New 5th Pathway For Early Childhood Studies Graduates

[Guest lucyevans]

http://www.cypnow.co.uk/bulletins/Daily-Bu...C-DailyBulletin

 

Primarolo reiterated the government's intention to have an EYP in every full day care setting by 2015.

 

"The campaign will target those outside the profession - as well as those within it - so that we can continue to build on the success we have already achieved in training more than 3,000 EYPs. The campaign will be led by the CWDC," she said.

 

The CWDC also announced that a fifth pathway to EYP status will be added, for graduates of the early childhood studies degree.

[Guest]

oooooooo so is this good or bad?

[Guest lucyevans]

oooooooo so is this good or bad?

 

Hopefully it will mean a very short validation pathway.. but that could be wishful thinking

 

I've scoured the CWDC website but I can't find anything more about it. Was it mentioned at the EYP conference yesterday anyone?!?!

 

Lucy

[Guest]

Now that does sound good!

[Guest]

Apologies if I make anyone cross here, but I am not sure if I feel recruiting from outside the early years sector for EYP is that great an idea...........

 

At a talk recently we were told that those with a degree not pertaining to early years/ children in anyway have a rigorous EYP validation.............

 

But how will this make up for knowledge and experience from those who have worked with children for many many years????

 

Some things cannot be taught!!

 

To have a degree in some subject, so a certain level of education, will not necessarily make you into a good practitioner!!!!!!

 

As for a fifith pathway, why announce it without any information made available?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Guest]

"The campaign will target those outside the profession - as well as those within it " - they have been doing that anyway, remember my post about my Agriculture Degree friend...on her way to EYP before me (no previous experience)....short pathway...another already qualified EYP (friend) Travel and Tourism Degree (no previous experience!).

 

The Government has a pot of money - well providers have - and they want to be seen to be promoting this (EYP) - it will never be straight forward, nothing in early years is! I expect people will no longer need to top up to BA, and do EYP straight from FD - that is what tends to happen every time I achieve another level of qualification it seems they change/move/alter the goalposts and colleagues have a super time saying 'told you so.' .....do you think it will ever be a clear, concise career route!

 

To all the qualified EYPS on this forum I think you are dedicated fabulous professionals and hope to join you in this status soon (I believe in it!).....but I may need to hold fire a minute while the government shifts it all about again!

[AnonyMouse_75]

I've scoured the CWDC website but I can't find anything more about it. Was it mentioned at the EYP conference yesterday anyone?!?!

 

Lucy

 

 

I didnt hear it mentioned directly but the one seminar I was in they where going round with a mike asking for feed back and one lady sat next to me had a gripe about how can we raise the quality if they recruit inexperienced people to do EYPs and they then go and get the managment/leardership jobs? there is not replacing experience.

 

oh dear dont get me started.......

I personally dont feel I "learnt anything new" doing the EYP, it just took stock of what I was already doing I found it a valuble excersise for my own professional development but and I cannt see how that could be adequate for a non-childcare professional for what is effectivtly a career change course.

 

I understood that validation and short pathways where only available to those expereinced in early years. I did short pathway to get EYP but when you take stock of the 6 years at college/uni and the 11 years of management/leadership expereince and then someone with a none related degree can come in and in 12 months "long" pathway be my equal...... which one was the short path?

 

the powers that be say they want to invest in the early years and improve the quality but they are also sending out a very negative message that

"child care is easy, anyone with a degree can do it!"

 

I think EYPS like QTS should have a year in the job before being classed qualified/achieved.

[Guest]

There's some mention of it in the Sept 2009 issue of Early Years Educator.

 

Unless I'm mistaken, the 5th Pathway is for those with an Early Childhood Studies Degree. The pathway is comparable, although a little shorter than the full pathway, and somewhat dependent on actual practical experience.

 

For example, someone who has graduated with an Early Childhood Studies Degree may have done some practitioner modules, and already be pretty much at the level of an EYP, or on the other side of the spectrum you could have someone who's never even seen a child as part of their degree.

 

Apparently the 5th Pathway is on track to be delivered by autumn, and despite it not being marketed, there's already a captive audience for it.

 

Hopefully it will mean a very short validation pathway.. but that could be wishful thinking

 

I've scoured the CWDC website but I can't find anything more about it. Was it mentioned at the EYP conference yesterday anyone?!?!

 

Lucy

[Guest]

Is this any different to a person with a degree in say science doing a one year PGCE and then teaching foundation or key stage 1?

[Guest]

Well my degree is BA (hons) Early Years Education...so I wonder where I stand? Probably confused as usual

[AnonyMouse_21386]

I think that the EYP is such a difficult issue, i see it from both sides, i have a totally unrelated degree which qualified me to do not much really, I then did my NVQ 3 and a Masters module in Child development, then i did my EYPS by which time i had 3 years practical experience and did the short(ish) pathway. I found it really valuable and learnt an awful lot, it made my practice better as it was more considered.

However my old line manager who works in a different nursery now has 11 years practical experience and has to go to uni for 4 years to achieve what i did in a year, and she is still the one i turn to for advice! The degree is brilliant and has impacted on her practice no end but there are several other people we know doing it for whom it is simply a means to an end (the mythical more pay) and it doesn't seem to have impacted on them professionally.

The most important thing is a motivated and professional workforce who are enthusiastic and knowledgeable and I really think that experience should count for much more!

[Guest]

Haha, at least you won't be standing alone!

 

Well my degree is BA (hons) Early Years Education...so I wonder where I stand? Probably confused as usual :wacko:

[Guest]

I have to agree with Hannah3756's comments above. I too did a totally irrelevant degree years ago, then had my children and drifted into early years by the traditional PLA route of volunteering at the pre-school my children attended. After starting work there I gained my level 3 and then went onto to do EYPS with 5 years experience behind me. And I too know lots of people (not on here!) who are doing their Foundation degrees and planning to move onto EYPS but who I don't think are any higher in their thinking than a level 3 student. In fact I've had level 2's pass through our setting who were more reflective and had better understanding - but don't get me started!

 

My hope is that when this all settles down there will be some kind of recognition for those with the status and without who are truly reflective, inspired and inspiring practitioners, maybe through Ofsted inspection results? - I know, I know dreamtime but I'm feeling strangely optimistic today, maybe due to lack of sleep.

[Guest]

I think the children are the most important aspect for most of us who train further and luckily it is those children that help us to keep doing the job regardless of status, pay, qualifications...

 

I love my job and no-one can take that away from me.....this forum is full of like-minded, conscientious professionals who really care about early years education and care...

 

I feel less stressed about all of it...the powers that be can do what they like I am going to just enjoy my job and try not to be infuriated at constant changes and misinterpretations of status, qualifications and recognition....let's just do it for ourselves and the children.

[AnonyMouse_13656]

I think the children are the most important aspect for most of us who train further and luckily it is those children that help us to keep doing the job regardless of status, pay, qualifications...

 

I love my job and no-one can take that away from me.....this forum is full of like-minded, conscientious professionals who really care about early years education and care...

 

I feel less stressed about all of it...the powers that be can do what they like I am going to just enjoy my job and try not to be infuriated at constant changes and misinterpretations of status, qualifications and recognition....let's just do it for ourselves and the children.

 

 

Hi

First time of trying to reply

so here goes

I am a frustrated preschool leader. I have a level three and HLTA status and a HND in early childhood studies that they now say isn't a level 5. Because of this I have to do a degree before I can do the EYPS. I have worked in Early years for over 20 years and have been in this position for two years. How come in 2015 I will then not be good enough with out a degree and EYPS????

[AnonyMouse_75]

Is this any different to a person with a degree in say science doing a one year PGCE and then teaching foundation or key stage 1?

 

after completeing a PGCE does that person still have to have a year teaching before being a full qualified teacher?

 

I can understand that some have unrelated degrees but have experience and I can see for those the EYPS is a good way of not having to start from scratch but I do worry that for some this is a fast track into management ("better paid" roles) like said some people can work through college straight from school and hardly worked with children, having a early childhood degree get onto a EYPS pathway and have no expereince

 

CarolJayne,you wont have to do a full degree your HND counts as the first two years, I had a HND too, I did a one year top up to get a full degree, (four years ago) and then did Eyps this year but you can do the top up year along side doing EYPs long pathway then when its all over you do your dissertation to make the degree up to an honours degree which I think is a better way to do it but I can understand your annoyance

[AnonyMouse_13656]

after completeing a PGCE does that person still have to have a year teaching before being a full qualified teacher?

 

I can understand that some have unrelated degrees but have experience and I can see for those the EYPS is a good way of not having to start from scratch but I do worry that for some this is a fast track into management ("better paid" roles) like said some people can work through college straight from school and hardly worked with children, having a early childhood degree get onto a EYPS pathway and have no expereince

 

CarolJayne,you wont have to do a full degree your HND counts as the first two years, I had a HND too, I did a one year top up to get a full degree, (four years ago) and then did Eyps this year but you can do the top up year along side doing EYPs long pathway then when its all over you do your dissertation to make the degree up to an honours degree which I think is a better way to do it but I can understand your annoyance

 

 

Thanks for that Alison. can you tell me who you did your training with. I have tried Portsmouth uni and OU both tell me my HND doesn't help as I did it 10 years ago.

[Guest]

Hi all

 

yep its true...I am studying BA Hons in Early Years with Recommendation for EYPS and we were told at Uni that some people doing a childhood studies degree will be offered EYPS training with us as their mentors, as we have soooooo much more practical hands on experience and they don't!!!!

 

This is all alongside studying for Hons degree and EYPS at the same time. oh and did I mention working full time as well!! We're all praying its optional..lol

[Guest]

So what does that man for peeps like me who have graduated with a BA (hons) Early Years Education? Anyone know?

[AnonyMouse_75]

I would of thought that a BA in early years education would count as a related degree and it would then depend on your experience whether you might be able to do a short or validation pathway depending if there is any shortfall in your expereince or training.

 

I could of done validation but chose short pathway and Im glad I did it gave me chance to get my head around all the standards and time to think about the tasks

[Guest]

So it is the same as it was anyway then in that any degree can be used on a 6 months course ....I always intended to do the 6 month as I have no baby-'work' experience (only 5 onf my own and childminding for 7 years!)

Just need to get my maths and then I can go for it.....I think given my new job circumstances I may leave EYP until nexte Sept for now...thanks...

Edited September 22, 2009 by Guest

[Guest]

And what about people like me whose Early Childhood Studies degree [b Phil] still isn't listed on CWDC a year after I raised it wityh them & my university? [and again last summer]

[Guest]

That's me too!

[AnonyMouse_8466]

yep its true...I am studying BA Hons in Early Years with Recommendation for EYPS and we were told at Uni that some people doing a childhood studies degree will be offered EYPS training with us as their mentors, as we have soooooo much more practical hands on experience and they don't!!!!

I may be very dense but I've read and re-read your post and just don't understand. You're on the long pathway whilst topping up your degree to Honours, and are being asked to mentor other EYPS candidates? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

 

Maz

[Guest]

I may be very dense but I've read and re-read your post and just don't understand. You're on the long pathway whilst topping up your degree to Honours, and are being asked to mentor other EYPS candidates? Or have I got the wrong end of the stick?

 

Maz

 

Lol..not dense Maz, just as confused as we are. We haven't been told what will be expected. The degree and EYPS run alongside each other so we do 5 weeks of BA hons and then 1 week of preparing for EYPS - validation route. Together it will take 15 months - 1 year for BA and 3 months for EYPS validation. Reeeeally hope that makes sense.

 

We think the mentoring will basically involve how we meet the standards in practice to support what the students learn in theory.

[Guest]

When I did EYP there were 4 of us on the validation route who were put with a group doing the long pathway. We only had to attend 4 days, but I felt we were 'used' throughout as mentors for the rest. And that was NOT what I went there for. I got really fed up with being asked to demonstrate an activity whilst they watched, to give ideas how they could evidence standards. I was really really busy at the time and just wanted to be told how to demonstrate ways I met the standards and then allowed to go home, get the tasks written up and finished with.

I can feel my blood starting to boil as I think of it - and I am a person who loves to support others - I just like to do it in a way I choose and when I choose, not have it demanded of me with no 'by your leave'

Gruffalo2

[AnonyMouse_13453]

"I can feel my blood starting to boil as I think of it - and I am a person who loves to support others - I just like to do it in a way I choose and when I choose, not have it demanded of me with no 'by your leave' "

 

 

 

You and me both!

Edited September 23, 2009 by Cait

[AnonyMouse_8466]

Reeeeally hope that makes sense.

No, I'm still not getting it minx! What's the difference between you and the student you will be mentoring (in terms of experience, existing qualification level, EYPS pathway)?

 

Maz