Professor Cathy Nutbrown today published an interim report which explores how to help people working in the early years to improve their skills, knowledge and development.
Professor Nutbrown is considering how to strengthen qualifications and career pathways for people working in early education and childcare.
During a public consultation people raised concerns about the quality of tuition, the standard of qualifications, recruitment and retention, and career progression.
Professor Nutbrown is considering the following issues as she develops her recommendations for government:
- An effective qualifications structure that motivates people working in the early years and tells employers what skills and knowledge they have.
- Courses that prepare people for working in the early years, raise the standards of those choosing to enter the profession, give them the right skills in literacy and numeracy and include the latest cutting edge detail about child development.
- The case for expanding the role of teachers in the early years, creating new teaching pathways with an early years specialism, linking more closely the education worlds of the school and the early years.
Professor Cathy Nutbrown said:
Getting qualifications right will help to ensure that women and men enter the profession with the skills and experiences they need to do the best work with young children and their families.
Well taught courses and learning routes which lead to reliable qualifications can help early years practitioners to improve their skills, knowledge and personal qualities, constantly developing in their roles. This can only benefit young children, both in terms of their day to day experiences in the Early Years Foundation Stage and future learning outcomes.
My interim report sets out the shared concerns among the workforce about their qualifications system, but I also hope it reflects the pride they take in their work and the hugely positive impacts they are having on the lives of our young children.
Children’s Minister Sarah Teather said
I welcome Professor Nutbrown’s interim report. It recognises the passion and professionalism of those working with our youngest children. We know the earliest years of a child’s life are so important to their development so it’s vital we have a workforce with the right knowledge and skills. I look forward to receiving Professor Nutbrown’s recommendations in the summer.
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