Aiming higher

The first new higher education qualification for 25 years was launched this autumn, offering a new route to professional development for early years practitioners.

Called a foundation degree, this new employment-related higher education qualification can be studied by employees such as nursery nurses and classroom assistants to gain specialist skills for work, and act as a stepping stone to further professional development, including teaching.

Employers, professional bodies and national training organisations have helped design the qualifications - a key weapon in the Government's campaign to combat skills shortages.

A foundation degree is ranked one level below an honours degree and sits at level 4 on the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority's qualifications framework. The degree can be studied part time or full time over two years and has been developed to be delivered flexibly, via the internet or through distance or work-based learning, or locally at further education colleges. On completion, students will be able to achieve an Honours degree in up to 15 months of further study.