Department Newsletter
selby.ac.uk Welcome
Greetings from Selby College’s Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies, and Health, Social Care & Wellbeing departments.
My name is Carla Cantrell and I am thrilled to welcome you to read our departmental newsletter. This newsletter gives you a taste of the exciting college life at Selby College as well as a glimpse into the dynamic and supportive environment of the department.
In this newsletter, you can find out what our current students have been up to over the past year, from hosting community events to going on enrichment trips and learning vital skills to prepare them for employment.
As the head of the department, I am continually proud of our students, their hard work and commitment to their studies and work placements. The department is full of friendly faces who all have something in common –a passion for caring for others.
I hope you enjoy reading through the newsletter and learning about all the exciting things we have been up to lately.
CHILDCARE, EARLY YEARS & CHILDHOOD STUDIES
Rewarding hard work with enrichment!
To reward our learners for their hard work in the first half-term and to build group dynamics, the entire department enjoyed an enrichment visit to Xscape in Castleford. It was a fantastic opportunity for everyone to unwind, have fun, and develop essential teamwork skills through collaborative team activities.
Carla Cantrell Head of Childcare, Early Years & Childhood Studies and Health, Social Care & Wellbeing
HEALTH, SOCIAL CARE & WELLBEING
Immersive VR Learning
Our department is excited to introduce the College’s new state-of-the-art VR headsets which are part of the I-innovate Digital Learning Hubs. These immersive virtual reality experiences allow our learners to engage in real-life health and social care and early years scenarios. By stepping into these VR environments, students can practice and refine their skills in a controlled, realistic setting. This innovative technology enhances learning and provides a unique opportunity to experience various aspects of their future careers.
Hear from our Students
Childcare & Early Years
Olivia
Level 2 Health & Social Care
“I always enjoyed Health & Social Care when studying it at school so I chose this course because it will give me a head start in the industry. I’m gaining a deeper understanding of the different aspects of healthcare and I’m able to put this into practice at my work placement in a local pharmacy. After taking part in a midwifery session at York Hospital, I want to go to university to train to become a midwife.”
Health & Social Care
Tia
Level 1 Childcare & Early Years
“I’m on the Early College Transfer programme and have found that College is a much friendlier environment than school because you’re treated like adults. I’ve enjoyed making friends and learning about how to care for children. I’d love to work in a nursery one day.”
Raising Vital Funds For a Great Cause
Students from the Care & Early Years and Health and Social Care departments at Selby College took part in a fundraiser event for mental health charity, YoungMinds – with their efforts raising more than £500 for the cause.
YoungMinds is the UK’s leading mental health charity for children, young people and their parents. Their aim is to ensure all young people can get the mental health support they need.
As part of this, the nursery children donated to take part in the activity-led day, which included seasonal-themed crafts, music and food.
“Hosting an event for local nursery children meant that the students had to think outside the box to deliver activities which would appeal to these children, all whilst raising money for a great cause. We do a range of activities like these internally to provide our learners with a well-rounded experience which enriches their learning and personal development. We further build on this through external visits, trips and guest talks, ensuring that our learners are aware of the potential careers available in the care and early years sectors.”
Carla Cantrell
Head
of Care & Early Years at the Heart of Yorkshire Education Group
Practical skills in Childcare
Our childcare learners are actively participating in practical activities that are essential for their future roles. These include tasks such as changing nappies, which help them develop the skills needed to care for infants and toddlers.
Health & Social Care Work Placements
The Health & Social Care Department offers a variety of placement opportunities that allows our students to gain valuable experience while contributing to the community.
We work with local providers who offer several rewarding placements, these include, Care Homes where students have the opportunity to work with the elderly, providing companionship and support in their daily lives as well as developing skills and competencies to enhance your knowledge of later life and supporting this life stage. Nursing homes provide care for patients with more complex needs, such as those requiring hands-on nursing support or those living with dementia. Students have the opportunity to observe the challenges of meeting these needs while developing valuable employability skills for the future.
Local Pharmacies provide the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in a pharmaceutical setting, learning about medication management and patient care.
SEN Schools and private provision provide opportunities for students to develop skills working with special educational needs, helping children and young adults achieve their full potential whilst also providing opportunity for multiagency working in supporting individuals with complex needs.
This year we are proud to be developing links with the Council and Family Support Team who collaborate with local authorities to provide essential support to families and vulnerable individuals. This can include support with daily living, healthy lifestyles and managing challenging behaviours.
+ Care homes
+ Residential nursing homes
+ Dementia provisions
+ SEN providers
+ Pharmacies
+ Family support services
+ Nursing homes
+ GP surgeries
Dissections
Our Year 2 Health students took part in a skills session about Anatomy and Physiology where students visited the College’s laboratories to learn and practice skills in dissections using real hearts. This practical session ensured the students were applying their theoretical knowledge in practice, helping deepen their understanding of the complex concept of anatomy and prepare them for success in the workforce.
Childcare & Early Years Work Placements
The Care & Early Years Department offers a variety of placement opportunities that allow you to gain hands-on experience while making a positive impact on young children’s lives.
Students can choose from several exciting placements including Primary Schools where students have the opportunity to work with teachers and early years professionals to support young children in their learning journey.
We work collaboratively with a wide range of local nursery providers where students will have the opportunity to work with either babies, toddlers, or preschool children, supporting their growth and development through nurturing care and engaging activities. All these placements enable our students to work in line with curricular requirements and develop knowledge of development milestones and frameworks and how to use these in practice.
We also have opportunities to work with childminders who allow students to gain experience in providing personalised care and education in a home-based setting.
We work closely with the local SEN provision where our students have the opportunity to assist in special educational needs settings, helping children with diverse needs achieve their full potential. This can include working alongside specialists such as physical therapists, speech and language specialists and Early help workers.
+ Nurseries
+ Primary schools
+ SEN providers
+ Childminders
+ Family support services
