Nursery World - Early years course receives low marks

The quality of learning opportunities for childcare workers studying for an early years foundation degree at a London university has been given a vote of 'no confidence' by quality watchdogs. The Quality Assurance Agency's review of London's South Bank University Foundation Degree in Early Years (FDEY), taught by four partner colleges, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, found that the course did not have clear or robust arrangements for assessing students'

The Quality Assurance Agency's review of London's South Bank University Foundation Degree in Early Years (FDEY), taught by four partner colleges, Kensington and Chelsea, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, found that the course did not have clear or robust arrangements for assessing students'

achievement and that there was a 'lack of parity in the student experience'

within colleges.

The report said, 'The judgement concerns the inconsistency between and within colleges in the contact hours for each unit and the failure of colleges to deliver the contact hours specified in the programme's approval documentation.'

The reviewers said they had 'no confidence' in the academic standards of students and observed that 'inconsistencies persist' between different markers and colleges in the 'attention that they pay to referencing, structure, spelling and grammar'.

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