Staff Levels Of Maths And English In Childcare Setting (private)

[Guest]

Hello all

 

Just a quick question,

 

i vaguely recall reading a while ago that staff in childcare settings had to have a certain standard of maths and english by a certain point, but can't remember what the standard was or by when it needed to be achieved.

 

any ideas?

 

we are a private nursery in the cheshire area.

 

Dawn

[Guest]

just wondered if anyone knew the answer to the above?

[AnonyMouse_1027]

I only thought you needed those quals to go on to do EYP or similar

[AnonyMouse_8457]

I think it might just be a good practice thing rather than a rule - generally it's GCSE grade C or above I believe.

[Guest]

Hello all

 

Just a quick question,

 

i vaguely recall reading a while ago that staff in childcare settings had to have a certain standard of maths and english by a certain point, but can't remember what the standard was or by when it needed to be achieved.

 

any ideas?

 

we are a private nursery in the cheshire area.

 

Dawn

 

the eyfs states that it is the responsibility of managers to ensure their staff are able to function in english, or some such wording, its at the back of the welfare requirements. that usually means level 2 but it is advisory not mandatory.

[AnonyMouse_8282]

Well to complete the new CYPW level 3, candidates are 'supposed' to be competent at level 2 (GCSE level) but I'm not sure if that's being totally followed. Our level 3 apprentice is know were near that level- but the provider doesn't appear that worried!!

[Guest]

My assistants have all been European gap year students who are intelligent and proficient in their own languages but have variable competence with English.

 

All I ask for is the ability to join in with basic conversation and to understand health and safety and other policies. It's lovely to have them able to sing sometimes in their own language to the little ones.

 

One little boy I care for showed an amazing memory for German words and one of my assistants loved being able to help him learn more with lotto type games that she devised.

[AnonyMouse_8282]

Gemini - I have no issues with this, and totally 100% agree about diversity etc, but it makes me angry when students are taken on for level 3 and struggle to write even the basics such as a child's name correctly spelt/formed on the children's creations!

Yes we can make allowances for dyslexia and the like - but we do need certain basic skills at level three even if it's just to carry out the keyworker role effectively.

 

 

 

Just seen this is an old post!!!!

Edited June 26, 2011 by louby loo

[AnonyMouse_8466]

All I ask for is the ability to join in with basic conversation and to understand health and safety and other policies.

So do your assistants not need to write observations of children or to plan for their learning, Gemini? Although understanding policies suggests that they need to read English to a fairly good standard!

[Guest]

Yes, they do have to have a reasonable level, but it is only the level that is average for a European student who has studied English at school up until age 18 and who likes learning English.

 

Yes obs do need to be written by my assistants but they are often one or two word obs and quite cryptic I write mine this way too to save time and then sit down to translate them into sentences and send them to the parents each evening by email.

 

I can cope with poor and developing verb conjugation and vocabulary from motivated English as second language students, but what I find shocking and embarrassing is assistants who are native English speakers with Diplomas in Early Year's care who use 'them' for 'those' and 'brang' for 'brought' and 'done' for 'did' etc and who just don't seem to care or to value enriching their own language use.

[AnonyMouse_8466]

I can cope with poor and developing verb conjugation and vocabulary from motivated English as second language students, but what I find shocking and embarrassing is assistants who are native English speakers with Diplomas in Early Year's care who use 'them' for 'those' and 'brang' for 'brought' and 'done' for 'did' etc and who just don't seem to care or to value enriching their own language use.

No argument there! And don't get me started on the inappropriate use of apostrophes, not to mention the various 'there/their/they're' permutations!

[Guest]

Yes, they do have to have a reasonable level, but it is only the level that is average for a European student t what I find shocking and embarrassing is assistants who are native English speakers with Diplomas in Early Year's care who use 'them' for 'those' and 'brang' for 'brought' and 'done' for 'did' etc and who just don't seem to care or to value enriching their own language use.

 

What I find shocking is the fact that dialect is not appreciated as acceptable - for example "that'll learn you"

 

And langauage is always developing, so it may be that in 50 years time brang is the standard past tense for bring - after all it follws sing/sang

[Guest]

I was talking about sloppiness in speech rather than dialect.

 

I believe that it is important as professional child carers to encourage excellent communication skills so that all children have equal opportunity to grow up to be able to communicate professionally and competently as adults. I may sound like a loon but I would like all the children in my care, no matter what their background or home dialect may be, to have the language skills to be a barrister if they choose to be.

 

I accept dialect and wouldn't criticise it or correct it's use by children. I would ask however that more formal use of the English language (exceptions made for motherease and silly ryhmes etc) be modelled by staff wherever possible.