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Teaching Credentials Can Help In Early Years Settings – But Caring Qualifications Are Vital

In the wake of last week's Save the Children report, Fay Gibbin of Busy Bees Training Academy, explains why qualifications centred on Early Years development are more important than a focus on teaching

Fay Gibbin
by Fay Gibbin
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Extensive research carried out over the last few decades shows that under 5’s learn at a remarkable rate, and that stimulating, engaging activities are vital in creating positive outcomes for children.

However, we also need to remember that as well as developing academically, we are also shaping children’s personalities – which means that creating a nurturing, securing environment is just as important.

Wider considerations

Teaching qualifications certainly have a place in nursery settings – however, we should be focusing on ensuring that all practitioners hold recent qualifications specifically in caring for preschool children. Busy Bees currently has over 1000 staff undertaking an apprenticeship, be it an entry level 2 apprenticeship, management level 6 or some form of specialist training.

Children and young people workforce apprenticeship programmes do more than just increase numeracy, literacy and language skills; they also take into consideration children’s need for nurturing, and how to create not only a stimulating environment, but a safe one that encourages children to feel secure and confident.

Qualifications focusing on early years also often allow for clearer, quicker routes to management and specialist roles. School leavers can progress their career within Busy Bees via apprenticeships right through to management level 5, or use the programme as a stepping stone into an Early Years degree course.

In the 2012-2013 contract year, 214 out of 218 new starters went on to progress into senior roles at Busy Bees. Post-apprenticeship, employees are encouraged to continue their training through regular refresher training, workshops and short courses, which enable them to explore senior and specialist roles such as SEN coordinators and childcare representatives.

Seamless transitions

The needs and wishes of each parent may be different, but in our experience, what they want most for their child is safety, happiness and that their transition into school is as seamless as possible.

Achieving this means not only developing children’s language and numeracy skills, but also their understanding of the world around them – by, for example, interacting with their peers, knowing about mealtimes and going to the toilet on their own.

Qualified Early Practitioners are trained in preparing children for school, with learning enhancements outside of the curriculum and meaningful planned activities tailored to the individual needs and interests of every child in their care. Arguably more important than the need for qualified teachers, is the need to encourage bright minds, who are passionate about caring for young children, to enter into the sector.

This needs to start at school level. We would like to see more information around careers in childcare and childcare apprenticeships made available to school leavers considering their next steps, whether it be in the form resources, one-to-one support or impromptu advice. Expressed desires to enter into childcare should be met with enthusiasm, rather than the barely concealed snobbery that continues to plague the caring industry.

Continuous leaning

Once we have the right people in the setting, it is imperative that we continue to develop their potential and provide them with continuous leaning opportunities. We will soon be launching PEAT (Programme for Excellent, Ambitious Talent) – a talent management programme for teams within Busy Bees nurseries.

We will be working in partnership with the Open University to offer practitioners opportunities to build upon their childcare qualifications to degree level, ensuring that we nurture our future leaders and managers at all levels by promoting strong leadership and management skills.

We don’t really believe that you can teach the ability to work in childcare – we just hope to inspire and motivate those that carry a passion for shaping young children’s minds.

Regardless of whether a practitioner holds a teaching qualification, the sense of responsibility and dedication needed to work in childcare is huge. We in turn have a responsibility to equip teams with all the learning opportunities and support specific to caring for the under 5’s that we can.

For more information, visit www.busybeestraining.co.uk or follow @busybtraining

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