Nursery World - Nurseries warned to stick to schools

Nursery schools 'must maintain the connection with the school system if they have any hope of surviving', an early childhood expert said last week. The warning came following the National Centre for School Leadership's announcement that from this month, first-time headteachers of nursery schools designated to become children's centres can choose between two leadership qualifications: the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) or the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), the former mandatory qualification for any new head.

The warning came following the National Centre for School Leadership's announcement that from this month, first-time headteachers of nursery schools designated to become children's centres can choose between two leadership qualifications: the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership (NPQICL) or the National Professional Qualification for Headship (NPQH), the former mandatory qualification for any new head.

But speaking in her capacity as early childhood professional, Pauline Trudell, who is also the support headteacher to the Forum for Maintained Nursery Schools and Children's Centres, said that any qualification that separates nursery schools from mainstream schools is 'dangerous' at a time when they are vulnerable to closure.

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