The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority approved updated level 3 and new level 4 national occupational standards at the end of November.
The updated level 3 Scottish/National Vocational Qualifications (S/NVQ) in Playwork will now include five mandatory units and four optional units from a choice of 12. These include working with parents and carers, administering playwork provision, and managing a budget. All units are new and have been revised to reflect current job roles in the sector.
The new level 4 Standards for Playwork include advanced practitioner and playwork management units as well as generic management units. Awarding bodies have expressed interest in the Level 4 Standards, and they can now be used to develop new qualifications, including S/NVQs.
Dominic Sutton from Edexcel said, 'We owe it to our learners to give them progression opportunities beyond level 3. We will definitely be exploring the viability of offering an S/NVQ in Playwork at level 4.'
Paul Bonel, playwork unit director at SkillsActive, said he was particularly pleased about the development of the level 4 standards. He said, 'This will upskill the workforce to a new level. It will give playwork a more professional status and put us on a par with other sectors, such as youth and social work.'
Mr Bonel added, 'We anticipate that practitioners and managers will really welcome these standards.'
Following further development, new versions of the S/NVQs in Playwork will be on the QCA National Qualifications Framework from summer 2005. See www.skillsactiveuk.com.
