Caroline A Prior

I studied the National Nursery Nursing qualification and upon successful completion in 1984 I gained employment as a private nanny. Following this my nursery nursing career led to employment across a variety of early years settings with my final position in 1990 being a Day Nursery Manager for a college based nursery.

Alongside this role, I undertook some part-time lecturing for the college across a number of early years programmes and with further study I achieved a Certificate in Education and a Masters degree in Education and Professional Development resulting in me successfully securing a fulltime lecturing position at the college in 1999.

I joined University College Birmingham in 2005 as a lecturer in Further Education and the Programme Manager for the Diploma in Childcare and Education Level 3 course before transferring to the Higher Education department in 2008 to manage the Early Years Professional Status provision.

Currently, I teach across a variety of programmes within the School of Health, Sport and Food and I am the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Graduate Practitioner) and BA (Hons) Childhood and Education Studies (online) Programme Lead.

I am also a Race, Equality and Inclusion Champion and in July 2021 I was conferred with the academic title of Associate Professor of Early Years Education.

Growth, Learning and Development Equality
Diversity and Inclusive Play
Nurturing Children’s Health and Wellbeing
The Child in Society
Child Protection and Safety in Practice
Effective Leadership and Management Skills
Enhancing Employability for Graduate Practice
Pedagogical Leadership in Play
Socio-historical Aspects of Childhood
Graduate Practitioner Competencies

I represent University College Birmingham at the Early Childhood Studies Degree Network (ECSDN), which ensures we continue to offer a quality-driven BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies (Graduate Practitioner) degree at our institution.

I am also part of the ECSDN Strategy Group and review current sector change/developments that influence key policy and practice within the early childhood sector.

I am a Co-opted Governor for Washwood Heath Nursery School.