Give us credit

I am a qualified nursery nurse, working as both a teaching assistant and nursery nurse in a primary school. I studied for two years to obtain my qualification and my training included 13 visits to my placement by my college assessor, where I set up and implemented lessons, then incorporated their outcome in future planning.

Eighty per cent of my child observations were marked as distinctions. In my existing job, I am involved in all areas of the teacher's job, including planning, attending parent consultations, contributing to individual education plans and so on.

However, when I approach universities asking for accreditation for my qualification and experience, I am told there is none available and that I must complete a three-year degree course, as must any member of the public who has never worked in a school environment.

While I agree that teaching should be a degree profession, the situation is outrageous at the moment. The pay structure for teaching assistants and nursery nurses is laughable, and without mothers, who else is going to choose this as a viable career?

I love my job and the wonderful people I work with. If the teaching unions linked up with the public service unions such as Unison, then we might see a faster change in our working conditions.

Name and address withheld