Business Development - Proper placement

Work placements have always, informally, been seen as a crucial part of becoming an early years practitioner. And given that students can spend 800 hours on a placement, this is rightly so. Cathy Nutbrown called them 'an essential part of training'.

Her Foundations for Quality report also recommended that students should 'be experiencing practice in a variety of settings ... so that they can see different ways of working and learn from a variety of expert practitioners'.

This report was significant for those who design courses for early years qualifications: it set down in writing, for the first time, placements' essential role. It appeared that a space had been created for the concept of the student as a developing early years practitioner.

We decided there was a need for up-to-date guidance about how students could make the best impression when on placement. To find out how we could best guide students in preparing for their placement, we asked practitioners to share their experiences, both good and not so good, of being hosts to students on placement.

We found that practitioners almost always stated that what they really valued was a students' ability to use their initiative and interact well with staff and children. Their skill in doing this to a certain extent meant that the students could be broadly described as belonging to one of the following categories: 1. The child-student - cannot think like a practitioner. 2. The neutral student - helps with caring for the children. 3. The inspirational student - creates transformation.

The child-student

'We have had a lot of students who have just stood there. They can see what we're doing, for example, at lunchtime carrying the food to the children, but they don't offer to help; they have to be prompted.'

This practitioner seems to be saying that some students have not made the transition from school pupil to a developing early years practitioner. This practitioner later added, 'They might be thinking that they don't want to step on our toes', suggesting that while they do have some sympathy with the student who just watches, there is also a sense of irritation when the student is unable to be helpful. This type of student was labelled as being like another child because practitioners have to spend energy telling them what to do, when they are busy enough looking after the children. Which begs the question: why should they bother? It may be easier to do the job themselves.

However, closer look at this practitio- ner feedback suggests that some practitioners are not only annoyed at the student who is not helpful, but also that they dislike being watched. Perhaps they feel they are being judged with a critical eye - after all, practitioners do not know what students will report when they go back to their tutors. On balance, if practitioners had to weigh up the pros and cons of having this type of student on placement, the scales would tip more towards the cons than the pros.

The neutral student

'They've got to want to be there. If this is the career that they've chosen then they've got to throw themselves in - it's a 'hands-on' job. If they're not sure what to do then they should ask.'

The student who is able to quickly notice the routines of the setting and be in the right place at the right time made life easier for the practitioners by helping in their physical work of supporting children (as shown by the practitioner quote above). We classified this type of student as 'neutral' because, although the practitioners still felt vulnerable and potentially judged, having the student around made their life slightly easier, so they were willing to include the student in the life of the setting. This type of student balanced the scales with an equal number of pros and cons for practitioners.

The inspirational student

The balance tipped in the student's favour if they were able to inspire and enthuse practitioners. 'Some students are just bursting with ideas. We do the same things day in and day out and it's so nice to have someone enthusiastic and full of fresh ideas to stimulate the children - someone with the ability to see it through'.

However, it was also clear that enthusiasm and generating ideas were not enough on their own to promote the student from being 'neutral' to 'inspirational'. Emotional intelligence was also an essential attribute - to enable the student to judge the best time to suggest new ideas, or understand that suggesting change may be interpreted as being critical of the practitioners and the setting.

The following advice was given to student practitioners from a setting manager: 'You are welcome to question us and our practices or make suggestions as to how we might improve, but please do not be offended if we do not act immediately on your suggestions - remember it takes times to make change and you might just have sown the seed.'

Advice for managers

While some students may need practice in refining their emotional intelligence and resourcefulness before they go into placement, maybe through role-play or having more experienced students talk to them before they start, there are also things which managers should consider before taking a student on placement. Feedback from students on placements shows the importance of clear lines of communication. Key points drawn from students' feedback about what would make their placements easier included:

- Having a student 'key person', a practitioner with responsibility for students so students know who to go to if we are not sure what to do. One commented, 'If they would set up an induction meeting before we begin our placement, that would make the situation less daunting.'

- Staff being told what course students on placement were on. Confusing students who are on work experience from local high schools with graduates undertaking early years initial teacher training won't help anyone.

- Being clear about when students are included in ratio. A student said, 'Sometimes we may need to write up evaluations or notes and time out to do this, negotiated at induction, would be greatly appreciated.'

Creating a win-win situation

There is great potential for students to make a difference while on placement.

Those who do manage to achieve the right balance; supporting practitioners with the everyday tasks, responding to their needs without having to be asked, demonstrating commitment and sensitivity, will have the satisfaction of knowing that they were not only accepted but truly valued. Supporting students to meet higher expectations, rather than merely supporting them in routine tasks, will mean that everyone is a winner.

Early Years Placements: a critical guide to outstanding work-based learning, by Jackie Musgrave and Nicola Stobbs, is published by Critical Publishing (£18).