- Location
- Cardonald Campus
- Start Date
- 25 Aug 2025
- Qualification Type
- PDA
- Course Type
- Evening
- Duration
- 2 Years (August to June)
Applications open 15th January 2025
Professional Development Award (PDA) in Childhood Practice at SCQF Level 8 is designed to support the professional development of practitioners who wish to enhance their professional practice and/or are aspiring to be managers of services for children and young people.
It is designed to allow you to develop the skills and knowledge required for working in the early learning, childcare and playwork sector and is achieved on the successful attainment of the 5 double credit mandatory units.
To allow progression to the PDA in Childhood Practice at SCQF Level 9, the appropriate SVQ units have been added to the course to bring the credits up to 120 at SCQF level 8 over the two year duration of the course.
What will I learn?
The PDA Group Award is achieved on the successful attainment of five double credit mandatory units. In total, you will need to achieve 80 HN credits to achieve the full Group Award.
- Childhood practice: Enhanced professional practice
- Childhood practice: Leadership and team working
- Childhood practice: Integrated and collaborative working
- Childhood practice: Policy to practice
- Childhood practice: Pedagogical approaches
We have added extra credits with the addition of appropriate SVQ units to bring the credits up to 120 at SCQF level 8 over the two year duration of the course delivery, to allow for progression to the PDA Childhood Practice: Leadership and Management at SCQF Level 9.
The complete PDA Plus has 120 SCQF credits at Level 8.
The course is delivered as a part-time online evening class over two academic years. You will be expected to attend our campus, one evening each week at 6.30pm, with asynchronous learning, such as further research and learning opportunities available via the College virtual learning environment, Canvas.
Further information on the PDA Childhood Practice: Leadership and Management at SCQF Level 9 can be accessed here.
Entry requirements (minimum)
You should already have qualifications in the sector that allow registration by the SSSC as a Practitioner at SCQF Level 7, for example:
- HNC in Childhood Practice
- SVQ Playwork (SCQF Level 7)
- SVQ Social Services: Children and Young People (SCQF Level 7) or equivalent.
Employer and industry links
This professional qualification supports the development of the workforce and will allow you to develop the skills, knowledge and practice required for working in the early learning, childcare and playwork sector.
It also supports the post registration training and learning requirements of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) for practitioners.
Jobs and further study
Progression routes are available to the PDA in Childhood Practice: Leadership and Management (SCQF Level 9), or the BA in Childhood Practice and will enable the development of the skills and knowledge required to lead and manage services for children and young people.
Further employment opportunities may exist to progress to lead practitioner or manager roles.
Take a look at the course progression map for early years courses.
Making an application
For courses starting in August, you can make up to two applications.
Applications are made to a course and a first choice of campus. If the course is oversubscribed at your first choice you will be automatically considered for alternative sites and may be made an offer without a further application.
I've applied — what happens next?
When you apply
You will receive an automated email confirming that we have received your application (remember to check your SPAM folder).
Your application will be reviewed by the admissions team and you will either be:
- Invited to book an interview session. You will be required to bring evidence of qualifications and an academic reference to interview. During the interview, you will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the course and the college. Interviews will take place from late April onwards. Qualifications and relevant work experience will also be taken into account. This course involves a placement element which requires that you if successful are entered into the PVG scheme administered by Disclosure Scotland. Both the placement and the PVG check will be organised (and PVG costs met) by the college. This check will be carried out before undertaking work experience. If you have offences that may be recorded on a Disclosure Scotland check, you should discuss this with staff at interview.
- Advised that your application is unsuccessful – you have not met the entry requirements for this course and are advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
- We aim not to reject an application and if you don’t meet the entry requirements you may be referred to a different course or level.
If you are invited to interview, you will be informed of the outcome of your interview by email within 14 working days. The outcome will be one of the following:
- Unconditional offer of a place – you have met all the entry requirements and your place is guaranteed. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your place.
- Conditional offer of a place – your place is secured pending you meeting the entry requirements. This may mean achieving school or college qualifications which you may not be able to provide to us yet. You will be required to accept this offer to secure your conditional place. Once your conditions are met this will change to an unconditional offer of a place which you must accept before you can enrol on the course.
- Waiting list – you have met all entry requirements, and have been interviewed however, the course is now full so you have been placed on a waiting list. If any spaces become available you may be contacted, usually around the course start date. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Reserve list – following your interview, you have unfortunately not been successful in this round of recruitment. We have placed your name on a reserve list and your application may be reconsidered at a later date. This could happen any time up to the start date of the course but it is very possible that you will not be offered a place. We would advise that you also consider other application options.
- Unsuccessful – your interview has been unsuccessful. You may be offered a place on a course at a different level, or advised to contact the College Student Advice Centres to discuss alternative options which may be available to you.
Once an offer is received, you must reply within 14 working days or risk losing your place, as the system will automatically decline your offer after 14 days.
For up to date information on the fees and costs for this course, please use the Course Enquiry button or Course Contact.
You may be eligible to apply for a part-time fee grant from Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) for the courses at SCQF Level 7, 8 and 9. For more information, contact SAAS.
Once you have accepted your offer, you will be sent out instructions about student funding, joining instructions and induction date. This will normally be sent out in July.