But I am concerned that childminders and many early years workers might find it misleading.
As a qualified tutor, assessor and internal verifier, and a former early years inspector and co-ordinator of a NCMA-approved childminding network, I was advised by my assessment centre of the guidance received from City and Guilds (Guidance Update Issue 3, August 2001). This clearly states that units C25 and C24 'require the candidate to be working in an environment where mathematics and literacy Key Stage 1 National Curriculum activities are in place. The literacy and numeracy activities offered in a nursery/playgroup, as opposed to an infant/nursery school, are not likely to be Key Stage 1'. Candidates must be working 'in a setting where Key Stage 1 National Curriculum mathematics/literacy activities are provided under the direct supervision/direction of a qualified teacher'.
In my judgement many of the candidates I was assessing, who worked in a variety of settings, were clearly able to meet the performance criteria of these units. They were all working within the Foundation Stage framework, with children progressing on to the National Curriculum. Nevertheless, I had to steer candidates away from these units, although they were providing similar evidence identified by your assessor, towards other units that were not as appropriate for their performance, experience or expertise.
I would be interested to hear the views of other Nursery World readers about this.
Janet Harvell, Tytherleigh, Devon
