Knowledge Zone

Are you looking for a way to get into childcare, or Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) after your Leaving Cert? 

Starting out in Early Childhood Care and Education with no experience working with children, the first step is to complete your Level 5 ECCE course. 

You can do this course through blended learning which means you study online during the week with support from your tutor and you attend workshops a couple of weekends throughout the course. 

You will also have the opportunity to complete a work experience placement in an early years setting to compliment your studies, Portobello Institute can support you in finding work placement.

It takes eight months to one year to complete this course depending on your pace of study.

This National Framework of Qualifications graph shows you where Level 5 and Level 6 qualifications sit.

If you start out at Portobello Institute, you can get to know your tutors and progress to Level 7, Level 8 and Level 9 in Early Childhood Studies in the future.

What Will You Study During ECCE Level 5?

During this course, you will study development, learning and well-being of children and their identities in the field of ECCE.

You will also develop the key skills needed to work in an early years setting.

You will learn about child development theories and how a range of activities can promote physical, social, emotional and intellectual development in children.

You will develop the capacity to work and communicate effectively with parents, families, colleagues and other professionals to safeguard, support and promote children’s learning, development and well-being.

What Will You Do After This Course?

Upon completing this course, you will hold a QQI Level 5 Major Award in Early Years Care and Education. 

This sets you up perfectly to progress onto the Level 6 ECCE course which offers you multiple career opportunities to start working.

Delivered online with webinars, this Level 6 course in ECCE with Montessori Teaching will give you the qualification that will allow you open your own setting or work in the capacity of a room leader/supervisor/manager in a Montessori room.

You can also study ECCE on its own, but having the Montessori qualification opens up more job opportunities at a variety of early years settings.

This course takes seven months to one year to complete depending on your own pace of study. 

Transitioning from Secondary School to Further Education

If you are worried about the leap from your Leaving Cert in secondary school to further education at Portobello Institute, we would like to reassure you that we will support you every step of the way. 

In Portobello Institute, we are totally student-centric. What does that mean?  

It means everything we do is done with you, our student at the center of our decision. 

Our entry requirements are realistic, our timetable scheduling is condensed to reduce your costs on accommodation, save money on commuting and allow you to work while you study. 

You know your tutor and your tutor knows you – they know your name, what you can achieve and what supports you need to achieve your personal best. 

We nurture the one in everyone and we fit your model of learning. We adapt to support you to achieve your personal best, whatever that may be.

Whether you prefer full-time, part-time or blended delivery methods, attending class on site, watching online or watching it back later, paying in full or adopting our easy payment plan - you choose your journey at Portobello.