2025/26 entry
BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child) Top-Up Degree Apprenticeship
Why study Nursing (Child) Top-Up Degree Apprenticeship at Liverpool John Moores University?
- Designed specifically for qualified Nursing Associates, our BSc (Hons) Child Nursing top-up degree apprenticeship will lead you to qualify as a Registered Nurse in 18 months.
- Join our multi award-winning School - 'Nurse Education Provider of the Year (pre-registration)' 2021 Winner and 'Best Student Experience' 2020 Winner (Student Nursing Times Awards)
- Contemporary modules reflect current workforce development needs.
- Participate in engaging learning activities, in state of the art professional-standard clinical practice simulation suites, complete with cutting edge technology.
- LJMU has a recent OFSTED inspection rating of GOOD with OUTSTANDING in behaviour and attitudes.
- Approved by the Nursing Midwifery Council
- 95% of students surveyed said the academic support on our nursing courses was good or very good (National Student Survey 2024)
About your course
The BSc (Hons) Child Nursing Apprenticeship (Top up) supports you to achieve a degree whilst remaining in employment. It offers an NMC-approved, quality course that will prepare you for the complex and demanding, but extremely rewarding arena of child nursing.
Child nurses care for children and young people and their families in a wide range of settings including hospitals, clinics and home environments. On the BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child) top up apprenticeship degree, you will gain the skills, experience and confidence to be an effective healthcare professional whilst you are in employment.
The programme is delivered over 18 months and is full time.
You will undertake two theoretical assessments in the first six months, and five in the final academic year: one for each theoretical module, in addition to one practice module per year. You will be assessed utilising a variety of authentic assessment methods such as presentations, essays, professional conversations, exams and be assessed in clinical practice. This will enable you to achieve across a range of assessment styles. You will have access to a variety of digital resources to support your learning and wider experience.
On successful completion of the programme, you will obtain an Honours Degree and will be able to register with the NMC as a Child Nurse.
If you are a Nursing Associate or Assistant Practitioner your previous qualification may, subject to recognition of prior learning, cover the first 18 months of the BSc (Hons) nursing programme. Do not hesitate to contact us for further information.
This apprenticeship programme is aligned and mapped against the Institute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IFATE) Registered Nurse Degree standard ST0781 (IFATE, 2018) and is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Professional accreditation/links
This programme is accredited by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and aligned to the Standards for pre-registration nursing programmes (NMC, 2023).
Fees and funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students
Fees
The fees quoted above cover registration, tuition, supervision, assessment and examinations as well as:
- library membership with access to printed, multimedia and digital resources
- access to programme-appropriate software
- library and student IT support
- free on-campus wifi via eduroam
Additional costs
Although not all of the following are compulsory/relevant, you should keep in mind the costs of:
- accommodation and living expenditure
- books (should you wish to have your own copies)
- printing, photocopying and stationery
- PC/laptop (should you prefer to purchase your own for independent study and online learning activities)
- mobile phone/tablet (to access online services)
- field trips (travel and activity costs)
- placements (travel expenses and living costs)
- student visas (international students only)
- study abroad opportunities (travel costs, accommodation, visas and immunisations)
- academic conferences (travel costs)
- professional-body membership
- graduation (gown hire etc)
Funding
There are many ways to fund study for home and international students. From loans to International Scholarships and subject-specific funding, you'll find all of the information you need on our specialist funding pages.
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Employability
Employability and career development
Your preparation for working as a Registered Nurse whilst on this programme, allows you to develop your career progression whilst undertaking full time work within a healthcare environment. Increasing integration of health and social care services will require nurses to negotiate boundaries and play a proactive role in interdisciplinary teams.
Career opportunities within Health and Social Care are varied and can lead to jobs in the NHS and the private, independent and voluntary sector. As registrants progress through their career there may be opportunities in the growing number of nurse specialist posts in some clinical areas too. You may choose to stay with your current employer and progress through your organisation. Some graduates prefer to pursue careers in teaching, research or management, or continue their studies with a masters programme
Student Futures - Careers, Employability and Enterprise Service
A wide range of opportunities and support is available to you, within and beyond your course, to ensure our students experience a transformation in their career trajectory. Every undergraduate curriculum includes Future Focus during Level 4, an e-learning resource and workshop designed to help you to develop your talents, passion and purpose.
Every student has access to Careers Zone 24/7, LJMU's suite of online Apps, resources and jobs board via the LJMU Student Futures website. There are opportunities for flexible, paid and part-time work through Unitemps, LJMU's in-house recruitment service, and we also offer fully funded Discovery Internships.
One-to-one careers and employability advice is available via our campus-based Careers Zones and we offer a year-round programme of events, including themed careers and employability workshops, employer events and recruitment fairs. Our Start-Up Hub can help you to grow your enterprise skills and to research, plan and start your own business or become a freelancer.
A suite of learning experiences, services and opportunities is available to final year students to help ensure you leave with a great onward plan. You can access LJMU's Careers, Employability and Start-up Services after you graduate and return for one-to-one support for life.
A life-changing experience
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What you will study on this degree
Please see guidance below on core and option modules for further information on what you will study.
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All modules are core modules there are no optional modules in this programme,
- Assessment in Child Nursing
- Complexities in Child Nursing Care
- Developing practice learning
Level 6 modules:
- Person Centred Care Planning
- Leadership and Quality enhancement
- Health economics and health policy
- Managing risk in Child Nursing
- Nursing interventions and prescriber readiness
- Advancing practice learning
Further guidance on modules
Modules are designated core or optional in accordance with professional body requirements, as applicable, and LJMU’s Academic Framework Regulations. Whilst you are required to study core modules, optional modules provide you with an element of choice. Their availability may vary and will be subject to meeting minimum student numbers.
Where changes to modules are necessary these will be communicated as appropriate.
Level 5
Core modules
Assessment in Children's Nursing
20 credits
This module will develop your understanding of assessing, monitoring and planning care in Children's nursing. You will also explore research methods and ethics and the application of an evidence-base to your practice. In this module the indicative content will specifically be applied within the context of Children's Nursing.
Complexities in Children's Nursing Care
20 credits
This module will develop your critical understanding of the complexities of care in children's nursing, including end of life, commonly encountered challenges, and prioritising care.
Developing Practice Learning
20 credits
The aim of this module is to support students in achieving proficiencies for registered nurses that are aligned to Part 2 of the Practice Assessment Document. In addition, students will be directed and supported to develop an understanding of the theory that underpins the NMC Standards of Proficiency Annexe B Nursing Procedures.
Level 6
Core modules
Leadership and Quality Enhancement
20 credits
This module will equip the learner with the underpinning knowledge required for leading and managing care, including delegation and supporting staff. They will also develop skills to monitor risk and evaluate and enhance quality of care.
Health Economics and Health Policy
20 credits
This module will enhance the students understanding of health legislation and current health and social care policies and their influence quality of care, patient safety. They will also develop an understand of the principles of health economics and their relevance to resource allocation in health and social care organisations .
Nursing Interventions and Prescriber Readiness
20 credits
This module explores the nurse's role in the instigation of appropriate investigations and interventions when meeting individual care needs. This module will prepare you to progress to a prescribing qualification following registration.
Managing Risk In Children's Nursing
20 credits
This module will enable you to understand the concept of risk and to identify and appropriately respond to risk within individuals and organisations in adult nursing. In this module the indicative content will specifically be applied within the context of Children's Nursing.
Person Centred Care Planning in Children's Nursing
20 credits
This module will explore decision making within the context of individualised care in children's nursing. In this module the indicative content will specifically be applied within the context of Children's Nursing.
Consolidating Practice Learning
20 credits
The aim of this module is to support students in achieving proficiencies for registered nurses that are aligned to Part 3 of the Practice Assessment Document. In addition, students will be directed and supported to develop an understanding of the theory that underpins the NMC Standards of Proficiency Annexe B Nursing Procedures.
Teaching and work-related learning
Excellent facilities and learning resources
Your learning journey has been designed to be inspiring and motivating, provide tailored support, and to meet the specific NMC requirements for registered nurses.
You will learn through a mix of:
- lectures
- seminars
- group work activities
- simulated learning activities
- practice learning
- tutorials.
We use an active blended learning approach at LJMU. This means you will attend face to face teaching on campus - usually at the School of Nursing and Advanced Practice, based in the Tithebarn Building (part of our City Campus), along with independent learning and work online. Examples of online activity include asynchronous tutorial discussions, discussion boards and collaborative or individual projects such as wikis, padlets, blogs and e-portfolios.
You will be taught by a team of professionally qualified and experienced academic staff, who have experience in designing, developing and delivering professional programmes.. This team liaise closely with with your practice supervisors and assessors to ensure you are supported in consolidating theoretical learning in the practice learning environment. .
Support and guidance
Dedicated personal tutor, plus study skills support
All apprentice learners will commence their programme of study with a timetabled induction period. This will help you settle in to your apprentice learner community and identity.
As soon as you enrol at LJMU, you will be assigned your own personal tutor. Your tutor will give you feedback on how well you are progressing with your studies and encourage you to plan for your educational and career development.
There are a wide variety of support services for learners open to all. They include health and wellbeing services, learning support and student futures who can support your transition into employability and professional life.
LJMU has a range of support mechanisms that support apprentice learners in making the transition to higher education and subsequently across academic levels of study. We encourage students to take advantage of the study skills support available through Library Services. This covers everything from how to find the books or journals you need, through to the correct way of referencing them in your assignments.
Assessment
Assessment varies depending on the modules you choose, but will usually include a combination of exams and coursework.
You will have both formative and summative assessments throughout the programme.
Formative assessments are diagnostic in nature and focus on your development, identifying strengths and areas for improvement, in addition to providing you with feedback on your progress during the learning process.
Summative assessments are the module assessments that you need to pass to receive the credits for the module. Learning outcomes for the module will describe the knowledge, skills, behaviours and expertise that you will need to meet in order to pass the assessment. As an undergraduate student, the pass mark for your assessments is usually 40%.
The assessments for each module have been designed to align with the learning outcomes and be authentic to nursing practice. This means that assessments will require you to use the same competencies, or combinations of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that you will need to apply in your professional life.
Course tutors
Our staff are committed to the highest standards of teaching and learning
Sharon Riverol
Programme Lead
Sharon has been in post at LJMU since October 2020 and a registered nurse from 05.2005. Sharon was worked in a variety settings including Stroke rehabilitation, Coronary Care Unit, Acute Medical Unit and General Practice. Roles have included junior/ senior nurse, deputy ward manager, nurse manager. Sharon came to LJMU to complete her masters in advanced healthcare practice and then worked as an ANP before joining LJMU as a lecturer. Sharon become programme leader following involvement with the trainee nursing associate programme at LJMU, her interests include widening participation and support for learners. She enjoys teaching and running the apprentice workshop days as well as actively engaging with the employers to support learners.
Facilities
What you can expect from your School
Part of the City Campus, the School of Nursing and Advanced Practice is based in the Tithebarn Building, adjoining the Avril Robarts Library, which is open seven days a week. In addition to specialist clinical practice suite facilities, you will find high quality seminar rooms, IT suites and lecture theatres, plus a café and social spaces.
Entry requirements
Please choose your qualifications below to view requirements
Grades/points required from qualifications:
Qualification requirements
GCSEs and equivalents
A minimum of two GCSE's which must include Maths and English at grade C (level 4-9) or above OR level 2 Equivalency in Numeracy and Literacy.
Alternative qualifications considered
Advanced standing from a FdSc Nursing Associate Programme.
Applicants to this top-up programme will need to demonstrate they have met the following learning outcomes via prior certificated study to the value of 120 level 4 credits and 60 level 5 credits.
Level L01 Apply a critical understanding and application of the knowledge, skills and proficiencies outlined in NMC Standards of proficiency for Nursing Associates.
LEVEL L02 Demonstrate competency in delivery of key proficiencies, meeting the health needs across the lifespan as outlined in NMC Standards of proficiency for Nursing Associates.
LEVEL L03 Display the ability to work effectively within the limits of their knowledge, the boundaries of professional Nursing Associate practice in the delivery of professional compassionate care.
LEVEL L04 Apply understanding and evaluation of evidence-based Nursing Associate practice in the delivery and monitoring of safe care provision.
LEVEL L05 Utilise effective communication skills with service users, families, and the care delivery team to facilitate the delivery of holistic care, which is non-judgemental, inclusive and promotes equality.
LEVEL L06 Effectively use skills for employment that include professional written & spoken communication; numeracy skills and digital capability and team working and collaboration.
LEVEL L07 Demonstrate skills of a reflective practitioner with the ability to engage in life- long learning.
Additional requirements
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Interview required
An interview will be conducted involving the prospective learner and the employer prior to offering a place on the programme.
International requirements
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Other international requirements
Evidence of proof of equivalency from UK ENIC can be used where an individual has an international qualification. To access the apprenticeship, the individual must have a valid and eligible status. Non-UK nationals are eligible for funding if they have been resident in the UK for at least the previous three year period on the first day of the apprenticeship.
Further information
- DBS, Occupational Health requirements
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RPL
Recognition of prior learning that is capable of being mapped to the Standards of proficiency for registered nurses and programme outcomes, up to a maximum of 50 percent of the programme, is permitted (NMC Standards for pre-registration nursing programmes, 2023: 1.5).
Application and selection
Securing your place at LJMU
To apply for this programme, you are required to complete an LJMU Degree Apprenticeship form. You will need to provide details of previous qualifications and a personal statement outlining why you wish to study this programme.
The university reserves the right to withdraw or make alterations to a course and facilities if necessary; this may be because such changes are deemed to be beneficial to students, are minor in nature and unlikely to impact negatively upon students or become necessary due to circumstances beyond the control of the university. Where this does happen, the university operates a policy of consultation, advice and support to all enrolled students affected by the proposed change to their course or module.
Further information on the terms and conditions of any offer made, our admissions policy and the complaints and appeals process.