According to the Department for Education's projections, around 70,000 new places and 35,000 additional practitioners will be needed to meet demand after the expansion of funded entitlements.
The early years sector is having to negotiate these latest policies amid a backdrop of increasing costs and staffng pressures.
In addition, nursery providers of all sizes are responding to the urgent challenges around SEND provision. Recent data showed that the number of young people with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan for SEND in England has soared to the highest rate in six years.
As the sector struggles to bring new people into early years – and retain them – can apprenticeships deliver the recruitment and skills it so desperately needs? And will they increase in popularity following the Government's overhaul, which includes changes to duration of study and functional skills.
CREATING A GATEWAY
Karen Derbyshire, operations director of early years at Realise Training, feels the sector will have to see how this plays out. So far there has been a mixed reaction to the changes.
‘It's far too early to say whether the Government's changes are having an impact – but we certainly expect them to,’ she says.
‘I think the most significant change is the announcement that maths and English will no longer be a necessary part of many adult apprenticeship programmes.
‘The EYFS stipulates that those people considered a Level 3 staff member in early years must have the required English qualification, and there is no change to that – but maths is different.
‘In early years, the changes mean you can now enter gateway for a Level 3 apprenticeship without the need to complete a maths exam. If you want to progress in the future with further qualifications then maths is still required – for example, a new nursery manager must have a Level 2 maths qualification within two years of taking on the role. However, for those for whom maths is a barrier to entering the industry, the new regulations will allow them to take on, and complete, the apprenticeship and start a career.’
Karen believes that the decision on whether to include maths should be made on a person-by-person basis, and following a conversation with each individual learner.
‘If the learner has ambitions of becoming a leader in the future, then it makes sense to work towards and sit the maths exam during the apprenticeship, but there are many people who have had an adverse experience with maths or have no desire to progress into leadership, and for some of those, this rule change is significant,’ she says.
‘We have learners on Level 2 who haven't progressed to Level 3 because of their fear of maths. This should encourage people to join or rejoin the sector. It's very positive – if applied in the right way.’
At the same time, Karen concedes it is ambitious to suggest that learners can complete an entire apprenticeship in eight months, which is the potential new minimum duration for an early years programme. ‘Regardless of the size of the nursery group, it will be difficult in a recruitment crisis for employers to support their learners in completing an apprenticeship so quickly, given the hectic nature of day-to-day life in a nursery,’ she says.
Do we need a teacher-level apprenticeship?
There is a lot of debate around whether the new Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA) is a step in the right direction.
‘Employers do welcome it and it is absolutely fantastic that there is a new, clear route for progression within the sector. It means that someone can start in the early years industry at Level 2 knowing it's possible in the future for them to obtain a degree. For the right person, it can be very exciting,’ Karen says.
However, initially demand could be relatively low. ‘First, not everyone wants to learn at degree level and, second, for an SME it will be a significant investment both in terms of time and finance.’
She feels that most pressing is the need for apprenticeships to include specialist SEND training.
‘Nurseries must offer the facilities, resources and staff skillset to support children with additional needs, and the trend suggests that demand is only going to grow,’ Karen says. ‘All of our Level 3 apprenticeship programmes include SEND modules that delve into the topic in detail, ensuring we are providing practitioners with the necessary skills, knowledge and behaviours to allow all children to flourish.’
Karen recognises that a lot of time and planning has gone into the formulation of the new initiatives – ‘but these can only be productive if the information is getting out there’.
How can settings hold on to their apprentices?
Karen says, ‘I have always believed that the key to holding onto apprentices is to be truly supportive of their learning, from the beginning to their end-point assessment.
‘Learners need to be able to see a clear route forward of how they can progress in the industry. If someone has come in at Level 2, conversations should already be under way about moving up to Level 3 or Level 5 in the future. People need to be able to see where they can get to – if they want to and if they put in the effort to succeed. We retain people in early years by fostering ambition and belief. It is not a dead-end career.’
DEFINING CAREER DEVELOPMENT
Sarah Arnesen, marketing director at training provider Paragon Skills, which launched Shaping Lives, agrees that apprenticeships provide a clear career pathway.
She says, ‘Apprenticeships provide nationally recognised qualifications at various levels. This structured approach allows apprentices to build confidence in their roles while they earn, as well as job security.
‘The choice to advance through a range of levels gives apprentices a defined career development plan, which can support staff retention for employers. Additionally, apprenticeships are cost-effective, with government subsidies available and lower initial wages.’
Is the pool of apprentices diverse enough?
Sarah believes that it is. She reports that employers can use channels such as job events, school/college events, early years forums and the National Apprenticeship Service. Meanwhile, specialised platforms such as the Male Childcare Company and career change websites can also help to reach diverse demographics.
‘This multi-faceted approach creates diversity, attracting a range of individuals, which aligns with employers' needs for a varied and skilled workforce in the early years sector,’ Sarah says.
Apprenticeships also have the potential to show their worth for working with babies and twos. Sarah believes that their hands-on training allows learners to shadow experienced practitioners and leaders, enabling them to absorb best practices and gain clear visibility of babies' needs, safeguarding requirements and routines.
‘Additionally, apprenticeships can be tailored to address current sector needs, such as incorporating enhanced topics like safe swaddling. This combination of theoretical knowledge and practical experience helps to bridge gaps in confidence or experience,’ Sarah says.
Paragon Skills also offers a Level 3 pathway including SENDCo training, which provides individuals with the necessary knowledge, awareness and quality training so they have the skills and confidence to give every child the support they need. ‘The SENDCo specialism covers an in-depth understanding of the different types of special educational needs, support strategies for inclusive education, collaboration with professionals, and learning about SENDCo responsibilities. It enhances each apprentice's qualification and professional experience and is accredited by NCFE and delivered by Shaping Lives,’ Sarah says.
LINKING WITH APPRENTICESHIP PROVIDERS
Jennifer Lewis is CEO of two Newham, London-based nurseries, Smarty Pants Abbey Lane Nursery and Clever Cloggs Day Nursery. She recently organised a free event with the purpose of bringing nursery owners and HR leaders together to connect with apprenticeship training providers and explore the numerous benefits apprenticeships can offer.
The event proved beneficial to those in attendance, with much knowledge shared. Could the sector as a whole benefit from more interaction with apprenticeship providers? Jennifer thinks it could.
‘This event was designed to bring both sides together as an opportunity to directly engage and discuss the value of apprenticeships for their businesses, from workforce development to financial incentives – and I'm already planning the next event for September,’ Jennifer says.
‘The sector needs to get together to share ideas and information, to say where we feel the gaps in knowledge and understanding can be found and to just make sure everyone knows what's on offer. A lot more needs to be done to ensure the information is provided by all apprenticeship organisations delivering training. Levy Transfer [see box], for example, is still not widely understood.
‘A recent DfE meeting I attended had a show of hands and less than 20 per cent indicated they knew what was involved, and when it came to National Insurance exemption, it was less than 10 per cent. This is bad news for the sector as the exemption means employers can benefit from not having to pay Class 1 National Insurance contributions for apprentices under the age of 25 – making the apprenticeship route much more financially viable for businesses.’
Supporting existing teams
Jennifer believes that funding for current employees is another area where information is not getting through. ‘Employers should be made aware that apprenticeship funding is available for their existing staff.’
She also recognises that the removal of compulsory functional skills tests for many adult early years apprenticeships could be a problem for those who want to progress to management level.
She adds, ‘The apprenticeship event brought together a group of leading apprenticeship training providers. A big take-away for me was the news of a brand new 18-month apprenticeship programme being launched in spring through Impact Futures; the Level 3 Early Years Educator (Men in Early Years). Learners will also complete a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid Certificate provided by sister company First Response First Aid, and a Level 2 Certificate in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This promises to have strong uptake.’
funding: how it works…
SMEs (less than £3m payroll)
Apprenticeships are 95 per cent funded by the Government for any employee aged 22 years and over. They are fully funded for those under the age of 22.
Apprenticeship Levy
Employers with a yearly payroll of more than £3 million must contribute to the levy. This money, paid at 0.5 per cent of the annual wage bill, is ring-fenced to fund apprenticeships for the company's staff.
For those that don't pay into the levy, or if they have used up all of their levy and wish to further invest, employers usually contribute 5 per cent of the cost of an apprenticeship, with the Government covering the remainder.
Apprenticeship Levy Transfer
Large employers that pay the Apprenticeship Levy can choose to transfer up to 50 per cent of their levy funds each year to other businesses, to pay for their apprenticeship training and assessment.
The levy-paying employer has the flexibility to choose which businesses and apprenticeships it supports.
Workwhile
Workwhile is a not-for-profit organisation, working with employers to ensure that everyone can access ‘good work’.
As part of its service, it offers a levy transfer brokerage and support service for Greater London employers. Working with over 100 large employers, they have transferred in excess of £15 million of funds to enable SMEs to create good work for low-paid, disadvantaged and marginalised Londoners.
Once employers have identified the amount they can commit and parameters they want to work to, the Workwhile team will match them with suitable smaller businesses and support the transfer process.
