FdA Early Years (Oaklands College)
Learn the essentials of early childhood development and education, equipping you with the relevant knowledge and practical skills to excel in early years. The course will prepare you with the option to progress onto a relevant BA (hons) degree.
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Typical offer: 48
Entry requirements -
Course length: two years
Find out more -
Location:
- Oaklands College
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Institute code: H36
1st in the UK for teacher training (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025)
Learn modern teaching techniques to engage early years
Gateway to relevant BA courses
Course overview
The FdA Early Years course is an excellent choice if you have experience in childcare and want to enhance your skills by earning a qualification. Our foundation degree in early years is tailored for you and has been developed in close consultation with employers.
Why choose this course?
The FdA Early Years course will give you the knowledge and practical experience needed to succeed in a career within early years.
Build on your relevant experience: This foundation degree has been designed in full consultation with employers and is for those who already have some relevant experience on which to build.
Join our recognised education department: The University of Hertfordshire is ranked 1st in the UK for teacher training (Daily Mail University Guide, 2025).
Progression routes: On successful completion of the FdA Early Years course, students are able to progress onto the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education and BA (Hons) Education.
Your future career
When you successfully complete this foundation degree, you'll be able to progress to the final year of the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Education course at the University of Hertfordshire. Alternatively, you may seek the opportunity to progress into employment - for example; management, advisory work, therapeutic service, community projects, social care and work with children and families.
Typical areas of work for early years graduates include:
- early years teacher
- teaching assistant
- family support worker
- learning mentor
An impressive 93% of Herts graduates are in work or further study 15 months after graduation (Graduate Outcomes, 2021/22).
What you'll study
You will be actively involved in a range of learning, teaching and assessment as part of the early years foundation degree. Such active approaches aim to put you at the centre of your learning and you will have the opportunity to be involved and engaged in all aspects of assessment and learning.
You will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your talents and strengths across the programme. A variety of approaches to learning and teaching will be utilised to reflect the academic level, session content and outcomes.
Where you'll study
You will carry out your studies at Oaklands College based in St Albans. The campus is packed with modern facilities to improve your learning experience. When you are not studying, take advantage of the onsite gym and fitness studio or catch up with friends in the restaurant or canteen.
Who you'll learn from
You will be taught by our team of academics, experienced in early years. Additionally, you will have access to an academic support team, a well-being team, and a personal tutor. Your teaching and support team is committed to assisting you in realising and achieving your full potential.
How we support our students
At the University of Hertfordshire, we want to make sure your time studying with us is as stress-free and rewarding as possible.
We offer a range of support services, from childcare to counselling, ensuring that you make the most of your time at Herts and can focus on studying, having fun, and have the support you need.
Entry requirements
The University of Hertfordshire is committed to welcoming students with a wide range of qualifications and levels of experience. The entry requirements listed on the course pages provide a guide to the minimum level of qualifications needed to study each course. However, we have a flexible approach to admissions and each application will be considered on an individual basis.
| Typical offer (UCAS points) | (enter tariff range) |
|---|---|
| Typical A Level offer | (enter range) |
| Typical IB offer | (enter range) |
| Typical BTEC offer | (enter range) |
| Typical T Level offer | (enter range) |
| GCSE | EG: Grade 4/C in English Language and 4/D Mathematics |
| Access courses | EG: An overall merit profile in 45 credits at Level 3. |
| Additional information | Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements. |
| Typical offer (UCAS points) | 48 |
|---|---|
| Typical A Level offer | DD |
| Typical IB offer | 48 UCAS points |
| Typical BTEC offer | PPP |
| Typical T Level offer | 48 UCAS points Accepted T Levels: Education and Childcare; Healthcare Science; Health; Science; Building Services Engineering for Construction; Accounting; Design and Development for Engineering and Manufacturing; Engineering, Manufacturing, Processing and Control; Finance; Management and Administration; Legal Services. |
| GCSE | Grade 3/D in English Language and Mathematics. |
| Access courses | Overall pass |
| Additional information | Find out more about our standard and contextual Undergraduate Entry Requirements. |
Ready to apply?
UK and EU applicants with pre-settled/settled status in the UK
| Start date | Study type | Apply |
|---|---|---|
| September 2025 | Part time | Apply with Herts |
| September 2026 | Part time | Apply with Herts |
Apply through Clearing
Fees and funding
At Herts, we’re dedicated to providing world-class teaching supported by industry-level facilities and incredible social spaces. We believe cost shouldn’t be a barrier to higher education, and we strive to keep both our standard and additional costs as low as possible.
| Study type | Fees | |
|---|---|---|
| UK students | Part time | £770 per 15 credits for the 2025/2026 academic year |
Tuition fees are charged annually. The fees quoted above are for the specified year(s) only. Fees may be higher in future years, for both new and continuing students. Please see the University’s Fees and Finance Policy (and in particular the section headed “When tuition fees change”), for further information about when and by how much the University may increase its fees for future years.
| Scholarships, grants and bursaries | Depending on your circumstances, you may be eligible for a non-repayable scholarship, grant or bursary to support your studies. |
|---|---|
| Disabled Students' Allowance | The Disabled Students’ Allowance can cover any study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. |
| Student loans | Find out about securing a student loan, from how much you could be eligible for to when you need to start making repayments. |
| Accommodation costs | We offer a great choice of student accommodation, on campus or nearby in the local area, to suit every student budget. |
| Additional course fees | Read more about additional fees in the course fact sheet. |
More about the course
| Course fact sheets | |
|---|---|
| Foundation Degree in Early Years - OAK | Download PDF |
| Programme specifications | |
|---|---|
| Foundation Degree in Early Years - OAK | Download PDF |
| Additional information | |
|---|---|
|
Applications open to international and EU students |
No |
Course length |
Part Time, 2 Years |
