Nursery World - Government rejects calls for more focus on play in new qualifications

Despite a call for more emphasis on play-based learning from many respondents to the consultation on Early Years Educator qualifications, the Government has not amended the criteria.

The details of the criteria for Early Years Educators and Early Years Teachers, set out yesterday by the National College of Teaching and Leadership, do not include an explicit reference to play-based learning, despite the fact that learning through play is a key tenet of the EYFS and high-quality early years practice.

The sole mention of the word play is in standard 2.1 which states that Early Years Educator qualifications must cover planning and leading activities, 'purposeful play opportunities and educational programmes which include the learning and development areas of current early education requirements.'

The Pre-School Learning Alliance said it had grave concerns about the omission.

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