CACHE has asked colleges to write back to them by 31 July with letters of support, including from employers, stating why the new course is necessary and what the benefits would be for learners. CACHE hopes to win approval from Ofqual for the new course, which would incorporate the new level 3 diploma and allow students to progress to a second year of study after completing it.
This would give students enough UCAS points to let them progress to a full-time Honours degree and Early Years Professional Status.
CWDC has agreed to support the extension of the current two-year CACHE level 3 diploma until December 2010.
Carol Turnbull, childcare co-ordinator and tutor at Cheadle and Marple Sixth Form College, said she has written to education secretary Michael Gove, calling on the Government to fund the new two-year Diploma. 'The new course does not really consider the full-time college student,' she said.
While the course was suitable for students who want to go straight into the workforce, she said, it was not suitable for those who wanted to gain higher level qualifications.
'Fifty per cent of students at our college studying the current CACHE level 3 Diploma use it as a stepping stone to higher education,' said Ms Turnbull. 'There is a lot of evaluation, research, analysis and much more academic rigour. The new level 3 is not the same and does not really consider the full-time college student. At the moment it does not have any UCAS points attached, although my understanding is that the CWDC are seeking equivalency, but I've heard it is only going to be worth around 120 UCAS points.
'The current Diploma has 360 UCAS points attached to it, and a lot of students use it to go on to Early Childhood Studies degrees or become early years teachers.'
Ms Turnbull has also urged her former students to write to Mr Gove to explain the benefits of a two-year course. She said that although it is not stipulated, the new Level 3 is equivalent to just one year of study.
From this September the college will continue to run the current level 3 course, but from September 2011 would have to switch to the new level 3.
She said, 'We need students to have good academic skills to raise standards in childcare and education, and this new level 3 is a big step backwards. If CACHE doesn't get the go-ahead for a two-year course we would have to re-think what we do.'
Meanwhile, Gill Mason, community and society adviser, City and Guilds, said the awarding body is in negotiations with CWDC about how more UCAS points could be attached to the new level 3. 'We're entering into negotiations with CWDC about how to address the gap for full-time learners.'
