I feel a little punch drunk after reading Cathy Nutbrown's review.
She has clearly done some much needed work regarding Level 3qualifications, very much mirroring what had been the standard for NNEBsfor some 25-30 years, and I totally endorse her suggestions.
However, I feel that for the ambitious, dedicated practitioners who havejumped through all the various hoops placed before them since 2000 -foundation degree, top-up, GCSEs, EYPS - and now to be told this is notenough even with the wealth of experience they have had, this is a 'kickin the teeth'.
It should be called 'The Only Way is Teachers' and I want to know why?How can there be a comparison between an 18-year-old who does the newQTS birth-to-seven years in a three/four year degree, and a practitionerwho has worked in early years for 12 years and in a senior position forfive years, who studies for a foundation degree (three years), GCSEmaths (one year), top-up and EYPS (18 months) and then is expected to doan additional period to gain QTS.
Will EYPs have to top up again to an Honours degree? Will they have tostudy GCSE science? I understand that their 'status' has not been fullyrecognised in terms of pay and conditions but that does not detract fromtheir professionalism and the quality of their practice. How will smallvillage or inner-city pre-schools in pack-away settings be able toafford to pay a teacher?
I will be interested to hear the views of EYPs.
Shirley Brooks, senior lecturer - Early Years Care & Education,University of Winchester
IT'S NOT ABOUT TEACHERS VS EYPS
The Nutbrown Review has much to commend it and the recommendationsprovide a clear message to policy-makers about the importance ofensuring that early childhood education and care in England is of thehighest standard. There is an urgent need to ensure that all of theearly years workforce can meet this challenge. The report comes at thesame time as Government announcements about nursery places fortwo-year-olds, a childcare commission and indication, through a tenderrequest on the Department of Education web page, that a longitudinalevaluation of early years education in England is going to beundertaken.
One of the thorny issues to be addressed by the Government is therecommendation by Cathy Nutbrown about a new teacher qualification frombirth to seven.
She has recognised, listened to, and heard the situation of those whohave undertaken Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) but have not beengiven 'equivalency' in pay, status and career progression to otherprofessional graduate colleagues. On first reading it could be assumedthat her recommendation means the end for the Early Years Professionalbut, if the detail is read, it is about evolution.
This could be a real opportunity for the sector to come together withGovernment and positively build on the huge developments that havehappened since 2006 when EYPS was first introduced.
EYPS has been pioneering not only in ensuring that the early years havetaken central stage but in improving the quality of experiences for theyoungest children.
It has supported the social mobility of thousands who have engaged inthe process. Indeed, the importance of the Sector Endorsed FoundationDegree in Early Years, which is currently celebrating its tenthanniversary, and the Early Childhood Studies Degree cannot beunderestimated. There is a real opportunity now to ensure that thediverse and complex needs of the youngest children and their familiesare appropriately addressed from birth to seven.
This debate is not about 'teacher' versus 'Early Years Professional', itis about recognising that children in the early years have complex anddiverse needs and require professionals with a range of skills,knowledge and attributes to work with them and their families in a widerange of settings including the home environment, small pre-schools inchurch halls, PVI settings and schools. Furthermore, those working inthis area, especially from birth to three, have the ability to make areal difference to later outcomes. But they must be seen as part of awhole system approach as early intervention needs to be across all ageranges, not just targeted in the early years.
Dr Eunice Lumsden, University of Northampton
Send your letters to ... The Editor, Nursery World, 174 HammersmithRoad, London W6 7JP letter.nw@haymarket.com 020 8267 8401
