Child Development Curriculum
Child Development Cambridge Nationals and Cambridge Technicals - Curriculum Intent 2023-2024
The mission of the Child Development department, in preparation for their Level 2 qualification, is to engage all students in the theory and real-life application into childcare settings. Opportunities will be given to explore career links with the subject matter. They will understand the role of childcare practitioners in the health, well-being and development of children up to and including the age of 5 and its implications for society. Students will have the opportunity to demonstrate this learning through two practical assessments.
Year 10 Curriculum Intent for Health & Social Care (Cambridge Nationals)
In year 10: Students will study two units of study: RO57 Health & Well-being for child development and RO59 Child Development. As these units require an understanding of how to work independently, carry out research and consider the best way to present this information, the year begins with an introductory unit developing the skills and attitudes needed to be successful.
RO59 Child Development of a Child is taught between October and March. This unit requires students to show awareness of the developmental norms from one to five years and how a child transitions through the different stages of play and the benefits it brings. Following three observations of a child, students will plan and create their own play activity in line with the assignment brief. This will be carried out with a child under 5 where students will use feedback to evaluate the success of their activity.
RO57 is the examined unit which students will return to in May and will complete another of the four topic areas on antenatal care and preparation for birth. This will include a focus on subject-specific vocabulary, key concepts and the links between the different Teaching Areas. Students will gain confidence in examination skills throughout the course via regular low stakes (every lesson) and less regularly (per Learning Objective) via higher stakes formative testing.
Year 11 Curriculum Intent for Health & Social Care (Cambridge Nationals)
In year 11: Students will continue their studies completing TA3 on Postnatal care in the first half of the Autumn term. This will enable students to take part in the mock exam week in January as they will have completed 75% of the exam unit. As the exam is very specific about the responses that gain marks, as well as learning the content, students will also be given guidance about how to approach the exam. Students will respond to feedback and use this to become confident in the expectations for success in the exam.
RO59 Child Development of a Child is taught between October and March. This unit requires students to show awareness of the developmental norms from one to five years and how a child transitions through the different stages of play and the benefits it brings. Following three observations of a child, students will plan and create their own play activity in line with the assignment brief. This will be carried out with a child under 5 where students will use feedback to evaluate the success of their activity.
From March, students will complete the final TA of the exam unit before a programme of revision in preparation for the terminal exam in June.
Threads of powerful knowledge in Child Development
Child Development involves a set of general themes that provide the basis for:
- Health and well-being for child development
- Understand the equipment and nutritional needs of children from birth to five years
- Understand the development of a child from birth to five years (Intellectual, Emotional & Social)
Cultural reading and enrichment in Child Development
- Combination of theory and practical activities, including an assessed activity with a young child of the students' choice
- Opportunity to take home and look after an 'infant stimulator'.
Links to Further Information
- A - Year 10 Child Development Curriculum Map
- B - Year 11 Child Development Curriculum Map
- C Child Development Assessment Marking and Feedback Approaches