In this issue of Nursery Management we bring you up to date with progress on the ten-year childcare strategy and provide essential information to help you prepare for the next wave of change, including the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage. To succeed, the new framework will need a better trained workforce to deliver it. For too long, quantity of places has taken priority over quality of provision. Too often, courses have been found lacking and funding has been in short supply. And there is little sign that real progress is being made.
In this issue of Nursery Management we bring you up to date with progress on the ten-year childcare strategy and provide essential information to help you prepare for the next wave of change, including the introduction of the Early Years Foundation Stage.
To succeed, the new framework will need a better trained workforce to deliver it. For too long, quantity of places has taken priority over quality of provision. Too often, courses have been found lacking and funding has been in short supply. And there is little sign that real progress is being made.
Take NVQs. Pass rates for early years remain abysmally low, in some instances the lowest of all sectors (see Nursery World, 15 March, page 4), and many managers are having to invest time, money and energy to support trainees let down by NVQ assessors and their own basic skills (see page 24).
Providers are already subsidising the Government's 'free' nursery education. How much longer will they have to 'pay' for Government's failings in delivering adequate training and basic education?
