Once again it is a case of all change. Level 3 early years practitioners are now set to become Early Years Educators, under a raft of Government proposals designed to bring in 'tougher, full and relevant criteria' for the workforce.
The sector is currently waiting to hear the Government's response to a consultation around how the new qualifications can build on the 'richer content and standards', as recommended by Cathy Nutbrown in her review of early years qualifications.
Perhaps most significant is the proposal to require all entrants to have secured at least a C grade in GCSE maths and English. The consultation has also addressed how a new qualification can mirror the former NNEB Nursery Nurse Diploma while meeting the National Occupation Standards for Child Care, Learning and Development and the statutory framework for the EYFS.
However, the Government's recent announcement of a £2m bursary scheme for early years apprentices - only available to those placed in settings offering the free entitlement for twos - has set the cat among the pigeons.
This is because it uses the Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship in the Children and Young People's Workforce (CYPW), a qualification that has met with a range of criticisms - particularly when it comes to working with a younger age group.
These apprentices will be the first cohort of Early Years Educators. But will they be any better trained?
At Solihull College, Helen Perkins, head of school for early years, is indignant. 'I would really like to know who has the big picture, as this policy, on the hoof and piecemeal, is very damaging for future early years practitioners in that there is no consistent message about what qualifications they need,' she says.
FULL STEAM AHEAD
Awarding bodies are set to develop qualifications in time for September 2014. These will take new entrants an average of two years to complete and training providers will be expected to include a high proportion of practical work with good or outstanding providers.
CACHE says it will be developing an Early Years Educator qualification that meets the proposed criteria.
'We will also develop a continuous professional development route to enable early years practitioners who hold current CACHE qualifications to convert to the new Early Years Educator qualification,' says chief executive Richard Dorrance.
'We want everyone who holds a CACHE qualification to be able to take advantage of the Government's proposed new career progression routes and will ensure that they can.'
Ms Perkins believes the BTEC National in Children's Care, Learning and Development (CCLD) - recently extended - the new BTEC in Children's Play, Learning and Development (CPLD) and the CACHE equivalents should all confer Early Years Educator status.
'They are fit for purpose and robust in theory and child development, as well as in policy and practice,' she says. 'We won't know until the consultation is responded to whether the CPLD will confer Early Educator status.'
In the meantime, Solihull College is continuing to offer the BTEC CCLD at Level 2 as a means of developing students' English and maths so they are ready to study at Level 3.
'These are good qualifications that prepare students for the workplace and are respected and valued by employers due to the variety of placement experiences students have,' says Ms Perkins.
THE EMPLOYER'S VIEW
Clare Phizacklea, Busy Bees HR director, has been part of the expert advisory group providing consultation to the Government on both the new standards for the Early Years Educator qualification and the Early Years Teachers' standards.
The UK's biggest chain, now operating 214 nurseries, is set to deliver the new Early Years Educator qualification to its employees in place of the CYPW diploma and certificate from September 2014.
Ms Phizacklea says, 'Busy Bees welcomes the clarification of what is required from early years practitioners, although our in-house training for qualifications, including the CYPW and our own nutrition award, has already helped develop highly skilled and motivated childcare employees for the company.'
Busy Bees welcomes the simultaneous launch of Early Years Teacher and believes the two new qualifications will work together to create a more professional landscape for the sector.
'We are pleased that from September 2013 our employees who hold EYP status can be called Early Years Teachers. We believe this provides a better understanding of their roles for our parents and will raise the profile of the sector,' she says.
At Acorn Childcare, which runs nine nurseries in Milton Keynes and Northampton, managing director Zoe Raven is less positive about proposed changes. She says she is 'saddened' by the prospect of having to use Early Years Educator as a generic title for all staff.
'Apart from the hassle of changing name badges and paperwork, I think it devalues the caring role, particularly with babies and toddlers,' she says. 'We're involved in early years care and education - so why is education seen as the only important aspect?
'Nursery nurse was definitely an out-of-date term, which only recognised the caring role, but we've been using early years practitioner for quite a while, which I'd be happier to keep using.'
However, Ms Raven does agree that there should be a requirement for GCSE English and maths. 'This is probably necessary to help raise the profile of the profession out of the category of jobs you can do if you fail your GCSEs. Having said that, I probably wouldn't turn down a candidate who was promising in every other aspect; I'd support them to improve and retake their exams while working for us, prior to enrolling them on a Level 3 course.'
There is an inevitable dilemma caused by the recognition of the importance of maths and English versus the need to attract talented candidates who may not have these qualifications.
Nadine Bailey, nursery director at Children's Cottage Day Nursery in Saffron Waldon, Essex, welcomes the baseline criteria for Level 3 to include maths and English.
'I would welcome this as I see many practitioners supported heavily through key skills to provide evidence, without the ability to follow through in practice. Having said this, it may exclude many excellent practitioners with care skills.'
'We have five Level 3 practitioners (one working towards an early years degree), one EYP (working towards PhD research) and one apprentice (working towards Level 3), and I would happily propose any, or all, of them to have a title change to that of educator because I am able to observe the excellent level they are working at.'
She adds, 'I have every expectation that current qualifications will be brought into the proposed framework - otherwise the exodus of staff if and when a deadline is announced will be problematic for the sector.
'I expect that a change in title to that of educator may raise the expectations of parents, raising the perceived professionalism of early years workers.'
So, on balance, could the proposals have a long-term positive effect? Ms Raven is unconvinced.
'The early years workforce has been undervalued for years, and giving them a different title and requiring more academic qualifications is not going to address the problem that I think is much more serious - how can we afford to pay the salaries that staff really deserve and that would attract a higher calibre of applicants in the first place?'
CASE STUDY - NICHOLA BEST
Nichola Best is employed as head of room at Busy Bears Children's Day Nursery in Durham, looking after children aged from 12 to 18 months. She joined the nursery three years ago as a Level 3 practitioner and has been in her current role for 18 months.
'I absolutely love my job,' she says. 'At this age the children are just finding their feet and it is so enjoyable and rewarding to be a part of that process.'
She feels that Early Years Educator could be one change too far. 'Personally I don't like the sound of the title itself. Somehow it just doesn't sound right.
'I think there is a problem at the moment in that there are so many different job titles in nurseries that it becomes confusing. In my career I've been a nursery nurse, nursery practitioner, nursery assistant and room leader. At the end of the day individual nurseries create their own staff structures and titles that fit within those.
'On the other hand, a generic title that was widely used and accepted could prove very useful. I find that if you are applying for something like a mortgage and you use a drop down menu to find your job role, nursery positions are never there. In this sense Early Years Educator could be a good thing.'
Further information
- Apprenticeship Bursary Scheme, www.education.gov.uk/b00225195/abs
- Department for Education- Early Years Educators, www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeoplelearningand childcare/delivery/education/a00221415/eye-info-parent-carer
