'Scrap rules for teachers to lead EYFS', union demands
The Government should scrap the requirement to have teachers leading the Early Years Foundation Stage in maintained nursery schools and classes, a union leader has urged.
At their annual conference, members of the education union Voice voted in favour of a motion to throw out the requirement to have at least one teacher leading the EYFS in maintained nursery schools and classes.
Deborah Lawson, who proposed the motion, said, 'As a nursery nurse I could go on and get my early years degree and gain EYPS. It will not improve my career prospects, unless I want to become a teacher, or my terms and conditions of employment and subsequent reward. Why? Because we still lack a qualification framework linked to a career structure and terms and conditions, and which ensures parity across professions.'
Ms Lawson gave the example of an experienced and well-qualified manager of a nursery unit in a maintained school who had written to the union to say that her job could be under threat because she was not a teacher.
From September, to comply with EYFS regulations, the nursery unit would have to employ a teacher or become the responsibility of the reception class teacher, 'who may or may not receive additional financial reward', she said.
Conference delegates called on the Government to give 'due recognition and reward' to experienced nursery staff in schools who do not have qualified teacher status and to those with Early Years Professional Status.
They also urged the Children's Workforce Development Council to review the training and qualifications framework for childcare and early years students.
Nursery nurse Gail Holland, who proposed the motion, told the conference, 'We are increasingly finding that the educational entry level for trainees is abysmal.'
A DCSF spokesman said, 'We now have 73 per cent of those working in full day care settings qualified to A-level or GNVQ Avanced standard, and we have invested £250m from 2006-2008 to improve qualification levels.'
