Nursery World - New schools may boost staff careers (1)

Nursery staff can expect enhanced career development as integrated community schools are introduced across Scotland, if the experience of pilots in Stirling is repeated.

Integrated community schools, formerly called 'new community schools', have been designed to break down barriers between nursery, primary and secondary school environments and to improve links with the community. The Scottish Executive backed the scheme with a 30m investment programme in 2001 and has plans to make all schools integrated in the same way by 2007.

Julie Bowen, an education consultant working with Stirling Council, said that the council's pilot programme showed that early years workers will need to be central to plans for the schools. She said, 'Early years is an extremely significant part of what we do and we involved everybody from the beginning. 'Early years staff have access to all the staff development that is available to teachers. They work at a local level alongside all our colleagues working together to support children and their families.

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