Nursery World - Restructured training

Much of the report concerns training. Going much further than the Government's proposed National Standards on the Regulation of Daycare, the Committee recommended that 'with-in ten years all heads of nurseries and playgroups should be at graduate level or equivalent and all other early childhood workers at NVQ Level 3 or equivalent'. Staff should also have continuous professional development 'as of right'. Lack of time and funding were the main constraints on practitioners carrying out training, according to witnesses. In response to this, the committee recommends that more flexible training such as distance learning, workplace training and modularised training be developed and that there should be grants for mature and part-time early years students.

Lack of time and funding were the main constraints on practitioners carrying out training, according to witnesses. In response to this, the committee recommends that more flexible training such as distance learning, workplace training and modularised training be developed and that there should be grants for mature and part-time early years students.

Impressed by the highly respected 'pedagogues' in Denmark - professionals who work in early years settings are almost on a par with teachers in terms of pay -the MPs say that a long-term aim of the Government should be the development of a ladder of training for early years practitioners which could lead to a graduate qualification equivalent to that of qualified teachers.

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