In our experience, the majority of teachers working with children under the age of seven have virtually no knowledge of child development and acknowledge this fact. But current training is beginning to address the issue.
It is not fair to state that nursery nurses have less knowledge and fewer skills than teachers. Each needs to be judged on merit. For example, I am a nursery nurse with a teaching qualification and a degree-level edu-cation in another subject area. I am also a nursery manager and former Ofsted inspector.
Nursery nurses should be provided with continual professional development and have a good level of education. The same should be the case for teachers in the early years sector. For example, is it appropriate for a teacher to have a history degree, work in banking for ten years and then obtain a PGCE in one year to teach Year One?
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