The research and development base in Northamptonshire is inviting expressions of interest from children's centres and maintained and PVI nurseries that can demonstrate both outstanding practice and the experience to train others.
The funding will come from the DfE's voluntary and community sector (VCS) grant scheme, with £200,397 in 2011-2012 and £168,752 in 2012-2013.
The grant scheme is for organisations working with children, young people and families, with an emphasis on early intervention and disadvantage (News, 3 March).
The two-year project will develop and promote ways in which outstanding settings can train and support staff from elsewhere. Ten Early Years Training Centres will be selected and practitioners from the settings will learn how to train staff and managers from other local nurseries. The project aims to facilitate the sharing of best practice and skills, develop more effective services and help settings to have a greater impact, particularly for the most disadvantaged.
Each of the ten selected training centres will work with 20 settings in their local area. A minimum of 4,000 staff are expected to receive training over the two years.
Dr Margy Whalley, director of the Pen Green Research, Development and Training Base, said, 'We are delighted to be leading this programme, which has the potential to make a long-term national impact on the way early years settings work together to develop better services for their communities, and to develop professional training locally, regionally and nationally.'
Pen Green is to work with the National College of School Leadership to explore how the project can support the development of national teaching schools as proposed in the Education White Paper.
Further information
A free symposium about the opportunities available will be held at Pen Green in Corby on 19 May.Visit www.pengreen.org.
