The full time 2 year Foundation Degree (FdA) in Learning Support is designed for current and aspiring Teaching Assistants, SEN workers and those working 1-1 with students with special needs who wish to gain a professional recognition via a university level qualification.
The course will provide the opportunity to develop your knowledge and critical understanding of supporting learning and take your education support role to the next level.
On this course you will:
Whilst you will be based at the Isle of Wight College, you will also be a University of Portsmouth student and therefore able to access a range of university facilities, as well as those provided by the Isle of Wight College.
The course runs for 1 full day a week.
The course is designed to encompass the wide range of topics associated with being a learning support professional. Students are encouraged to continually reflect on their studies and relate their learning to their professional roles. Some of the topics covered in the course include:
Units of study will include subjects such as:
Teaching will be classroom based with work based research and practice. Classroom activities will include group tasks and seminars as well as more formal input sessions.
Each unit of study will require you to reflect on your work based practice. You will be encouraged to identify a critical friend in your workplace who will be able to support you through the course.
There are no final exams. Instead, each unit has its own assessment focus, which could include:
You will be given clear guidance for all assignments.
If you are successful in the Foundation degree, you can apply for direct entry to level three of the BA (Hons) Education and Training Studies where you will study educational issues from a wide perspective including sociological issues and professional practice, alongside carrying out an in-depth personal study.
Many students have successfully followed this route into Qualified Teacher Status by completing a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, embarking on the School Centred Initial Teacher Training Programme (SCITT) or the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP).
Others have used the qualification to gain promotion in the teaching assistant role.
Application should be made to University of Portsmouth using the online form*.
The course will commence in September 2021. Further details are available from University of Portsmouth.
Fees for 2020 are £6,165.
For information regarding assistance with fees and accessing loans; please refer to the government student finance website.
Advice is also available via The University of Portsmouth website.