May 2026 Early Years Subject Advisor Update

Summer Exams

Good luck to all Students and Teachers

Good luck to all students who a sitting exams in the next couple of months. Thank you teachers for all your hard work preparing the students. 

Post-16 L2 and L3 qualifications: 2027 proposed subject content

The DfE are seeking views on the proposed subject content for specific new qualifications at level 2 and level 3 for Education and Early Years:

• V Level Education Level 3
• Foundation Certificate Level 2 Education and Early Years
• Occupational Certificate Level 2 Early Years Practitioner  

The consultation runs from Thursday 23rd April to Thursday 4th June 2026 (11:59pm). Please read the accompanying consultation document and outline content before responding.

Proposed Subject Content for Education and Early years

Education and Early years

The draft content for the new V Level, Foundation Certificate and Occupational Certificate for Education and Early Years is now live for public consultation.

Post-16 L2 and L3 qualifications: 2027 proposed subject content

Department for Education - Citizen Space

We have set up 3 focus groups to look how the content supports progression, its structure and balance, and how manageable it may be to deliver in practice. The discussion will also consider sequencing, assessment implications, and the types of support centres will need for confident implementation. 

Please try and attend to help support the development of these new qualifications that will be introduced for first teach in September 2027.

FE Colleges focus group registration

Six Form Colleges focus group 

Schools focus group

BTEC Nationals Children's Play Learning and Development (2016)

Unit 5- Keeping Children Safe

We are aware that the Essential information for assessment decisions for Learning Aim D of Unit 5 states that to achieve a pass standard learner “must show that they have followed correct procedures, supporting their evidence with a witness statement of a qualified early years professional”.
However, a witness testimony is not required for Unit 5 achievement as there are no specific additional resource requirements for this unit i.e. a placement is not required to achieve this unit.

It is possible to achieve Unit 5 using theoretical scenarios, if necessary, in line with the information given in the Practical Evidence Portfolio (PEP). A witness testimony should be used to support learners work if they have used evidence from the placement to achieve Learning Aim D.

See Practical Evidence Portfolio

AAQ Early Childhood development 

Updated PSABs

Please check the website to ensure you are using the most up to date PSAB for each unit and you have the most recent addition of the Specification. This will ensure that there is no problems with students work when it comes to being sampled for Standards Verification.

Remember the deadline for you to send your samples to the Standards Verifier is 15 May 2026.