Professional Practice in CCPLD Level 4

APPRENTICESHIP

Professional Practice in CCPLD Level 4

Level 4 Apprenticeship

Professional Practice in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development.

The Level 4 Professional Practice in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development will enable learners to develop and demonstrate their knowledge, understanding, behaviours, skills and practice within the context of their chosen pathway.

Contents Apprenticeship Framework Level 4 CCPLD Professional Practice Essential Skills Qualifications Welsh Language Development

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Apprenticeship Framework The aim of the CCPLD Professional Practice Apprenticeship Level 4 is to enable learners to develop and demonstrate their advanced knowledge, skills and understanding in the context of children’s care, play, learning and development settings.

The programme prepares learners for roles such as: • Childcare Practitioners working at an Advanced level • Childcare workers who hold a CCPLD or legacy qualification • Nursery Practitioners, NHS Practitioners, School staff within the Foundation Phase

Who is this apprenticeship for?

This qualification aims to develop the knowledge, understanding, behaviours and skills that underpin Professional Practice within the children’s care, play, learning and development sector.

This qualification is primarily for those working in regulated childcare settings with families and children under the age of 8 and children’s services for those working with families and children 0-19.

This qualification has been developed in close collaboration with key sector stakeholders, including Social Care Wales and Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW).

This qualification is practice-based and assesses learners’ knowledge and practice.

It is designed for learners in work-based learning, further education and higher education.

This qualification provides progression for learners who have completed the Level 3 Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development (practice) or a legacy qualification listed in the Social Care Wales – Qualifications Framework for Social Care and Regulated Childcare in Wales or has relevant experience in the sector.

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Overview On completion of this apprenticeship, you will achieve the following: • Apprenticeship Level 4 CCPLD Professional Practice • Level 2 Essential Skills in Communication, Application of Number and Digital Literacy • Prentis-iaith Welsh Language Development On the following pages, you will find information relating to the main qualification (Level 4 CCPLD), as well as other aspects that will make up this apprenticeship programme, including Essential Skills and Welsh Language Development.

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Level 4 CCPLD Professional Practice This is the qualification you will be completing alongside your employment within an Early Years setting.

Length of time to complete We will tailor your learning programmes to suit your needs, so that each learner’s experience is unique. While learner’s needs will be different, the recommended time to complete this programme is 18 months (Learner must spend a minimum of 16 months on programme).

Course Delivery This qualification is run in cohorts, which start in March, June, September and December each year. This programme will primarily be delivered through mandatory workshops and 1-to-1 sessions with a member of the ACT delivery team, using a mixture of face-to-face and remote learning sessions. An ACT assessor will meet with the learner, either in the workplace or through digital means (for example, Microsoft Teams) once a month for approximately two hours to support progress.

Learners and employers are given dates to workshops at the start of the qualification and workshops are mandatory for all learners. There are 7/8 workshops throughout the duration of this qualification, split into two blocks.

Block 1: 4 sessions that typically run during months 1-4 (mandatory units).

Block 2: 3 sessions that typically run during months 8-10 (pathway units).

Learners will also be set tasks to complete between each visit, for approximately 4 hours per month with the expectation of independent study and research (please note – this is just a guide and will vary based on learner needs).

Examples of some of the tasks that might be set by our assessors include: •

Research legislation relating to children’s Rights

•

Evaluate the role of other current practices in the workplace

All assessments are pass/fail, some of which are externally marked.

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The use of Office 365 and related tools will be essential to the course. With participants being set tasks which will allow them to practice and demonstrate their learnt skills in the workplace. The use of a computer/tablet is required to complete formal assessments as these need to be word-processed.

What you will learn Aims and Objectives In particular, learners will be able to demonstrate that they: • Develop and apply knowledge, understanding and skills in the chosen pathway; • Develop and apply knowledge and understanding of theories, models and approaches applicable to the chosen pathway; • Develop and apply knowledge and understanding of how to maintain and improve outcomes for children within the chosen pathway; • Develop as effective and independent learners, and as critical and reflective thinkers with enquiring minds in the context of the chosen pathway; • Use an enquiring, critical approach to distinguish facts and opinions; to build arguments and make informed judgements in an area of specialism within children’s care, play, learning and development; • Develop self-awareness in order to improve practice in the chosen pathway; • Use literacy, numeracy and digital competency skills as appropriate within their role.

To achieve the Level 4 Professional Practice in Children’s Care, Play, Learning and Development qualification, learners must achieve a minimum of 60 credits in total.

Mandatory Units •

Leading child-centred practice

•

Study skills

Learners will need to choose one of the following pathways*

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•

Working with families and carers to develop parenting skills

•

Working with children with Speech, Language and Communication Needs (SLCN)

•

Recognising and supporting children with Additional Leaning Needs (ALN)

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* Don’t worry! During the first visit/meeting, our assessors’ work with all learners and employers to review which of the pathways is the most appropriate for your programme.

The minimum guided learning hour requirement for this qualification is 290 hours.

Have any questions about our Level 4 CCPLD Professional Practice We are here to help. If you have any further questions or enquiries about the main qualification element of the programme, please contact our Route Manager: Helen Clarke Route Manager for CCPLD, CYP & PW helenclarke@acttraining.org.uk

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Essential Skills Qualifications When you agree to undertake an apprenticeship, you may be required to complete Essential Skills as part of your Apprenticeship framework.

What are Essential Skills?

The Essential Skills Wales (ESW) will be initially assessed via an online Wales Essential Skills Toolkit (WEST) Assessment. If a Learner already holds an ESW certificate or equivalent qualification this can provide a proxy and learners will not need to complete that ESW element of the programme. Where a Learner is not exempt an Individual Learning Plan (ILP) will be generated from the initial WEST assessment. The modules delivery will include independent learning via WEST, prior to guided learning sessions preparing the Learner for their assessment. ESWs are assessed via controlled tasks and confirmatory tests for Communication and Application of Number, Digital Literacy is assessed via a controlled task and structured discussion.

Proxy If you already hold qualifications, these may be used as ‘proxy’ towards your apprenticeship framework. As a result, you will be exempt from achieving that particular Essential Skill, if you wish. This will be discussed with you before you sign up. Below are some examples, although this list is not exhaustive.

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Essential Skill

Proxy

Communication Level 1

GCSE G or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales

Communication Level 2

GCSE C or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales

Communication Level 3

AS/A Level E or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales

Application of Number Level 1

GCSE G or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales

Application of Number Level 2

GCSE C or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales

Application of Number Level 3

AS/A Level E or above, Key Skills or Essential Skills Wales acttraining.org.uk

Welsh Language Development As part of your Welsh Government funded framework, you will be supported to develop and maintain your Welsh language skills for the workplace.

What is Welsh Language Development?

ACT are committed to playing their part in the Welsh Government Million Speakers strategy. All learners will complete the Prentis-iaith Welsh Language Development course as part of your framework with us.

Don’t panic – this is as a means of development and is aimed to support you with the development of your Welsh Language skills. This course is specially designed to give apprentices a basic knowledge of Welsh for the workplace and consists of 6 interactive modules to complete online. The course will be completed throughout your framework, with support from your assessor.

Already bilingual?

If you are Welsh speaking you will undertake your learning bilingually. In practice this means that you can choose the elements of your learning that you would like to complete through the medium of Welsh. You will be able to discuss your particular preferences with your assessor.

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