'E' isn't for experience
Does EYP stand for Excluding Your Professionals? While I agree with improving daycare practice, I am not at all confident that EYP status will achieve this.
While I agree with improving daycare practice, I am not at all confident that EYP status will achieve this.
The 'In my view" column (7 December) echoed my thoughts and feelings. I am a nursery manager with several years experience and hold the BTec National Certificate (Level 3). This means I am unable to apply to do the EYP, as I need a degree first. Why? No-one has given me a satisfactory answer.
I attended an information morning for the EYP that Northampton University is now piloting, and felt insulted, excluded and not 'clever enough' to do the EYP.
At the information morning we were told that one candidate had dropped out because she could not demonstrate leadership skills. Surely this should have been picked up prior to starting the course. I demonstrate leadership skills every day and would not drop out of the course. Give me a chance to demonstrate the quality and intelligence of hard-working managers and someone would accept me on the EYP without a degree.
I love my job. I lead a team of 24 staff and have more than 90 children aged three months to three years on register. My role is vast and varied, and I already meet a majority of the standards for achieving EYP status.
If this is not to become another worthless status, the entrance route needs to be broadened to include and value experience.
* Eileen Breeze, Little Pilgrims manager, Pilgrims Pre-preparatory School, Bedford
