City

What you'll study

The programme combines theory, practice and professional development to prepare you to deliver public health services to school-aged children and their families. Core themes include child and adolescent development, population health, safeguarding, health protection and promotion, and multi-agency working.

• Public health principles for children and young people – population needs assessment, determinants of health, inequalities and targeted interventions.
• Child and adolescent development – physical, emotional and social development across childhood and adolescence and implications for screening and assessment.
• Safeguarding and child protection – legal and professional frameworks, recognition of abuse and neglect, multi-agency safeguarding processes and interprofessional communication.
• Health promotion and behaviour change – designing and evaluating health promotion programmes, brief interventions and motivational approaches suitable for school and community settings.
• Clinical skills and public health practice – immunisation and screening programmes, assessment of growth and development, sexual and reproductive health promotion and delivery of targeted clinics in school settings.
• Research methods and evidence-based practice – critical appraisal of research, using evidence to inform practice and a small-scale practice-related project or audit.
• Professional and legal issues – professional accountability, confidentiality, consent, record-keeping and the role of the school nurse within local authority and NHS structures.

Learning is delivered through lectures, seminars, simulated practice, reflective workshops and supervised clinical placements in schools and community settings. Assessment typically comprises practice portfolios, case-based assignments, reflective essays and practical assessments such as observed clinical practice or OSCE-style evaluations.

Entry requirements

Applicants are expected to be registered nurses on the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) register and to have evidence of recent professional practice. Typical requirements include:

• Current NMC registration as a registered nurse.
• Relevant clinical experience in community, paediatric or primary care settings; employers commonly require at least several months of post-registration experience.
• Support from an employer or relevant health provider to facilitate supervised practice placements is usually required.
• Demonstration of ability to study at postgraduate level, for example a degree or equivalent professional experience; applicants without a degree may be considered on a case-by-case basis with evidence of relevant CPD.
• Satisfactory DBS/police check and occupational health clearance as required for working with children.

Specific documentation, interview and occupational checks are part of the selection process.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared to practise as school nurses and to register as Specialist Community Public Health Nurses (SCPHN) where applicable. Career pathways include:

• School nurse roles within local authorities, integrated commissioning teams or NHS community services, delivering universal and targeted services in education settings.
• Specialist public health roles focused on child and adolescent health, immunisation programmes, screening delivery and health promotion.
• Progression to senior clinical and leadership posts such as team lead, public health nurse manager, or specialist practitioner roles within children’s services.
• Opportunities to move into health improvement, safeguarding lead roles, policy development or commissioning posts in local government and NHS organisations.
• Further study options, including masters-level qualifications and doctoral research in public health, community nursing or health services.

Why study at City

City offers a programme rooted in practice with strong links to London’s NHS trusts, local authorities and school health teams, giving ready access to a wide range of placement opportunities. Teaching is delivered by practitioners and academics with current experience in community and public health nursing, and the university provides simulation facilities and interprofessional learning to prepare you for real-world school health practice.

Students benefit from support services for professional development, research-active faculty, and career guidance tailored to healthcare professionals. The programme’s emphasis on applied skills, safeguarding and collaborative working equips graduates to meet the public health needs of children, young people and families across diverse school and community environments.