NEW: Degrees of success

EARLY YEARS PROFESSIONAL STATUS

To be awarded Early Years Professional Status (EYPS), you will need to hold a full degree or recognised equivalent.

There are five pathways to becoming an EYP:

1. Short Extended Professional Development (EPD) Pathway (six months part-time)

2. Long Extended Professional Development (EPD) Pathway (15 months part-time)

3. Full Training Pathway (12 months full-time, including validation)

4. Validation (assessment-only pathway, four months part-time)

5. ECSD to EYPS Pathway (18 to 24 months full-time)

HONOURS DEGREES

There are some 40 universities and higher education institutions offering early years degrees, and an additional ten or more offering study in playwork.

In addition to Early Childhood Studies (see below), degrees in Childhood Education and Culture, Education and Child Development and Health with Child Development are offered.

Most are three-year courses with an entry requirement of at least two A-levels or equivalent, although each institution will have its own entry requirements and syllabus. Some universities will accept students with work-related experience rather than formal academic qualifications.

Details of Playwork sector-endorsed higher education courses can be found at www.playworkactivepassport.com/SectorSkills/UserSearch.asp

BA (HONS) IN EARLY CHILDHOOD STUDIES

The focus of this degree, provided by universities and colleges, is on the academic knowledge and professional awareness that is required by those who work to meet the needs of young children and their families.

Five GCSE passes are required, although entry is also available to those who may have no formal qualifications but who can demonstrate either relevant work or voluntary experience. The course is three years full-time and includes a work-placed visits feature in some units.

Course content: There is a range of core and compulsory units which enable the student to select a route appropriate to them. Includes social, psychological and physical perspectives on child development, and issues arising from working with children in a variety of professional settings.

BA (HONS) PLAYWORK

This degree focuses on reflective playwork practice and usually includes an element of placement in the first and second years. It is provided by a number of universities over three years full-time (and sometimes up to six years part-time) as well as being offered by blended/distance learning by one university. Entry requirements vary across institutions.

TEACHING

BACHELOR OF EDUCATION

A BEd is an honours degree in education. Course content may vary according to the university or college that is providing it, but all BEd graduates receive qualified teacher status in addition to their degree.

The course generally takes three or four years full-time or four to six years part-time. However, if you have undergraduate credits from previous study you may be able to complete it in two years.

To train as a teacher, on any programme, you must achieve a standard equivalent to grade C in GCSE English Language and Mathematics.

If, however, you would like to teach primary or key stage 2/3 you must also have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade C in a GCSE science subject.

GRADUATE TEACHER PROGRAMME

The Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) is an on-the-job training programme that allows graduates to qualify as a teacher while they work.

On the GTP, graduates are employed by a school, earn a salary and work towards qualified teacher status. It's a good choice if you want to change to a teaching career but need to continue earning while you train.

POSTGRADUATE CERTIFICATE IN EDUCATION (PGCE)

A PGCE course focuses on developing teaching skills rather than on a specific subject area, and therefore candidates are expected to already have a good understanding of their chosen subject.

Courses generally last for one year full-time or up to two years part-time, and are available at universities and colleges nationwide.

It is also possible to study for a PGCE through flexible, distance learning through a number of universities, including the Open University.

Candidates must have a UK undergraduate degree or recognised equivalent qualification, a standard equivalent to at least a grade C in GCSE English Language and Mathematics.

If you want to teach primary or key stage 2/3 (ages 7 to 14), then you must have achieved a standard equivalent to a grade C in a science subject.

Case studies

NURSERY MANAGER BETH DUNWOODY

Once she has achieved her degree, Beth Dunwoody says, she will sit back and 'just enjoy it' - until she feels compelled to embark on further study or CPD.

'I've just submitted my dissertation, so things are slowing up now and the end is in sight,' she says. 'It's been a very busy time as I am also undertaking EYPS, and both courses have given me a lot to discover and reflect on.'

Ms Dunwoody started her early years career with an NNEB. 'My first job was as a nanny, staying with the same family until the children went to school,' she says. 'Then I moved to Scotland and at the age of 22 I was appointed manager of a nursery. It was a challenging time, as the nursery lost one of its partners and it was a struggle to be sustainable. However, on the back of a lot of hard work the business survived and eventually did well, which was very rewarding.'

After coming back to Yorkshire - 'via Australia' - Ms Dunwoody worked as an NVQ assessor. 'This was really good experience. I enjoyed the contact with the student, and this has stood me in good stead for going back into nursery management.'

Ms Dunwoody's current role as nursery manager at Magic Tree Day Nursery, which is part of the independent Belmont Grosvenor School in Birstwith, near Harrogate, has provided plenty of scope for developing practice.

'I've been here since last September and am enjoying taking the nursery to the next level. My degree, combined with EYPS, is really equipping me to support my staff, and I have a genuine love of training. We have also introduced Jabadao, as a way of boosting learning through movement and play.

'I'm really looking forward to achieving my degree through Leeds University and I intend to continue feeding what I've learned into my existing practice, rather than move on to another position.'

EARLY YEARS PROFESSIONAL: JACQUIE HATHAWAY

The school careers adviser who reckoned working on a checkout was the best Jacquie Hathaway could do unwittingly inspired her to prove him wrong and she gained a first-class honours degree and Early Years Professional Status.

For six years she juggled full-time work as manager of Little Owls nursery at Thames Valley University with taking first a foundation degree with the Open University and then a BA at the University of Reading, along with the long EYP pathway.

'I didn't do very well at school so I had to do my maths and English as I needed them for the EYP,' says Jacquie.

'I did my GCSE maths as part of staff development at work - the algebra still confused me but I really enjoyed it. I wanted to become an EYP and felt to let something like my fear of maths stand in my way would be so sad.'

Other members of staff at Little Owls are following Jacquie's lead and are studying for degrees, and the nursery, which has just been rated as Outstanding, was singled out for praise by Ofsted for its culture of staff development.

'I always make sure that everyone knows they have better GCSEs than me. If I can study, there is no way you can't. It shows you do not know what you can achieve until you try.

'For six years it has been my life to study and work. I am missing it a bit now but have started to look into the possibility of taking a masters degree.'

EARLY YEARS TEACHER: ANNE ENGLAND

When Anne England qualified as an infant teacher, there were so few jobs available at the time that she went out to Ethiopia and taught in a school.

'While I was there, I married an American diplomat and went to Pakistan, where I worked in an American International School and also trained as a Consular officer in the American Embassy,' explains Anne.

'In addition I ran holiday and after-school clubs for the foreign community because it was a Muslim state and very protected. My work in Pakistan led me to work increasingly with Afghan refugees and teaching refugee children.

'After Pakistan I worked in Argentina, where I was given the job of overhauling a British school. I then worked all over Argentina doing Oral English exams in schools and updating their educational systems.'

When Anne finally returned to the UK and joined Barton Primary and Nursery School in Torquay, despite her wealth of teaching experience she had to complete a probationary year, as she had not done so after graduating.

She is now joint head of Foundation, alongside the nursery teacher, and reception team leader - as there are three reception classes in the school.

'When I finished my Teachers Certificate at St Matthias College, Bristol, I was persuaded to stay on to do my degree because I was told that teaching would soon be a graduate profession.

'I would personally now like to have more training in emotional literacy and people management.

'I have been working in the early years throughout my teaching career - a few times with juniors, but mainly with infants.

'I was taught at college by Miss Briggs - auntie to Raymond Briggs, of The Snowman fame. She always said it was the only age to teach - and it is!'