Welcome to Boston College! We are really pleased you have applied to study with us and we are looking forward to you joining us in September.

We want to make sure you have the best possible start, so to help you to prepare and to make sure you are on the right course, your tutors have set the below three tasks for you to have a go at over the summer. We would highly recommend having a go at the tasks, however these are not compulsory, so if you are unable to complete them it will not affect your place on the course.

Please see the Summer Study Task web page for information on how to submit your work.

If you require any help with the tasks please contact your Programme Area Manager, Jo Wright, by e-mailing joanne-w@boston.ac.uk

Task 1

early years and schoolsSummer 2020 Study Tasks

We are happy that you have chosen to study Early Years with us.

The early years are a crucial time in a child’s life and what help shape them into the people that they will become.

The adult's role in a child’s life is very important as they are responsible for supporting children’s development whilst ensuring that they are kept safe and their individual needs are met.

The following three activities for you to carry out over the next few weeks will introduce you to some of the key areas that we focus on during your course and help you be prepared for your studies in September.

You will explore:

1 - Learning through play 2 - Care needs 3 - Safeguarding

There is also lots of legislation that underpins our work with children and so if you would like to get a head start you may wish to see what you can find out about:

- The United Nations Convention for the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) (1989)- Children’s Act (2004)- The Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)

(2017)

Learning Through Play

All children learn through their play and it is the adult's job to plan purposeful play activities for children to engage in.

Learning and development can be broken down into the following areas:

- Physical Development (the development of the body- gross motor and fine motor skills)- Intellectual Development (the brain - memory, problem solving and concepts)- Language and Communication Development- Emotional Development (managing their own feelings)- Social Development (turn taking and friendship making)

Carry out some research into the following types of play:

- Physical Play- Imaginative Play- Creative Play- Construction Play- Sensory Play

Explain the type of play and what resources could best support it.

You should also explain how the type of play could support a child’s development.

It may help you to use the table below.

Type of Play Explanation/Examples How Learning and Development is Supported

Task 2

Children’s Care Needs

What care needs do you think children have? What do we need to do to look after them?

Why do you think it is important to meet children’s care needs?

Research Task:

Carry out some research around Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.

He says that for a person to achieve their full potential (be the best that they can be) they must first have their basic needs met.

Can you find out:

- What a person’s basic needs are?- What order Maslow says they must be met in to move up the hierarchy?- What will happen if a person’s needs are not met?

Now: Give examples of how we might meet these needs with children.

What do you think we could do in early years settings (childminders, nurseries and schools) to keep children safe and free from harm?

Task 3

Safeguarding:

Safeguarding is a key aspect in the Early Years Foundation Stage and everyone who works with children must have an awareness of it in order to keep children safe.

This task will introduce you to safeguarding and support you to begin to think about how you could keep children safe.

Can you find a definition for safeguarding?

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Safeguarding is often referred to as an ‘umbrella’ term. This is because many areas fall within it.

Using your definition above to help you, list as many different areas that fall under the safeguarding umbrella as you can.

There is lots of legislation which affects how we safeguard children. Sometimes these come about as a result of investigations following the death of a child. Sadly in 2000 Victoria Climbie died whilst being looked after by her Aunt. This was investigated and as a result brought about a change in the law.

Carry out some research into what happened.

- What led to Victoria’s death?- Could it have been prevented?- How?- Why did the law need to change?

We hope you enjoy your summer and we look forward to meeting you in September!

@bostoncollegeukinfo@boston.ac.uk www.boston.ac.uk

Digital and Numeracy TaskThe government have launched a Skills Toolkit giving people access to a range of FREE, high-quality digital and numeracy courses to help build their skills, progress in work and boost job prospects – https://theskillstoolkit.campaign.gov.uk/

Case Study

Following on from what you have found out over the last three tasks, use the case study and answer the questions below.

Case Study:

You are working in a nursery setting that looks after children aged 3-4 years. Jack is 3 and a half and has been at the nursery a while. Jack’s mum has been working long shifts at a hospital after she split up from Jack's dad. Bernie, a family friend, has been looking after Jack after nursery when his mum is at work. Sometimes Jack stays over at Bernie’s house when mum is working nights.

Jack is usually a happy little boy who enjoys playing outside in the sand pit with the dinosaurs. He also loves physical play. Recently Jack seems very quiet. Every morning when he comes into nursery he tells you that he is hungry and that he doesn’t want to play. You notice a bruise on Jack’s cheek. He doesn’t want to tell you how it happened.

1. What might concern you about Jack?2. What could you do about your concerns?3. Explain how would you support Jack’s care, learning and development?