Nursery World - Opinion: To the point - A place for early years?

Teacher education needs a radical revamp of its primary aims, says Pat Broadhead.

The changes in the professional standards for initial teacher training have implications for the development of early years teachers. In addition, greater clarity around the new Masters in Teaching and Learning is emerging, leading me towards a plea or two.

The voice of the early years has been heard, to a small extent, in the framing of the new standards. They reference 'curriculum areas' as well as 'subjects' and identify a need for 'related pedagogies', implying teaching is more than the transmission of knowledge. They still, however, speak substantially of 'lessons'.

Standard Q18 is perhaps the biggest nod to early years philosophy, stating: 'Understand how children and young people develop and that the progress and well-being of learners are affected by a range of developmental, social, religious, ethnic, cultural and linguistic influences' - a substantial standard by a teacher in training, or indeed by an experienced teacher.

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