It is my pleasure to welcome you to the BA (Hons) Education and Childhood with Foundation Year course. This program is designed to provide a comprehensive foundation in educational theory and child development, preparing you for a rewarding career in the field of education and childhood studies. The foundation year serves as a crucial introduction to university-level study, offering support and guidance as you develop essential academic skills and knowledge. Throughout the main course, you will delve into key theories and practices that shape the education sector, gaining insights into the diverse needs and experiences of children in different contexts. Our commitment is to foster your academic and professional growth. You will have opportunities for practical experiences, placements, and engagement with professionals, all aimed at enhancing your skills and preparing you for your future career. As course leader, I encourage you to embrace the learning opportunities presented, actively engage in classroom activities, and seek support from our dedicated faculty and your peers. Reflection on your learning experiences will be instrumental in your personal and professional development. Our faculty and support staff are committed to your success and well-being throughout your academic journey. I encourage you to take advantage of the resources available to you and participate in extracurricular activities to enrich your university experience.

All students need to register with both UKMC Campus and Canterbury Christ Church University at the start of each new year of study. More about registering with Canterbury Christ Church University.

During your studies, you will receive most of your support from Saegis Campus. However, Canterbury Christ Church University provides with the following:

• Access to Blackboard, your virtual learning environment, where all your course learning materials are held
• Access to LibrarySearch, which gives you access to thousands of e-books, e-journals and databases to help you in your studies
• Access to online modules on a wide range of study topics via our Learning Skills Hub
• A Canterbury Christ Church University email address and computing account.
• Access to MyRecord, Canterbury Christ Church University’s student portal, where you will:
• register for each subsequent year of study
• update contact details like your personal email & phone number
• access your academic results.

Please ensure that both Canterbury Christ Church University and Saegis Campus have your most up-to-date contact details. Once you are a registered student you can change your contact details, including your address(es), at any time in MyRecord.

More about studying at a Canterbury Christ Church University’s partner institution.

Task 1

If you could design your perfect education for human beings aged 11-18 what would it look like. Think about:

WHY? 

What are the values behind your ideas? What is point?

WHERE? 

In a building(s)? Outside? Virtual?

WHAT? 

Should humans learn at that age and stage? Skills, knowledge? Attitudes?

HOW? 

Would learners learn? Teachers? Classrooms?

SO WHAT?

How would you know your ideals are becoming a reality? Tests?

Task 2

Find a newspaper article from the Guardian Website www.theguardian.com/education. Consider inclusion and education and bring an article to the first session to discuss with your peers and tutors. The article could examine the barriers to inclusive practice in Education. You could consider the impact on Educational outcomes and differences in outcomes dependent on class, race , gender and disabilities.

The first two weeks of the term will be dedicated to academic skills development workshops. These workshops will include the induction process and cover essential skills such as using Blackboard, understanding academic misconduct, effective communication, IT in education, and distinguishing between reports and essays. The BA (Hons) Education and Childhood with foundation year is a highly thought-provoking course and offers you the chance to explore some of the fundamental questions underpinning education and the world around us. In connection with this, it is our strong desire that the degree is socially relevant and helps all our students to understand why education must have a central function in building a just and sustainable world.

Our aim is therefore to provide an empowering personal and intellectual experience for both students and staff, who unite in their service to people not just living in the present, but also for generations still to come. To achieve this, you will examine education in a variety of stimulating contexts and you will be given the opportunity to explore topical and contentious issues such as how education relates to sustainability and to social justice.

Keep up to date with news articles on education before you arrive. These websites refer explicitly to contemporary issues in the world of education - have a read of some of their articles.

• www.theguardian.com/education
• www.bbc.co.uk/news/education
• www.schoolsweek.co.uk
• www.tes.co.uk

In Semester one, you will do the following modules

1. Communication and Academic Skills
2. The Big Questions
3. Introduction to Education and Lifelong Learning

Please look at the Learning Skills Hub , you might want to complete some of the modules before you start your academic study.

In addition the following text will support your transition into Higher Education and your study skills:

Cottrell, S. (2019). The Study Skills Handbook (5th edn). London: Red Globe Press. 

Cottrell, S. (2017). Critical Thinking Skills: Effective Analysis, Argument and Reflection (3rd edn.). London: Bloomsbury. 

Fang, Z. (2021). Demystifying academic writing: genres, moves, skills and strategies. New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. 

Choose a selection from the following books including one that looks interesting, one that looks readable and one that looks challenging. We’ll want to hear all about your reading experience in the first few weeks of term.

This is an ideal book for the course and contains core Reading.

Bartlett,S. & Burton,D. (2020). Introduction to Education Studies. London. SAGE

This book is essential reading for for year 1 and relates to an exciting module on Social Justice and the Pedagogy of Freedom.

Smith, E.(2018).Key Issues in Education and Social Justice, London. SAGE

Suggested Reading to support study

• Gorski, P & Porthini, S. (2024). Case Studies and Social Justice Education (Equity and Social Justice in Education Series). Routledge London
• Hooks, B.(2015) Teaching Community. A pedagogy of hope. London. Routledge
• Olson,H. & Raminez,J (2020) An Introduction to Theories of Learning
• Pulsford, M & Morris, R et al,. Understanding Education Studies Critical Issues and New Directions. London. Routledge