Nursery World - EYPS and the Nutbrown Review: Threat or opportunity?

Cathy Nutbrown's recommendations for EYPS in her recent review of qualifications have fuelled heated debate. Karen Faux finds out why opinion is so divided and what it could mean for the status.

The implications of the Nutbrown review for EYPS were recently branded by one academic as 'one of the most damaging, demoralising and detrimental acts of vandalism towards the early years sector in recent years'.

The blow to morale stems from Cathy Nutbrown's determination to address the thorny issue of EYPS versus Qualified Teacher Status. While this focus is welcome, the suggestion that EYPs should fast-track to a new early years QTS, specialising in the years from birth to seven, is seen by many as a detrimental step, undermining what has so far been achieved.

In Professor Nutbrown's proposed structure for job roles and titles, EYP sits below early years teacher, and it is the latter which provides 'overall pedagogical leadership for a setting'. However, many feel that it is the EYP who has the unique pedagogical credentials to fulfil this role, and that a future direction for the workforce should not require EYPs to jump through more hoops.

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