October Edition 2023
In this issue:
- The story so far…
- SVQ News
- Coming Up Next Month
The Story so far
Term one and our Foundation Apprenticeship students are off to a
flying start! They are completing the learning for the first unit of
work which explores Wellbeing in our ELC (Early Learning Centres).
The students are exploring legislation such as GIRFEC (Getting It
Right For Every Child), the Children and Young People Act 2014, the UNCRC (United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child), the wellbeing indicators and the role of the adult.
They are well on their way to finishing the unit with the first few
assessments already complete. One of the assessments requires our
students to create a game which they can use to explain the
wellbeing indicators to the children they are working with on
placement. The quality of the work being submitted for the most
part is excellent and we are very impressed with how many students are using their meta-skills of curiosity, creativity, critical-thinking and problem solving to make age-appropriate games in line with the success criteria for the unit.
ALDO Aberdeenshire Training
Towards the end of term the students will have had the opportunity
to complete an ALDO Aberdeenshire Training Course on Basic Child Protection. Once completed, the students will get a certificate which we will keep as evidence for their assessment work.
This training course will provide the students with a wealth of
accurate knowledge and understanding of the child protection
policies and procedures that are in place within our Aberdeenshire
ELC and school settings. We are very grateful to the staff at ALDO
Aberdeenshire for arranging the usernames and passwords to allow
the students to access the courses.
SVQ News
Our Foundation Apprenticeship students are thoroughly enjoying their work placements in Early Learning Centres and Primary Schools across Aberdeenshire and some in Aberdeen City. Feedback received from workplace mentors is very positive which is fantastic to hear. Students across the cohorts have commented to their tutors that they can make connections between what is taught in class during NPA (National Progression Award) lessons and their experiences within the SVQ (Scottish Vocational Qualification) workplace.
SVQ Assessor meetings have been taking place online and in person over term one to allow the students and assessors to get to know one another. SVQ Assessors are making contact with the various mentors in the workplaces across the shire and city where our students are being hosted. Assessors will be making regular attendance checks to work placements. Students are reminded that if for any reason they cannot attend their workplace they must inform the following people
- Placement Mentor
- SVQ Assessor
- Academy Office
- Transport Provider (if applicable)
We really do love to hear good news stories about placement and in the coming months we will be asking the students to share their stories to contribute to upcoming newsletters throughout the year.
Coming up next term
In term 2 we will continue to delve deeper into the second unit of ‘Play and the Environment‘ in the Early Years, exploring why it is so important, looking at some of the theories of play and legislation around it, including documents like Realising the Ambition.
We will also complete the third unit ‘Safeguarding‘. This is a short, yet intense unit. Safeguarding is fundamental to our role as Early Years’ Practitioners and Educators. We would encourage our students to try to keep up to date with any current issues in the news linked with Safeguarding. We will have the opportunity to discuss current issues and form opinions about them.
We hope to invite education practitioners, known to our course teachers to come to class either in person, or virtually and speak to us about their expertise in Safeguarding and Child Protection.
We will then move onto the fourth unit of the course which looks at the Development of Children and Young People from pre-birth to adolescence, the students will have the opportunity during this unit to research development theorists.
Pupil voice
As previously mentioned, we are always delighted to hear good news stories from SVQ placement or NPA class experiences! We will be asking our students to contribute to this section in term two!
So please store those stories up for us! We look forward to reading all about them in the next edition of our CYP newsletter!
Finally...
A huge thank you to you all for your hard work, enthusiasm and support for the Foundation Apprenticeship programme, it is so appreciated and long may it continue as we move on in the coming year.
Contact us
If you require further information regarding the Foundation Apprenticeship Children and Young People Course, please do not hesitate to contact adelaine.cox@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
If you or someone you know would like more information about other courses available through Aberdeenshire’s Foundation Apprenticeships, please get in touch with andrew.ritchie@aberdeenshire.gov.uk or mary.obrien@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Visit us on the web www.dywaberdeenshire.scot or check out our Foundation Apprenticeship Aberdeenshire Council Facebook page.
