Nursery World - Training Today

While the Government's response to Cathy Nutbrown's review of qualifications is still awaited, no one working in the sector - whether new or experienced - can afford to stand still. How can practice and job prospects be developed in an uncertain world? Here we've gathered together four training experts to address the key questions that our readers have raised.

Q: 'Is the breadth of job roles in the early years sector expanding'?

JOB ROLES

Yasmin Mukadam, Senior lecturer and early years field liaison officer, Kingston University, advises:

There are now many different roles within the early years sector such as Early Years Professional, nursery assistant, nursery nurse, officer, SENCO, EYFS co-ordinator, room leader and setting manager. The children's workforce is made up of a range of professions working collaboratively and the breadth of roles has increased, providing career opportunities for those gaining higher level qualifications and achieving graduate status by studying on a work-based programme to gain a foundation degree and progressing on to a BA honours degree and EYP Status.

Developments in the children's workforce have led to an increase in the breadth of opportunities to inspire early years practitioners to train and develop their careers within their setting into senior, leadership roles and to work in areas such as teaching, health work, social work, educational psychology, family support, advisory, tutor and lecturer roles. Most important, the development of the Early Years Professional role has led to improving professionalism within the early years sector.

EYPS remains a recognised status for committed and dedicated graduates who aspire to lead practice within early years settings and to improve the quality of provision. The Nutbrown Review recognises the achievements of EYPS and training for EYPs will continue until 2015. EYPS is a nationally recognised graduate status awarded to those who lead, inspire and deliver a high quality experience for babies, young children and families. It is widely regarded and acknowledged as the gold standard in the early years sector.

Now more than ever, EYPs need to be able to locate themselves in a rapidly changing political environment and be able to articulate their pedagogical beliefs. An EYP needs to be able to question policy and procedures, be analytical, reflective and demonstrate a deep commitment to working with children and their families. Furthermore, an EYP must value and have an understanding of the importance and necessity of collaborative working and be an advocate for the child's voice.

Q: 'Cathy Nutbrown's review of qualifications suggests there will be significant changes on the way. But what are the options in the meantime?'

QUALIFICATIONS

Calvin Hanks, Director, Acorn Childcare Training, advises:

While we await the response to the Nutbrown Review regarding qualifications and the workforce, there are current qualifications to consider if you are thinking of pursuing a career in childcare. Bear in mind that different roles require different qualifications.

A nursery assistant role will typically require you to hold a 'full and relevant' Level 2 qualification, such as the Level 2 Certificate for the Children and Young People's Workforce, while a manager/leader/supervisor role will require a 'full and relevant' Level 3 as a minimum, such as Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People's Workforce. This continues your professional development from Level 2 and acts as a stepping stone in your career. There is also the Level 4 in Leadership and Management.

Bear in mind also that employers may be happy to employ someone if they know they are prepared to undertake training to obtain the required qualifications.

As you progress your career, you may consider gaining Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), a graduate-level qualification combining both high-level practitioner skills and leading other practitioners in a variety of settings.

There is a great deal of debate currently in the sector about the EYPS qualification and its future going forward in the light of the Nutbtrown review.

However, on a very positive note, it seems clear that there is a continued effort being made to raise the profile of early years and the status of graduate-level practitioners.

One of the ways to support potential entrants into childcare and to help them find out if this is the career for them is for them to volunteer, and there are voluntary opportunities available. Contacting your local Early Years and Children's Services is a good place to start.

Q: 'Is now a good time to make a sideways move or try for promotion?'

MOVING UP

Laura Henry, Managing director, Childcare Consultancy, advises:

There is never necessarily a right time to move on or try for promotion. I believe if you have a commitment to your personal career development, then you should go for it. There are some practitioners who have clarity around their career development: for example, they start off as an assistant knowing that they want to become a nursery manager or lecturer. They will then plan their training and qualifications around where they want to be.

If practitioners are thinking about moving on, they should develop a 'career plan', including their skills, talents and strengths. Are they seeking a role that involves not working directly with children: a managerial role, working with families and/or, indeed, a career outside of childcare altogether?

Practitioners should have a blended approach to continuous professional development (CPD). This should include face-to-face training, coaching, mentoring, peer-to-peer support, journals, research papers, social media and e-learning. Practitioners should also have the opportunity to visit a range of other early years settings to observe and make a note of good practice and how this may influence their own practice.

Managers should encourage practitioners to be proactive in developing their careers. This should be included within one-to-one supervision and performance management. Practitioners should have a personal career development plan. Although, at times, managers would like to keep their 'star practitioners', I feel that this holds practitioners back and a manager's role should be to grow their staff and assist them to move on with their career.

However, there are some practitioners who are happy to stay in their current role for a multitude of reasons. This is fine, but their manager must still ensure they take part in CPD activities.

In short, practitioners need to take a proactive approach to their career, with support and guidance from their manager.

Q: 'What are the most important areas to consider now that the revised EYFS and new inspection framework are under way'?

CPD

Jacqueline Hardie, Director of Stepping Stones Training, advises:

With the launch of the revised EYFS and the new inspection framework, there are some key areas of CPD that need to come into focus. Recent consultancy work and inspections I have carried out highlight the need for practitioners to upskill in the Prime and Specific areas of the framework, and to be absolutely clear on how the Prime areas impact on a child's early development.

The importance of the key person under the new framework has been enhanced and ongoing CPD around the role is essential. Staff need to understand what it means to the child and the parents in the context of developing practice within the setting.

Staff also need to develop a thorough understanding of the learning environment and the impact it has on children. This means grasping how it should evolve and change along with the children. Good practice means planning for exciting enhanced continuous provision that supports children's individual needs and interests.

Managers need to monitor courses which can extend the skills of experienced staff and provide inspiration, and be flexible in allowing staff to access them.

My own organisation has looked at the best ways of teaching boys and girls to take account of the fact that they learn differently and this has been well received by all those who have accessed it, and there is also big demand for working with the under-twos. With the two-year-old offer gathering momentum, more nurseries are recognising the need to ensure they have practitioners who are specialists in this stage of development.

Forest school programmes and other educational philosophies are popular as any CPD training that extends practitioners' educational programmes can help to develop their setting from good to outstanding. The new Ofsted evaluation schedule states that in order to achieve outstanding you need to deliver practice that is inspirational and worthy of dissemination, providing rich, varied and imaginative experiences for children. Programmes such as forest schools add variety to early years learning and demonstrate that practitioners potentially have the skills to deliver an inspirational programme.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Check out Nursery World's guide to job roles

http://www.nurseryworld.co.uk/go/job_roles/