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Free Early Years Educator Level 3 Course in Hartlepool

CostFREE
Duration198 hours
LevelLevel 3
DeliveryClassroom based
Start24 Sep 2026
Study modePart-time
AttendanceEvening
Awarding bodyNCFE awarding body
Apply now →

About this course

Free Early Years Educator Level 3 Course in Hartlepool. Evening classes run at Hartlepool College of Further Education, so you can fit study around work or other commitments. This level 3 early years educator course covers the skills and knowledge needed to work in children's care settings, including nurseries and early years provision. The course runs over 198 hours part-time. Level 3 Early Years Educator is the qualification recognised in statutory staffing ratios for nursery work in England, making this early years educator qualification a direct route into the sector.

Who this course is for

This qualification meets the needs of learners who work or want to work in a wide range of settings, for example in the roles of:

Early Years Educator Nursery Practitioner Learners will learn, develop and practise skills required for employment and progression in the Children's Care Sector, progress in their current role or onto further learning or emploment.

What you will learn

  • You'll develop knowledge of child development from birth to five years and beyond.
  • You'll learn how to plan and deliver play-based learning activities.
  • You'll understand safeguarding, child protection, and your legal responsibilities.
  • You'll learn how to observe and assess children's progress.
  • You'll develop skills in supporting children's communication, language, and literacy.
  • You'll understand how to work in partnership with parents, carers, and other professionals.
  • You'll learn about health, well-being, and nutrition in early years settings.

How you will learn

You'll learn through classroom sessions at Hartlepool College of Further Education. Assessment includes written assignments, observations in a childcare setting, and a portfolio of evidence demonstrating your practice. You'll need access to an early years setting to complete the practical elements of the qualification. The college will confirm the specific assessment requirements before you start.

What you will need to bring

The centre will provide most materials. Hartlepool College of Further Education will confirm anything else you need before you start.

Where next

Jobs you could do

  • Nursery practitioner: working with children aged 0-5 in a nursery setting.
  • Early years educator: leading learning and development activities in a nursery or pre-school.
  • Room leader: taking responsibility for a room or age group in a nursery.
  • Childminder: self-employed care and education for children in your home.
  • Pre-school assistant: supporting children's learning in a pre-school setting.
  • Sure Start or family centre worker: supporting families in community-based settings.

What you could study next

  • Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management for Residential Childcare or Early Years: moves you toward senior and management roles in the sector.
  • Level 6 or degree-level Early Childhood Studies: for those looking to move into advisory, specialist, or leadership roles.
  • Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS): the graduate-level route for those who want to lead practice across a setting.
Apply on hartlepoolfe.ac.uk →
Apply now →

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