What is A CACHE Qualification?

If you're looking into pursuing a career in childcare or as a teaching assistant, you may well have heard of CACHE qualifications. But what are they and are they right for you?

Here, we give you all the info you need to decide whether a CACHE qualification can help you achieve your childcare career goals.

WHO ARE CACHE?

CACHE qualifications are awarded by the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education - the UK's leading provider of vocational qualifications for those working in the care and education sectors.

CACHE offers a wide range of vocational qualifications suitable for individuals involved in early years education, childcare, and health and social care. All CACHE qualifications are divided into five different levels, ranging from Level 1 (entry level) to Level 5 (for experienced professionals).

IS CACHE A RECOGNISED QUALIFICATION?

Yes - of the many different childcare qualifications available nationally, CACHE qualifications are amongst the most well-known and respected. To give you an idea of their scale, last year alone, over 150,000 learners registered onto CACHE courses at over 1,000 accredited learning centres across the world. All of our CACHE courses lead to a nationally recognised Ofqual regulated qualification and are accredited on the Regulated Qualifications Framework (RQF).

WILL A CACHE QUALIFICATION HELP ME TO FIND A JOB IN CHILDCARE?

If you're hoping to find employment in a childcare setting, working with children aged 0-5, then a CACHE qualification is probably the most suitable. The Children & Young People’s Workforce – CACHE Level 2 Certificate (RQF) Course leads directly to a Level 2 Certificate qualification with 35 credits, and is suitable for anyone wanting to work within an Early Years setting. This course requires a work placement for the completion of coursework. This can be a part-time voluntary placement for as little as one morning or afternoon per week or full time employment.

We also have a range of courses suitable for students with little or no experience leading to nationally recognised qualifications. The Introducing Caring for Children & Young People - CACHE Level 2 Certificate (RQF) Course is an ideal starting point for those seeking a comprehensive introduction to the childcare sector. It leads to a Certificate Qualification with 16 credits.

For those students with a little more experience we can offer the Childcare and Education - CACHE Level 3 Award (RQF) Course which on completion will lead to Level 3 RQF Award with up to 28 UCAS Points. For those wanting to take their first steps into home based childcare we have the Preparing to Work in Home Based Childcare - CACHE Level 3 Award (RQF) Course.

WILL A CACHE QUALIFICATION HELP ME TO FIND A JOB AS A TEACHING ASSISTANT?

As with Childcare, CACHE also have a range of qualifications suitable for those wanting to become a Teaching Assistant. The most sought after qualifications are the vocational qualifications which will require a placement to complete, but we also offer the Support Work in Schools - CACHE Level 2 Award (RQF) Course for those who haven’t got or can’t arrange a placement, and want to gain a suitable qualification which they could use at a later stage.

For students who can arrange a placement there are three course options which all lead to qualifications suitable for teaching assistant roles. The Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools – CACHE Level 2 Certificate (RQF) Courseleads to a Level 2 Certificate Qualification with 30 Credits and the Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools – CACHE Level 3 Certificate (RQF) Course leads to a Level 3 Certificate Qualification issued by CACHE with 32 Credits. Students do not need to complete the Level 2 qualification before the Level 3. The choice of course level should be determined by the Level of qualification they are wanting to gain and the level they feel comfortable studying at (Level 2 is equivalent to studying al GCSE and Level 3 is equivalent to studying at A Level). We also offer the Specialist Support for Teaching & Learning in Schools – CACHE Level 3 Diploma (RQF) Course which leads to a Level 3 Diploma Qualification issued by CACHE with 44 Credits. This course covers the exact same 11 units covered in the Supporting Teaching & Learning in Schools (RQF) – CACHE Level 3 Course with an additional 3 units specific to the SEN requirements.

CAN I TAKE CACHE COURSES ONLINE?

There are thousands of CACHE courses available all over the country, many of which can be accessed via distance learning. Distance learning provides learners with an affordable way to improve their skills and enhance their employability.

All courses can be taken independent of location and at a pace that suits you. Learners can spread their studies over a 12-month period - making it an ideal option for learners who want to work flexibly around their other professional or personal responsibilities.

Interested in learning more about our CACHE course? Simply visit our course pages or contact us today to find out more.