Following the training article ('Work on it', 21 June), I am seriouslyworried about the message the profession is giving to experienced andeffective early years practitioners with level 3 qualifications, who areineligible to undertake the Early Years Professional Status because theylack a degree.
The two case studies of EYPS candidates in the article were a schoolgovernor, who had her own child and set up a playgroup, and a man whohad been made redundant from a film and theatre company and 'was hookedby the EYP marketing material'. They had degrees in electronic imagingand sound design respectively, but no childcare experience.
As an EYPS assessor, I fully understand the rigour of attaining thequalification and know that these two people will not be awarded thestatus if they do not meet the standards required. But how belittled andfrustrated level 3 practitioners must feel to hear the kind of commentfrom one of them, who confesses he 'still feels like an amateur', whenthey have committed years of their lives to the profession.
I feel there needs to be information for the vast number of level 3practitioners about how they are able to bridge the gap between theircurrent qualifications and attaining EYP status in a realistic way. Isupport raising standards by introducing qualified teacher status intoearly years; however, I fear that we may lose some excellentpractitioners as a result of this initiative if it is not handled moresensitively.
- Name and address supplied.
