The School of Children, Young People and Families at Leeds Trinity University has a long history of providing students with opportunities to enhance their professional development. One opportunity we provide our students with is the Early Childhood Studies Graduate Practitioner Competencies, which is an additional award running in parallel with the BA Early Childhood Studies degree and BA Professional Practice: Early Childhood Studies degree. 

The Graduate Practitioner Competencies are endorsed by the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN), to which Leeds Trinity University is a member institute. The competencies aim to strengthen the early childhood workforce and professional practice aspect of the degree. Gaining the competencies award enables students to gain a full and relevant status, as well as having a level 6 qualification.  

Over the three years of a degree, students work towards meeting nine competencies through assessed placement tasks, observations of practice and academic assignments. Each student has a mentor from Leeds Trinity and their feedback to date shows students have benefited from the experience. 

In recent months, my colleagues and I have had the pleasure of visiting Leeds Trinity students in a range of settings across West Yorkshire, including nurseries, schools and special schools. We observed various activities from gardening and nature sessions to painting and storytelling. What has struck me on these visits is how confident and skilled the students are and how they have built strong relationships with both the children and their host organisations. It has been excellent to see the application of theory to practice from our students. 

The feedback from students was that they felt these opportunities enhanced their professionalism, and their work-based mentors were impressed with the creativity and commitment shown. This has been a really rewarding experience for Leeds Trinity staff and students alike and we look forward to more students completing the competencies.

For further information about Children, Young People and Families courses, visit the Leeds Trinity University website.

Written and contributions made by Katie Simpson (Senior Lecturer in CYPF), Hannah Crooks (Lecturer in Early Childhood) and Amanda Jefferson (University Teacher in Employability and Placements).