ED1PSY: Professional Skills in the Children/Young People’s Workforce

Module code: ED1PSY

Module provider: Institute of Education

Credits: 20

ECTS credits: 10

Level: 4

When you’ll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Ms Pamela Cottrell, email: pamela.cottrell@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2026/7

Available to visiting students: No

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 25 March 2026

Overview

Module aims and purpose

This module will benefit the student both personally and professionally, as it examines aspects a student would need to consider for their continued growth as a professional within the children/young people’s workforce. The benefits of collaborative and culturally appropriate practice are identified and discussed. The importance of change and regular self-review for increased self-efficacy is also examined. 

The module will focus on building the student’s competence and confidence as an effective practitioner within early years/educational settings (0-18). It will extend the student’s understanding of the frameworks, underpinning values and ethical practice within which practitioners are working. It covers the application of ethical principles to a variety of situations and issues in their practice. 

Students will explore the importance of developing their skills of effective communication, and the dynamics of team formation as they work collaboratively with other professionals to support the learning and development of children/young people. 

The module also supports students to develop academic and study skills in the context of their work-based environment. 

The aims of this module are to develop knowledge and understanding of professionalism and the development of academic and professional skills through: 

Exploration of the importance of beliefs and values in shaping professional practice and responsibilities 

Examination of a range of theories and perspectives and the way in which they inform and guide professional practice 

Development of self-evaluative and critical reflective skills 

Evaluation of aspects of effective professionalism in early years and educational settings across a range of contexts 

Identification and application of study skills required for academic development and professional practice 

reflection upon the importance of developing relevant information and communication technology skills to support learning and practice 

Reflection upon the use of personal experience to help challenge thinking and assess impact of actions 

Exploration of the development of practitioners into effective communicators who adapt their styles of communication appropriately when working with other professionals, parents and carers and children 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Identify relevant principles and concepts in relation to professionalism in the children/young people’s workforce and reflect upon their own professional practice 
2. Discuss key principles and concepts in relation to effective communication with children and adults 
3. Use models to reflect on the role of the practitioner/teacher in communicating effectively with children, young people, families and other professionals in the workplace and interrogate work-based practices related to collaborative working in teams.

Module content

Professional practice and teamwork – including assertiveness skills 

Ethical principles and guidelines 

Relationships with other professionals 

Self-esteem, self-concept, self-efficacy – with theoretical underpinning 

Development of students’ own educational philosophy 

Pedagogy and principles that underpin philosophy 

reflective practice and models for reflection 

Study skills development 

ICT skills development 

effective inter-personal communication – theory into practice 

development and use of effective communication skills appropriate to the audience 

Group dynamics and working with other professionals 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module will be taught through a combination of Lectures, discussion groups, tasks, research, work based activities; work – based learning will provide an essential contribution to achievement of the outcomes. 

Study hours

At least 21 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each calendar day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three calendar days;
• where the piece of work is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in you Individual Learning Plan), the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three calendar days of the deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three calendar days after the original deadline (or a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment indicated in your Individual Learning Plan): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

Where a piece of work is submitted late after a deadline which has been revised owing to an extension granted through the Assessment Adjustments policy and process (self-certified or otherwise), it will be subject to the maximum penalty (i.e., considered to be more than three calendar days late). This will also apply when such an extension is used in conjunction with a DAS-agreed extension as a reasonable adjustment.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Hopes and fears reflective account. Formative group presentation. Work-based discussions with the mentor, plus tutorials and workplace experience all contribute to formative assessment 

Reassessment

Additional costs