Early Childhood

Early childhood is a subject that takes seriously the first years of life as a period of remarkable development and as a critical window for laying the foundations of learning, health, and wellbeing. It draws on developmental psychology, neuroscience, sociology, and educational theory to understand how babies and young children develop, how their environments shape them, what high-quality early childhood provision looks like, and what practitioners and policymakers can do to support children who are at risk of poor outcomes in their earliest years.

This part-time programme is offered by the Open University through distance learning, making it accessible to students who cannot commit to full-time campus attendance. The Open University's flexible approach to learning is particularly well suited to early childhood, a field where many students are already working in nurseries, children's centres, health settings, or family support roles and want to deepen their professional understanding through formal study while continuing in practice. The distance learning format allows you to study at a pace that fits around work and family commitments, and the academic content is designed to connect directly with the practical realities of working with young children.

You will study child development from birth through to the early school years, attachment theory and the importance of relationships, the neuroscience of early brain development, early language and communication, the role of play in learning, the policy frameworks governing early years provision in the UK, and the ethical dimensions of working with young children and their families. The programme develops both your theoretical understanding and your reflective practice as a professional.

Graduates from early childhood programmes move into roles in early years education and childcare, health visiting and family support, children's social care, policy, and leadership of early years settings. The degree supports progression within the early years sector and is a foundation for further professional training in social work, health, or education leadership.