Kingsmead School - Child Development

Child Development

Welcome to the Kingsmead School Child DevelopmentDepartment.

Students in Y9, 10 and 11 study the BTEC First Award in Children’s Play, Learning and Development (CPLD). The knowledge, understanding and skills learnt in this course will aid progression to further study and prepare learners to enter the workplace. It can be studied alongside GCSEs as a part of a broad and balanced curriculum, but is described as a vocational course in that it has a more work-related context. BTECs are popular and valuable because they engage learners to take responsibility for their own learning and help them to develop skills relevant to the workplace. These skills include working from an assignment brief, presenting information effectively, working to deadlines and teamworkng.

Many students go on to consider a career in early years or related sectors, but this is by no means a requirement. Learners will gain skills and knowledge in child development from birth to eight years, understand how important play is to development and know important principles such as inclusive practice, empowering children and the role of the key person in early years settings.

Lessons will involve the nature of work in the early years sector. Students will be encouraged to listen to explanations of practice, discuss and research workplace practice. Students in Year 10 could have relevant workplace experience that they could include in their assignments. Visitors and visits will be encouraged, where possible. Students will be encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and achievement and will be expected to meet deadlines for their coursework (known as assignments).

Sequence of Learning in Child Development

This is a summary of the topics studied in Child Development at Kingsmead School.

Key Stage 4 Sequence of Learning	Year 9	Year 10	Year 11
Term 1 (Sept-Oct)	Unit 1 Patterns of Child Development Understanding of growth and the areas of development. Closer look at the milestones for 0-1 year Introduction to Nursery Rhymes.	Recap Unit 1 and how children develop at different ages. Finish Assignment 2.	Unit 3: Complete assignment 2 How inclusion is Implemented Revision for Unit 1 exam.
Term 2 (Nov-Dec)	0-1-year development continued and new focus on 1-3 years. Role of story sacks in promoting language development.	Begin learning for Assignment 3: how adults structure play.	Revision for Unit 1 exam.
Term 3 (Jan-Feb)	Milestones for 3-5 years and practical play activities to promote learning. Introduction to personal child study	Complete assignments for Unit 2 and begin researching local nurseries and school on Unit 3: Early Years Principles	Unit 1 exam. Begin learning for Unit 3 Assignment 3: Why adults empower children and how they empower them.
Term 4 (Feb-Mar)	5-8 milestones and how adults support children in all areas of development: physical, communication and language, cognitive and social and emotional development. Continue child study.	Inclusive practice: Assignment 1	Complete assignment 3 and begin learning for Assignment 4
Term 5 (Apr-May)	Begin Unit 2: Promoting Children’s Development Through Play and start Assignment one: how children play and how adults support play. Complete child study	Complete assignment 1.	Complete Assignment 4. Retake of Unit 1 exam if necessary.
Term 6 (June-July)	Further practical play activities to assist with Assignment two: different play opportunities. Evaluate child study.	Learning for Assignment 2: how inclusion is implemented. Completion of unit 2 assignments.	Study leave

Top 5 Websites

For additional learning and revision in this subject, see these websites:

Child Development Progress Overviews

These are designed to outline the progression of Child Development based learning within each year group. They make clear the skills, understanding and knowledge within each category of our language for learning