropriate.
F/601/0315: Under AC 2.1, we have added in a reference to professional parents as this is a widely used terminology within the industry that all learners should be aware of.
K/601/1698: We have changed AC 3.3 to 'Analyse the potential tension between maintaining confidentiality with the need to disclose information.' The two scenarios previously presented in the assessment criteria have been moved to assessment requirements. An additional scenario ('where the child is at risk of harm') has been added. Learners have to explore a minimum of two scenarios for this assessment criteria.
Y/601/2877: Learning Objectives (LOs) and Assessment Criterias (ACs) made no reference to families and carers, despite the unit's title being 'Work with parents, families and carers to support their children’s speech, language and communication development.' AC’s have been rewritten to align with the unit title and increase inclusivity.
A/601/0135: The following Assessment Requirements have been added:
Creativity and creative thinking - Learners must make links to the expressive arts and design area for development and associated early learning goals within the EYFS framework.
R/601/1694: AC 1.2 has been changed to assess a child or young person's development and guidance stating the following has been added:When assessing a child's development the following areas must be referenced:
Communication and Language
Personal, Social and Emotional
Physical
Literacy
Mathematics
Understanding of the World
Expressive Arts and Design
When assessing a young person's development the following areas must be referenced:
Physical
Communication
Intellectual/cognitive
Social, emotional and behavioural
Moral
This allows for new development goals in children without disrupting young people.
Additionally, to further help learners and centres understand opportunities that may be available following the completion of this qualification we have expanded the listed progressions to include:
TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare (RQF)
TQUK Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Children, Young People and Families in the Community (RQF)
TQUK Level 3 Diploma for the Children's Workforce (Early Years Educator)
The following Units have been updated.
M/506/9351: AC 2.1 and 2.2 have been changed to refer to 'literacy' instead of 'reading'. Literacy is the broad term used by the framework to encapsulate reading. Phonics also involves more than just reading skills.
R/506/9343: AC 2.1 and 2.2 changed Neurological and brain development to Neurological development. This is more consistent with other qualifications and the use of brain is redundant. Literacy and numeracy has been changed to literacy and mathematics for consistency with the framework. Social and emotional is now Personal, social and emotional to be consistent with the framework. Speech, language and communication has been changed to communication and language for consistency with the framework.
L/506/9356: A new AC has been added: '4.5 - Discuss observational assessment in a professional manner'. This has been included to further align with expectations of the framework when considering assessment.
Y/506/9344: A new AC has been added: '1.3 - Explain the importance of adult-guided support in promoting children’s holistic development.' Learners now have to consider development with reference to adult-guided activities in order to account for reference to adult-guided play in the EYFS framework.
Additionally, the area of development in ACs 1.4, 2.1, 3.1 and 4.2 has been updated to the following in order to align with the new framework:
Communication and language
Personal, social and emotional development
Physical development
Literacy and mathematics
Understanding the world
Expressive arts and design
T/506/9352: A new AC has been added: '1.3 - Explain the importance of oral health for children'. Oral health is becoming an increasingly important topic in Early Years and we believe it would be valuable for learners to learn and make reference to this when completing the qualification.
Early Years Practitioner
TQUK Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (RQF)
The following Units have been updated for consistency and clarity.
K/617/7901: AC 1.4 (Understanding the world and expressive arts and design) has been updated to reference new development areas so it aligns with the new EYFS framework. Additionally, references to ‘literacy and numeracy skills’ have been changed to ‘literacy and mathematics’ to align the AC with the framework‘We have replaced the use of the term 'brain development' with ‘neurological development' in AC 2.1 and 2.2 as we believe this to be the more accurate term, and we have made the following changes for consistency with the framework:
References to 'literacy and numeracy' have changed to 'literacy and mathematics'
References to 'social skills' have changed to 'personal, social and emotional'
References to 'speech, language and communication' have changed to 'communication and language'
L/617/7907: The following ACs have been updated:
AC 2.1 has been updated to reference 'sustained shared thinking'. This further aligns the qualification with expectations of the apprenticeship standard.
AC 2.2 has been updated to reference 'extending children's thinking'. This further aligns the qualification with expectations of the apprenticeship standard.
AC 5.1 has been updated to include additional points for review in terms of motivation and adaptability. These are seen as key aspects of successful play activity
Leadership-and-Management-for-Residential-Childcare
The reference to birth in AC 1.1 under the unit M/617/9505 has been changed from 'Birth - 18 years' to 'Birth - 19 years' to align with learning outcome 1.
Leadership and Management for Children Young People and Children in the Community
The reference to birth in AC 1.1 under the unit M/617/9505 has been changed from 'Birth - 18 years' to 'Birth - 19 years' to align with learning outcome 1.
The changes for all the above qualifications will go live on Wednesday 1st September 2021. Until then, specifications with the changes implemented can be accessed here.
Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values
TQUK Level 2 Certificate in Safeguarding, Prevent and British Values (RQF)
It has been highlighted that the Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) recognises 10 different types of abuse. While our qualification addressed the majority of these, we recognise that it is important for learners to have fair consideration for all types of abuse.
We have therefore added detail to Unit A/617/7918, LO3, AC3.1 to ensure learners cover modern slavery, domestic abuse and discriminatory abuse in addition to those that are already included.
Following a subject expert review, it was highlighted that unit A/617/7921 was lacking reference to grooming. Upon further review, we concluded that this would be a valuable topic to cover and have therefore added grooming into the guidance for AC 1.3. Along with that, we have also added assessment criteria to LO3 stating "Explain how social media may contribute to grooming."
The changes for all the above qualifications will go live on Tuesday 1st March 2022. Until then, specifications with the changes implemented can be accessed here.