Early Years Educator and Early Years Practitioner qualifications in 2021-22
This page was updated on 14th September 2022.
On this page, you'll find information on the adaptations available in 2021-22 for our suite of Early Years Educator (EYE) and Early Years Practitioner (EYP) qualifications, including the knowledge only pathway.
Adaptation information
You can find adaptations for our suite of EYE and EYP qualifications on the individual qualification pages on QualHub.
Special considerations
Learners may be eligible for special consideration if their ability at the time of the assessment has been affected by an event outside of their control. We’ve updated our special considerations policy with additional information.
Knowledge only pathway
In 2021-22, to enable progression for learners who were unable to access a work placement due to Covid-19, we worked with Ofqual, Department for Education (DfE), Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA) and UCAS to agree how learners could progress through a knowledge-only version of these qualifications.
The knowledge only version of the EYE / EYP qualifications remained as an option in 2021-22 to support and enable learners to progress to further or higher education.
This option was available from Monday 4 April 2022 until 31 August 2022. We outlined in our FAQs document what that this process looked like and the steps to follow to make a claim for certificates for the knowledge only versions of the EYE and/or EYP qualifications. View the FAQs.
The certificate of achievement displays the same Qualification Reference Number (QRN) and title of the original qualification undertaken, with ‘knowledge only pathway’ clearly identified. This is to distinguish between knowledge only achievement and an EYE/EYP competence to practice at level 2 or 3. Learners who wish to embark on the DfE skills criteria at a later date will still have an opportunity to do so. Learners will continue to gain the respective allocated UCAS tariff points through the knowledge only option and centres can continue to draw down funding. View the knowledge only qualifications in the table below.
|
QRN |
Current Early Years Educator/Practitioner qualification titles |
New 'knowledge only' QRN |
New 'knowledge only' qualification titles |
|
601/2147/6 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) |
601/2147/6/KNO |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Knowledge only pathway) |
|
601/8438/3 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Early Years Educator) |
601/8438/3/KNO |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care (Knowledge only pathway) |
|
601/2629/2 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce ((Early Years Educator) |
601/2629/2/KNO |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce (Knowledge only pathway) |
|
601/4000/8 |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) |
601/4000/8/KNO |
NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Knowledge only pathway) |
|
601/8437/1 |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Early Years Educator) |
601/8437/1/KNO |
NCFE CACHE Technical Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education (Knowledge only pathway) |
|
603/3723/0 |
NCFE CACHE Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner |
603/3723/KNO |
NCFE CACHE |
Please note that the knowledge only pathway was withdrawn from 31 August 2022. Transfers were only permitted for those learners who were expected to certificate by 31 August 2022.
We want to remind you that the option for learners to top back up onto the full qualifications will continue to be available.
FAQs
Take a look at our FAQs document.
Our subject specialist team has recorded a short webinar on the approach that could be taken by learners who are topping up to a licence to practice from a knowledge only qualification. It also includes a section for employers, exploring induction, reflection and supervision experiences for newly qualified early years professionals.
This webinar provides an overview of our approach to adaptations for our Early Years Educator and Early Years Practitioner qualifications for 2021/22. It provides key information about the adaptations available which includes the 'risk rated approach to the Department for Education's early years educator/practitioner criteria' as well as the knowledge only fall back option.
Further support
Please contact your External Quality Assurer for further information.