Children's Nursing BSc (Hons)
Subject and course type
- Nursing and Midwifery
- Undergraduate
Help provide vital care for young people with a career in children’s nursing. Kingston University’s Children’s Nursing course is your route to becoming a registered children's nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
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Make a real difference to young people’s lives
Studying Children’s Nursing at Kingston will give you strong foundations for a career with meaningful impact.
Our graduates are highly sought after, with previous students going on to a range of nursing roles in leading NHS and independent organisations.
You’ll learn from expert industry professionals, build knowledge of child development and practise your skills in real healthcare settings. You’ll even receive a £5,000 per year, non-repayable NHS Training Grant to support your studies. Check out the NHS Business Service Authority website to find out more.
During the course, you’ll learn about all aspects of nursing, child development and how to provide evidence-based care for young people with a range of different needs. You’ll engage with service users, practising nurses and other healthcare professionals through a blend of placements, classes and online learning.
Why choose this course
While you study, you’ll benefit from top quality teaching at Kingston University. Not only are we ranked Gold in the Teaching Excellence Framework, we’re also top in London for Nursing (The Times Good University Guide 2025) and and Children’s Nursing (The Guardian University Guide 2025).
A portion of your learning will take place at our award-winning simulation suite, which creates realistic environments to help you develop skills in clinical, community and practice health settings.
You’ll take part in innovative simulations, where role players and full-body manikins will offer unique opportunities to build the knowledge and behaviours needed for safe and effective patient care.
Our dynamic teaching team is full of nationally and internationally recognised professionals. Many of these professionals have contributed to textbooks and achieved awards for excellence in learning and teaching.
Outside of the University, you’ll spend time on placement, both at leading London NHS hospitals and in community settings. We offer opportunities at Great Ormond Street, St George's, St Helier, Kingston, Royal Marsden, Chelsea and Westminster and Croydon Hospitals.
Some students even choose to take a national or international elective at the end of Year 2. Previous graduates have travelled to India, Bulgaria, Tanzania, UAE and New Zealand.
This combination of learning styles and settings will give you the opportunity to work in partnership with children, their families and other health and social care professionals. You’ll graduate with a deep understanding of how to care for young people who are healthy, acutely ill or have complex, high dependency or palliative needs.
Kingston is ranked No.1 in London for Nursing (The Times Good University Guide 2025).
No.1 in London for Children’s Nursing (The Guardian University Guide 2025).
Accreditation
This degree confers both an academic award and a professional qualification in nursing. On completion of the programme, students are recommended to the Nursing and Midwifery Council for professional registration.
Course content
Your studies will include core learning relevant to all fields of nursing, and modules specific to Children's Nursing.
Year 1
Year 1 introduces the core sciences and contexts of nursing and healthcare. You'll develop your knowledge of child development, the healthy child and the assessment and care of children and their families.
Core modules
30 credits
This module is designed to help you develop your knowledge and understanding of human anatomy and physiology in relation to nursing, which is an essential element of nursing proficiency.
Pathophysiology will be explored in relation to common conditions and you will also begin to develop your knowledge of pharmacological concepts in preparation for therapeutic interventions explored in Year 2.
The main features of the module are to enable you to apply scientific principles to nursing care. It will also support you to identify and understand current nursing practices underpinned by scientific theory.
30 credits
This module introduces you to childhood development and to the principles of contemporary children's nursing. You will gain knowledge of the application of child developmental theories related to physical, psychosocial and attachment development. Childhood policies will be applied to the healthy child and their families. The core principles of evidence based care of children and their families across care settings will provide a foundation for quality care. You will also be introduced to The Code (NMC, 2018) to gain knowledge and understanding of its importance in guiding the children's nurse to deliver safe, effective and compassionate care, which is essential when caring for children and their families.
30 credits
This module is a core requirement for all students across all fields of the BSc/MSci Nursing programmes. As an introductory module, it will enable you to develop knowledge and understanding of the principles of public health and health promotion. You will explore the global, social-political-economic and psycho-social forces on the population's health and well-being. In addition, you will explore the evolution of public health, the determinants of health and health inequalities.
Non-credit bearing credits
This module is the Practice Assessment Module which is designed to support you with the achievement of the NMC proficiencies and practice assessment requirements. The module focuses on practice preparation, reflection following practice experiences and the development of your numeracy skills.
Year 2
Year 2 examines person-centred care, nursing care for children and young people with acute illness, and explores local, national and global perspectives on contemporary issues. At the end of Year 2, you will have the opportunity to undertake a national or international placement.
Core modules
15 credits
This module will provide you with the foundational pharmacological and medicines management knowledge to enable you to safely develop your skills and knowledge in the administration of medicines to clients, patients and service users. You will develop your understanding of the regulatory, legal, and ethical frameworks that influence medicines management and the underlying pharmacological science. Issues such as concordance will be explored, and the skills required to access resources to support medicines management practice. Embedded within the module is simulated practice learning that will support the development of your clinical skills related to medicines management.
30 credits
This module explores local, national and global perspectives on contemporary and future public health issues related to caring for children and young people in community and other health, social care and education settings. You develop your knowledge, skills and attitudes required to promote health and prevent ill health for children and young people in partnership with families and wider socio-political networks.
30 credits
This module enables you to assess, plan, implement and evaluate quality nursing care for children and young people with acute illness. The nursing care will be holistic in nature therefore covering physical aspects and addressing psychological, social and cultural needs of the child and family. You will explore how care can be delivered in partnership with families and the interdisciplinary team. The care discussed will be based on best evidence and tailored to the individualised needs of the child and family.
30 credits
This module will provide you with the requisite skills and knowledge to understand the principles of evidence-based healthcare and how to apply them effectively to your clinical practice. The concepts and skills you will learn include those used to search for, review and critique evidence. You will also develop the clinical skills and proficiencies required for Part 2 of your programme, through skills and simulated practice learning activities. A key element of this will be developing an understanding of the digital technologies used for enhancing care in line with contemporary healthcare policy.
Non-credit bearing credits
This module is the Practice Assessment Module which is designed to support you with the achievement of the NMC proficiencies and practice assessment requirements. The module focuses on practice preparation, reflection following practice experiences and the development of your numeracy skills.
Optional module
15 credits
In Year 2 of the course, you will have the opportunity to undertake an option module. Examples of modules available include: Global Health, Wound Management, Child and Adolescent Mental Health. You will be provided with details of all modules available at the beginning of Year 2 so you can make your decision.
Year 3
Year 3 looks at caring for children and young people who require complex, high dependency, critical and palliative care. You will prepare for the transition from student to qualified children's nurse.
Core modules
30 credits
This module focuses on the collaborative learning and teaching of peers, people and families/carers. You will integrate your knowledge of learning theories, communication and relational skills to enable you to work collaboratively with others, critically reflecting on the challenges this can pose. You will also develop the clinical skills and proficiencies required for Part 3 of your programme through skills and simulated practice learning activities. You will have the opportunity to critically discuss inter and intra professional working alongside developing strategies for managing challenging communication. Your clinical communication skills will be refined building on your learning from previous modules, and you will have the opportunity to explore best practice approaches to communication for supporting people their families and carers in preventing ill health and managing their care.
30 credits
This module will provide you with the underpinning knowledge and skills required for your future leadership role in coordinating and managing the complex and palliative care needs of children in partnership with the family across a range of organisations and settings. You will consider, where appropriate, the wishes of the child/families, their culture and the services available within the political landscape. You will build on their knowledge of partnership and collaborative working and examine the cultural, political, psychosocial and technological influences on nursing care, resource management and finances.
60 credits
This module aims to explore the key areas that will enable you to transition and fulfil the role of a registered nurse. The module is designed to prepare you for professional nursing practice by further developing your knowledge and skills to enable you to be an accountable and compassionate registrant within the health and social care system. It focuses on the mechanisms that underpin care organisation and delivery, how nurses are integral to and can influence this and aims to develop your critical understanding of the factors influencing the environment in which you will be working. The role of politics in health and social care policy is critically explored and the module will provide you with the opportunities to explore these issues through a social justice lens.
30 credits
Navigating the transition from student to a professional practitioner who is skilled at leading teams is critically important to the delivery of safe, effective and high quality health care. This module is designed to prepare you for professional nursing practice by expanding their knowledge and skills to enable you to be an accountable and compassionate leader within the health and social care system. It focuses on leadership, team working, and performance management and enables you to reflect on your transition to registered practice and build the evidence base for a career development portfolio. Some sessions will be shared across fields as they are core for all fields.
Non-credit bearing credits
This module is the Practice Assessment Module which is designed to support you with the achievement of the NMC proficiencies and practice assessment requirements. The module focuses on practice preparation, reflection following practice experiences and the development of your numeracy skills.
Nursing Foundation Year
If you would like to study one of our Nursing degrees at Kingston University but are not yet ready to join the first year of a BSc (Hons) course, you can include an extra foundation year within your chosen field. Please see the Nursing Foundation Year course page for details of modules.
Future Skills and career opportunities
Boost your employability
Every course at Kingston University teaches a range of Future Skills. From problem-solving and adaptability to digital competency, these are the attributes you’ll need to get the edge in the job market and a head start on your career.
After you graduate
Recent Kingston graduates have gone on to work as staff nurses in paediatrics, as well as hold nursing positions in schools, A&E, intensive care and neonatal settings. Potential organisations include everywhere from Great Ormond Street and University College London Hospitals to Bupa Cromwell Hospital and Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Trust.
Links with the health sector
We have 26 practice partners from the NHS, independent and private sector encompassing acute and community practice, including:
- Great Ormond Street Hospital
- Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
- Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals NHS Trust
- Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
- Hounslow and Richmond Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- South West London and St George's Mental Health Trust
- Your Healthcare
- Shooting Star Chase
- Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust
- The Children's Trust
- St Peters Hospital (Chertsey)
- Frimley Park NHS Foundation Trust
- West Middlesex University Hospital
- University College London Hospital
- King's College NHS Foundation Trust
- Greenwich and Lewisham NHS Trust
- Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Students have opportunities to undertake a national or international elective at the end of year two. Countries visited by students include:
- India
- Bulgaria
- Tanzania
- United Arab Emirates
- New Zealand
- Association for Chief Children's Nurses
- Together for Short Lives
- Royal College of Nursing Forum
At Kingston University, we're not just keeping up with change, we're creating it
For more information on how Kingston prepares you for the future job market, visit our Future Skills page.
Teaching and assessment
Scheduled learning and teaching on this course includes timetabled activities including lectures, seminars and small group tutorials. It may also include placements, project work, practical sessions, workshops, conferences and field trips.
Outside the scheduled learning and teaching hours, you will learn independently through self-study which will involve reading articles and books, working on projects, undertaking research, preparing for and completing your work for assessments. Some independent study work may need to be completed on-campus, as you may need to access campus-based facilities such as studios and labs.
Our academic support team here at Kingston University provides help in a range of areas.
When you arrive, we'll introduce you to your personal tutor. This is the member of academic staff who will provide academic guidance, be a support throughout your time at Kingston and who will show you how to make the best use of all the help and resources that we offer at Kingston University.
A course is made up of modules, and each module is worth a number of credits. You must pass a given number of credits in order to achieve the award you registered on, for example 360 credits for a typical undergraduate course or 180 credits for a typical postgraduate course. The number of credits you need for your award is detailed in the programme specification which you can access from the link at the bottom of this page.
One credit equates to 10 hours of study. Therefore 120 credits across a year (typical for an undergraduate course) would equate to 1,200 notional hours. These hours are split into scheduled and guided. On this course, the percentage of that time that will be scheduled learning and teaching activities is shown below for each year of study. The remainder is made up of guided independent study.
- Year 1: 53% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 2: 79% scheduled learning and teaching
- Year 3: 62% scheduled learning and teaching
The exact balance between scheduled learning and teaching and guided independent study will be informed by the modules you take.
Your course will primarily be delivered in person. It may include delivery of some activities online, either in real time or recorded.
Types of assessment
- Year 1: Coursework 75%; exams 25%
- Year 2: Coursework 75%; exams 25%
- Year 3: Coursework 75%; exams 25%
Please note: the above breakdowns are a guide calculated on core modules only. If your course includes optional modules, this breakdown may change to reflect the modules chosen.
We aim to provide feedback on assessments within 20 working days.
Your individualised timetable is normally available to students within 48 hours of enrolment. Whilst we make every effort to ensure timetables are as student-friendly as possible, scheduled teaching can take place on any day of the week between 9am and 6pm. For undergraduate students Wednesday afternoons are normally reserved for sports and cultural activities, but there may be occasions when this is not possible. Timetables for part-time students will depend on the modules selected.
Fees and funding
| Fee category | Fee |
|---|---|
| Home (UK students) | £9,535* |
| International | |
| Year 1 (2025/26): | £18,800 |
| Year 2 (2026/27): | £19,600 |
| Year 3 (2027/28): | £20,400 |
The tuition fee you pay depends on whether you are assessed as a 'Home' (UK), 'Islands' or 'International' student. In 2025/26 the fees for this course are above.
Please visit the Fees and Funding page for more information.
* For full-time programmes of a duration of more than one academic year, the published fee is an annual fee, payable each year, for the duration of the programme. Your annual tuition fees cover your first attempt at all of the modules necessary to complete that academic year. A re-study of any modules will incur additional charges calculated by the number of credits. Home tuition fees may be subject to annual increases but will not increase by more than the fee caps as prescribed by the Office for Students or such other replacing body. Full-time taught International fees are subject to an annual increase and are published in advance for the full duration of the programme.
NHS Training Grant
Nursing students on pre-registration courses will receive a payment of at least £5,000 a year which doesn’t need to be paid back, subject to eligibility criteria. Please note, this is not available during the foundation year. For more information, please visit the NHS Business Service Authority.
Scholarships and bursaries
For students interested in studying this course at Kingston, there are several opportunities to seek funding support.
Additional course costs
Some courses may require additional costs beyond tuition fees. When planning your studies, you’ll want to consider tuition fees, living costs, and any extra costs that might relate to your area of study.
Your tuition fees include costs for teaching, assessment and university facilities. So your access to libraries, shared IT resources and various student support services are all covered. Accommodation and general living expenses are not covered by these fees.
Where applicable, additional expenses for your course may include:
Our libraries have an extensive collection of books and journals, as well as open-access computers and laptops available to rent. However, you may want to buy your own computer or personal copies of key textbooks. Textbooks may range from £50 to £250 per year. And a personal computer can range from £100 to £3,000 depending on your course requirements.
While most coursework is submitted online, some modules may require printed copies. You may want to allocate up to £100 per year for hard-copies of your coursework. It’s worth noting that 3D printing is never compulsory. So if you choose to use our 3D printers, you’ll need to pay for the material. This ranges from 3p per gram to 40p per gram.
Kingston University will pay for all compulsory field trips. Fees for optional trips can range from £30 to £350 per trip.
Your tuition fees don’t cover travel costs. To save on travel costs, you can use our free intersite bus service. This route links the campuses and halls of residence with local train stations - Surbiton, Kingston upon Thames, and Norbiton.
Placements
Placement expenses for travel and accommodation may be reimbursed by NHS Bursaries where, for example, the requirement exceeds that of attending university; or requires additional accommodation to that of the usual term time location. These expenses may need to be covered initially by the student before any applicable reimbursement is received. Please note: EU and international students may not be eligible for support for travel and accommodation.
The University will pay for your application to be processed, but you’ll need to subscribe to the Update Service for £16 per year. This allows universities and potential employers to view any changes to your DBS.
We provide you with a uniform. You will need to purchase appropriate shoes (£20-£60) and a fob watch (£5-£20) for practice. Additional uniform items will be available for purchase if you want them.
You should arrange your own elective clinical placements in the UK or overseas. Kingston does not cover the practice costs of placements, which means you’ll need to cover things like travel, accommodation, visas and additional vaccinations.
Professional body membership fees will be about £10 while you’re studying this course. When you qualify, it costs £120 to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council for a year.
Course changes and regulations
The information on this page reflects the currently intended course structure and module details. To improve your student experience and the quality of your degree, we may review and change the material information of this course. Find out more about course changes
Programme Specifications for the course are published ahead of each academic year.
Regulations governing this course can be found on our website.
Key information
The scrolling banner below displays some key factual data about this course (including different course combinations or delivery modes of this course where relevant).
