Welcome to the first instalment of the Early Years Professional Status diary from the University of Chichester. There have been many underlying themes in the last five months since the January pathways started.
We are currently running three cohorts:-
- Graduate Practitioner Pathway (GPP)
- Undergraduate Practitioner Pathway (UPP)
- Graduate Entry Pathway (GEP)
Our GPPs are coming to the end of their pathway and have been able to access taught sessions and tutorials where best practice is discussed, evaluated and unpicked. We have covered topics such as leadership, working with parents, working with babies, inclusion and the child’s voice. These sessions have helped the sharing of good practice and the professional discussions which form part of these sessions make the EYP standards real and visible within the nursery environment.
All the GPP candidates have had a Development Review where each one has had a chance to discuss their evidence in meeting the standards and any gaps which they feel they have. Action planning has taken place to give guidance on how to plug the gaps. They have also had a visit from their tutor to observe their practice and a written observation of this has been provided for them. Not only can this be used to evidence the standards but it is a chance for the tutor to observe the candidates putting into practice the theories they have been studying. Written assignments have been submitted and feedback given to support the final assessment.
During the last week in May all candidates were engaged in a five minute presentation about their practice to their peers, this is being assessed by the tutor with feedback from their colleagues. Prior to that there were small group sessions on the assessment process and building the document portfolio which help to crystallise the evidence collected and prepare for the setting visit.
The GEP’s and GPP’s have also been on their journey to EYPS attending sessions and submitting assignments where needed. Both these groups are now preparing for their Development Reviews with their respective tutors and are working on written assignments and evidence collection.
All the hard work is paying off and the quality of the practitioners across all the pathways is evident in the work they produce and the contribution they are making at their sessions. It is wonderful to see them build their knowledge and to hear how they have used this to provide a positive impact for the children they work with and we are very proud of their achievements.
In the background the EYPS team at the University has been working with its consortium partners University of Brighton, Canterbury Christ Church University, University of Portsmouth, University of Winchester and Tribal Group. We have been collaborating on how we deliver the EYPS programme, sharing our own best practice and synergies in the same way our candidates have. By using this method we can ensure quality and consistency in the training offered. We are looking forward to recruitment and implementing the revised EYPS standards and have our own action plans to follow!
