HNC/HND Early Years Professional Leadership

The Pearson BTEC Higher National Diploma in Early Years Professional Leadership for England offers students a broad introduction to the subject area via a mandatory core of learning, while enabling the acquisition of skills, knowledge, behaviours and experience relevant to the workplace or placement. This effectively builds underpinning core skills while preparing the student for further subject specialisation at Level 5. Students will gain a wide range of sector knowledge tied to practical skills gained in evidence-based practice, personal research, self-study, directed study and workplace learning and experience.

The Higher National Diploma provides a solid grounding in early years education, leadership and care that students can build on if they decide to continue their studies beyond this stage. The course enables students to commit to a leadership career path and progression route to degree-level study.

On successful completion of the Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Early Years Professional Leadership for England, students can develop their careers in the early years sector through:

Entering employment
Continuing existing employment, seeking alternative employment, or promotion
Joining an appropriate professional body or membership organisation
Committing to continuing professional development (CPD)
Progressing to level 6

Year 1

Unit 1: Personal and Professional Development through Reflective Practice
Unit 2: Protecting Children in Early Education and Care Environments
Unit 3: Play and Learning in Early Childhood
Unit 4: Supporting and Promoting Children’s Development (Infants and Toddlers)
Unit 5: Supporting and Promoting Children’s Development (Young Children)
Unit 6: Promoting Healthy Living
Unit 7: Preparing for Research (Pearson-set unit)
Unit 8: Promoting Inclusive Early Education and Care Environments

Year 2

Unit 9: Investigating Childhood: Action Research for Early Childhood Practitioners (Pearson-set unit)
Unit 10: Improving Quality in Early Education and Care Environments
Unit 11: Managing and Leading People in Children’s Early Education and Care Environments
Unit 12: Managing Children’s Early Education and Care Environments
Unit 13: Mentoring and Supervision in Early Education and Care Practice
Plus, Optional units

Qualification credit value: a minimum of 240 credits. This is made up of 15 units, 14 with a value of 15 credits, and one with a value of 30 credits.

The total qualification time for the Pearson BTEC Level 5 Higher National Diploma in Early Years Professional Leadership includes a requirement of 525 hours’ work placement or experience in early education and/care settings over the two-year period of the qualification.

The mandatory elements of work placement/experience are as follows:

A minimum of two different settings is required.
A minimum of 75 practice hours with each of the following age ranges:
- From birth to 1 year, 11 months
- From 2 years to 4 years, 11 months
- 5 years to 7 years, 11 months.

If a student undertakes work placement/experience in two settings only, at least one of these settings must enable the student to meet the practice hours requirements for at least two of the age ranges specified above.

The age requirements for work placement in the Higher National Diploma are waived for students who provide evidence of recognised occupational competence, such as holding early years educator status.

Students with certificated evidence of occupational competence will still need to undertake a period of observation, or work shadowing, of a practitioner working with an age group different from the student’s area of practice during their study. Students can undertake placement in more than the minimum requirement of different individual settings, providing they meet the minimum requirement for setting hours as indicated above.

This course is a degree level qualification which consists of:

Specialist Subject Learning
Professional and Industry Experience
Academic Tutorials and Progress Reviews
Independent Study and Research
Assessment Through Assignments, Projects and Presentations
Development of Academic, Professional and Employability Skills

We offer a range of support services to help you succeed during your studies, including:

Financial support and funding advice
Student finance support
Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA) guidance and support
Support from our dedicated Higher Education team
Personal academic tutoring and study support
Wellbeing, mental health and safeguarding services
Access to the Student Minds mental health and wellbeing resources
Academic skills development, including research, referencing and study skills workshops
Careers education, information, advice and guidance
Employability support and progression to university or employment

The tuition fee for this course is £6,100 per year for full-time study or £3,050 per year for part-time study.

There are three ways to pay for your course:

Student Finance. Eligible students can apply for a Higher Education Tuition Fee Loan through Student Finance England.
Self-Funding. Students can pay their tuition fees in full at enrolment or spread the cost across three instalments throughout the academic year.
Employer Sponsorship. If your employer is funding your studies, payment can be made directly by them.

Some Higher Education courses may be eligible for funding through the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), subject to eligibility criteria and funding availability. Please contact the HE Team for the latest information and to discuss the options available to you.

If you would like further information about course fees, funding options, or payment arrangements, please contact the HE Team at HEenquiries@nwslc.ac.uk

Once you have submitted your application, it will be reviewed by the Higher Education Team and the Course Lead.

In some cases, where applicants have the relevant qualifications and/or professional experience, we may be able to make a decision based on the information provided in the application and issue an offer without the need for an interview.

For other applicants, we may invite you to attend an interview to discuss your previous experience, career aspirations and suitability for the course to ensure you meet the entry requirements. This also provides an opportunity for you to ask questions about the course and ensure it is the right choice for your future.

Please ensure you regularly check your emails, as all updates regarding your application and any next steps will be communicated by the Higher Education Team.

HNC/HND Early Years Professional Leadership

Higher Education · Nuneaton
14/09/2026

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Disclaimer

The information provided about this course was accurate at the time of publication. Course details may be subject to change, often as a result of external factors such as amendments to awarding body or examination board specifications. While every effort is made to ensure that the information on this website remains accurate and up to date, prospective students are advised to confirm course details with the Admissions Team prior to enrolment to ensure the course meets their requirements. The institution accepts no responsibility for any errors or omissions in the information presented.