Nursery World - Assessors defended

I am an early years practitioner of seven years' experience and have been an early years tutor and NVQ assessor for the past two years. I was shocked and disappointed at the comment that 'students are taught NVQs by lecturers who are not occupationally competent and have no ideas of what the standards are about, and/or they have never worked with children' (Letters, 1 December). The NVQ Assessors award is rigorous in its requirements that all assessors are competent and have relevant experience in the areas they are assessing.

The NVQ Assessors award is rigorous in its requirements that all assessors are competent and have relevant experience in the areas they are assessing.

All the lecturers I have worked with, through colleges and as an independent trainer, have worked in the profession before starting teaching careers. Many lecturers, myself included, teach on a part- time basis because they are still working in the early years sector.

It's great that the writer has set up a training centre to provide for students' learning needs, but are they only focusing on the local EYDCP for funding? Students and employers are not 'forced' to go to local colleges because their fees are lower than local private training providers. There is funding for this course to be provided through the private sector.

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