A new landmark in the drive to a graduate-led workforce for the early years sector was reached this summer when Nafeesah Rafiq of Leicester became the 10,000th individual to achieve Early Years Practitioner Status.
While more people have attained the status since then, there are concerns about the future of the qualification that have apparently caused some potential candidates to query whether to pursue this route to a graduate-leader role.
EYP Status was devised in 2006 as a way to drive up standards and professionalism in the childcare workforce in response to research such as the EPPE studies, which found children fare better in graduate-led settings. It was designed to be the pinnacle of a practitioner's professional status, and intended to give the sector parity with teaching. It was revised this year after a consultation.
Register now to continue reading
Thank you for visiting Nursery World and making use of our archive of more than 35,000 expert features, subject guides, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:
What's included
-
Free access to 4 subscriber-only articles per month
-
Unlimited access to news and opinion
-
Email newsletter providing activity ideas, best practice and breaking news
Already have an account? Sign in here
