Childhood Practice HNC Childhood Practice (Primary Teaching Focus)

Course overview

The next intake for this course is August 2026. If you would like more information or be added to the waiting list, please contact angie.thomson@edinburghcollege.ac.uk.

The HNC Childhood Practice (Primary Teaching Focus) is for applicants interested in progressing to further study on an initial primary education degree at university. Successful completion can also enable you to pursue a career in the early education, childcare or playwork sectors or to study at higher levels in Childhood Practice or Childhood Studies. The Scottish Social Services Council accepts this qualification for registration as a practitioner in the childcare service for children.

We are delighted to share that we have an articulation route agreement with Queen Margaret University for the BA (Hons) in Primary Education and the BA (Hons) in Education.

This is a nationally recognised qualification and valued award for individuals who wish to work in various settings, supporting children and young people with diverse needs.

You will gain a thorough knowledge of working within the national curriculum for children aged 3-18 years, Curriculum for Excellence, and become adept at using this to create learning opportunities and experiences for children.

The course will provide you with a deep understanding of working with children and young people, helping you integrate knowledge and theory into practice, including the importance of the Health and Social Care Standards and the Scottish Social Services Council Codes of Practice.

This course will focus on working in primary education and examine the broader perspective of supporting children's play, learning and development in a range of childhood practice settings.

This course will teach the importance of play in children's development; leadership skills; a thorough understanding of child development theories; strategies to support children with additional needs; how to understand and support children's behaviour; contemporary family issues; collaborative working; and the importance of health, wellbeing, and safeguarding.

Take your next step towards changing your life and the lives of children.  

If you would like to apply for this course, please consider the PVG scheme (completed by Edinburgh College once your place on the course is confirmed). This scheme helps protect children and adults within our sector; we require a clear PVG to enable you to proceed with an application for this course.  If you have any questions regarding this, please contact us to discuss. 

Upon meeting the entry requirements, we will contact you to share the dates of our Information Sessions and Open Days. We will also arrange an individual induction meeting (online or on campus) to discuss the course and placement requirements, and to answer any questions you may have. We look forward to meeting you. 

What you will learn

During the course, you will learn the values, skills, and knowledge necessary to support children and young people. This will include:

• Developing an understanding of the values and principles that underpin work in childhood practice settings.
• Understanding how the Health and Social Care Standards and SSSC Codes of Practice inform working practices in the childcare sector.
• Developing an understanding of the variety of childhood practice settings in the sector.
• Developing skills appropriate for working with and supporting a wide range of individuals in childhood practice settings.
• Have an individual and child-centred focus in your practice.
• Learning how to ensure inclusion in everyday work practice.
• Critically evaluate your practice and be a reflective practitioner.
• Developing a good working knowledge of current legislation, policy and guidance.
• We promote active learning, and you will participate in activities both in and out of the classroom.

In addition -

• You will build knowledge of evaluation tools, such as 'How Good Is Our School', to help you reflect, respond, and develop your practice within the school.
• You will become familiar with the role of HMIE (His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education).
• Within the teaching and assessments, the age range will focus on primary-aged children.

To help prepare you for your course and share additional information, we have created an HNC online noticeboard. This will be regularly updated until the course starts in August.

Placement information

• You will gain valuable experience from a placement in a school, in a primary 1, 2, or 3 class. If the school has a nursery, you can also spend some time there.
• Edinburgh College will arrange your placement through our placement coordinator, who has an extensive network of schools (state, additional support needs, and independent) committed to hosting placements to increase career opportunities and jobs by growing skills and knowledge within the Childhood Practice sector. 
• Placement is rewarding and gives invaluable experience to support the knowledge gained in college.  
• Attendance is mandatory to complete the professional practice required to pass the course. Between October 2025 and May 2026, you are required to attend 60 placement days, arranged in a series of blocks. The first block consists of four days to familiarise yourself with your setting, followed by two days per week, and three further blocks of four days in December, January, and March.
• A satisfactory Disclosure and Protection Scotland PVG clearance, arranged and paid for by Edinburgh College, is compulsory before starting placement.
• Our placements are arranged within Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian.  Student requests outside of these areas can't be guaranteed. 

How the course is assessed

• You will be continually assessed through project work, essays, reflective accounts, research tasks and presentations.

Number of days per week

• Sighthill campus and Granton campus – two days per week (Monday and Tuesday).
• You will also do two days of work placement per week (Wednesday and Thursday).
• Friday is your study day; no requirement to attend college. 

Entry requirements

• A minimum of two Highers at grade C or above, one of which should be English.  
• Or pass in a relevant NC at SCQF Level 6 (including Communication or Academic Study Skills units at SCQF 6) or PDA Education Support Assistant or SVQ Level 2 Children’s Care Learning and Development/Social Services Children and Young People.
• Or a pass in the Foundation Apprenticeship Social Services: Children and Young People, plus Higher English.
• Applicants should have experience working in early learning or childcare settings, either in a paid or voluntary role.
• Membership in the PVG scheme, as verified through Disclosure and Protection Scotland, is required for this course.
• You should upload copies of your qualifications to demonstrate that you meet the entry requirements.

Writing a Personal Statement

Your Personal Statement is an essential part of your application and helps us decide whether you are suitable for the course.

To make sure that you are giving us all the information we need to consider your application thoroughly, please include the following:

• Your reasons for applying for this course. Why does it interest you? Why are you suitable for this course?
• Details of any relevant qualifications that you have to meet the course entry requirements
• Information about any courses or training you have done that are relevant – this can include certificated training such as First Aid or CPD courses.
• Details of any work experience (paid or voluntary) that is relevant to the course
• Your future career plans – how will this course help you to reach your goals?

You should check that the statement is written clearly and uses appropriate language. It’s a good idea to ask someone to proofread the statement before sending it.

Information on Tests / Auditions / Interview Requirements

• We will contact you to share the dates of our Information Sessions and Open Days, and we will arrange an individual induction meeting (online or on campus) to discuss the course, placement requirements, and answer any questions you may have. 

English Proficiency Requirements

To enable our students the best opportunity of achieving this course, applicants for whom English is an additional language require an existing English language certificate at IELTS Level 6 or equivalent. Alternatively, additional language applicants will be required to undertake an English Language Assessment at College. There will be a cost of £20 for this test unless you are in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance, Working Tax Credit, Housing Benefit, Disability Benefit or Income Support or if you are an asylum seeker or refugee.  English proficiency at IELTS Level 6 or equivalent is required for the course. If you would like any more information on this, please contact angie.thomson@edinburghcollege.ac.uk

Progression and Articulation Routes

The BA (Hons) in Primary Education is recognised as a teaching qualification for registration with GTCS. (BA (Hons) Primary Education - 2025 entry | Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh)

• Year 1 requirements- HNC Childhood practice (120 credits- 96 may be considered) with a B in GU, Higher English (C grade or above) and National 5 Maths/Applications of Maths (C grade or above).
• Year 2- HNC Childhood practice (120 credits) with an A in GU, with a B in GU, Higher English (C grade or above) and National 5 Maths/Applications of Maths (C grade or above). A minimum of 40 hours on placement and a successful interview is required. 

BA (Hons) in Education is not recognised as a teaching qualification for registration with GTCS. It is a recognised route to a PGDE if students do not meet the English and Maths requirements for Primary Education. (BA (Hons) Education - 2026 entry | Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh)

Year 1 requirements- HNC Childhood practice (120 credits-96 may be considered)

Year 2- HNC Childhood practice (120 credits) with a B in GU

• Your HNC Childhood Practice is intended to enable registration with the SSSC as a practitioner. 
• Successful completion could enable progression to HND Childhood Practice, PDA Level 8 Childhood Practice or BA Childhood Practice.
• To progress to these qualifications, experience working in a child care setting is essential.
• Successful students who have also achieved National 5 Biology and level 5 numeracy (or equivalent) are eligible to apply for the 3-year pre-registration Nursing programme (BN) at Edinburgh Napier University.
• BA (Hons) Child and Youth Studies, year 2 entry at the University of the Highlands and Islands 
• BA (Hons) Childhood Practice, year 2 entry at the University of the Highlands and Islands

Career options

• From this course, you can apply for registration with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) as a practitioner and go into employment within a variety of childhood practice settings; nurseries, schools, playgroups, after-school clubs, play schemes and many more. 
• Working in childhood practice offers numerous opportunities for career progression; each day is different, full of variety and adventure.