Working with Children & Young People Taster

Discover your future at our immersive Working with Children & Young People Taster Day showcasing Primary Education, Social Work, Education Studies, Childhood & Youth Studies and Early Childhood Studies.

Experience what it’s like to study with the University of Portsmouth through 4 interactive carousel sessions, where you’ll take part in hands‑on activities led by expert academics.

You’ll also have the chance to hear directly from our staff and current students in a dedicated Q&A session - the perfect opportunity to ask questions, explore career pathways and get a feel for life at university.

We can’t wait to welcome you to help start your journey into an inspiring, people‑focused career.

This year's event takes place on Wednesday 17 June 2026.

Book a class or yourself onto this Taster day below.

Teacher Booking Form

Student Booking Form

What career could I build with a childhood studies degree?

Want to work with children? Discover the jobs you could gain with a degree in childhood studies.

Jodie Pinnell

We get students that come to us and say, I really want to work with children. I want to help. I want to make a difference. It's our job to say, here's all the wonderful things that you can do with children.

At the University of Portsmouth, we have a number of undergraduate Childhood Studies degrees. We have Early Childhood Studies and Childhood and Youth Studies either as a single honours course or with the option to have a combined honours with criminology or with psychology.

Cathryn Barty

This course has three specialisms. They are education and teaching, community and youth/family liaison and leadership and enterprise. The three are embedded throughout the course over three years. It helps you to decide which path you want to pursue after you finish your degree.

Anya Manley

The route that I decided to choose was the education and teaching because I have a passion to be a primary school teacher.

Adam Denman

I wanted to take my career further. I was recommended to go on to the Enterprise course, linked at the University of Portsmouth, in addition to my studies. I managed to participate in masterclasses from external speakers and entrepreneurs in residence, that supported me in setting up my own social enterprise in music education.

Anya Manley

The career options you can do with this course are unlimited, there's so many.

Victoria Blay

One of them is teaching. Whether that be primary teaching, early years in a nursery, secondary school.

Adam Denman

Others work within further education through local colleges. Some of them work within the NHS.

Victoria Blay

There's the prison service, the police service. But obviously through university you understand what your passions are.

Jodie Pinnell

A huge part of their professional practice module is they'll go out and they'll do their placement for a day a week, or they would have done a big extended placement over their summer break.

Victoria Blay

I did two placements. One was within a private prep school and then I worked in another school, which was an alternative provision school. It was really, really enjoyable. It was taking some of what I learnt at uni and putting it into practice and reflecting on that as well.

Ellen Braddick

I think having the placements reassured me that this is something that I definitely want to do. It really helped me a lot to get to the place I am now.

Jodie Pinnell

As part of that, they all inform each other's ideas and co-reflect on their positionality. I can come into this setting and I can make a difference.

Cathryn Barty

What I loved most about the course was the support I received from the lecturers.

Adam Denman

They've had a variety of different backgrounds within their careers. They also have a wide range of contacts within the industry and with local schools and colleges in the Portsmouth region.

Anya Manley

Portsmouth is a good city, you've got a beach five minutes away from the centre of the campus. You've got shops nearby, you've got restaurants. It's a good place to come and study whether you like the culture or just somewhere quiet to sit and just take in the world.

Students will attend all 4 of the following sessions throughout the day:

Teaching: Students will explore what primary teachers do through hands‑on activities, real classroom scenarios and a short teaching simulation. They’ll act as “teacher detectives”, uncovering how children learn and how teachers respond to misconceptions. A great introduction to the skills, decision‑making and wider role involved in primary teaching.
Education Studies: An interactive introduction to the philosophy of education, asking what schooling is really for. Through discussion and real‑world examples, students will explore ideas from key thinkers and reflect on their own educational experiences, offering a true taste of studying Education at university.
Childhood Studies: This practical session examines how rapid technological change impacts children and young people today. Students will explore issues around wellbeing, digital habits and safeguarding, gaining insight into current debates and the professional opportunities linked to researching and supporting childhood in modern society.
Social Work: Students will discover what social workers do to support children, young people and families, using real‑life scenarios and problem‑solving tasks. The session highlights key skills and values, including understanding poverty and advocating for those facing hardship. Ideal for anyone interested in social work, psychology or youth‑focused careers.