While the Government battles to raise standards among nursery workers, a private nursery chain is already doing so with its own in-house training programme.
Teddies, which is made up of 36 nurseries in the south-east of England, delivers a training programme to enable heads of units to develop their role as childcare practitioners and become leaders and members of the management team.
'We were getting feedback from the heads of units that they needed some guidance on leadership skills and help with managing a team with whom they are also friends,' explains Tamsin Hodgkinson, learning and development manager at Teddies.
The programme also gives the heads of units a more defined role. 'We wanted nursery nurses to feel they can go and see the head of their unit for support instead of going straight to the nursery manager,' she says.
This frees up the nursery manager to carry out more senior duties instead of sorting out every small day-to-day problem. Teddies also wanted to see the heads of units sharing practice in the same way as nursery managers do.
'Nursery managers get together quite often, whereas the heads of units are fairly nursery-based,' says Ms Hodgkinson. 'We wanted them to be able to meet each other and share ways of working across the chain.'
One of the most important aspects of the course is that it enables practitioners to build up a good network. 'They come with a great idea and can potentially go away with ten,' she says.
The programme was launched in March 2006 and 36 staff have already completed it. The heads of units are nominated by their manager to attend.
They are then invited to an induction.
'I look carefully at why they want to come on the programme, as I do expect them to go that extra mile while on the course,' says Ms Hodgkinson. 'For example, if I have someone who checks with their manager whenever there is a problem, I will expect them to come out of their comfort zone.'
The heads of units then undertake five modules spread over six days in a three-month period. These modules are leading the team, managing workloads, creating and maintaining a safe environment, delivering outcomes for children and customer care to achieve great results.
Intensive coaching is offered to the heads of units while on the course.
'They are then given three months to continue implementing their skills and are assessed on their performance by myself, their nursery manager or a visiting manager,' explains Ms Hodgkinson.
The course is for people who want to potentially move up the management ladder. Already, some of those completing it have moved into assistant nursery manager roles.
Ms Hodgkinson believes the benefits to both the individual and the nursery are enormous. 'We see a practitioner's confidence build and the nursery nurses respect them and see them as the leader in the room.'
Retention of staff has been very good since the programme was launched. Out of the 36 head of units who have completed the course, 34 are still employed by Teddies.
'That is significantly higher than among those who have not completed the programme,' says Ms Hodgkinson.
The chain's drive to give early years' workers a more professional status is, of course, being mirrored across the country on a much larger scale with the roll-out of the Early Years Professional (EYP) status.
Ms Hodgkinson welcomes the arrival of the EYP and says, 'I think it is fantastic to have the bar raised. People working in nurseries are professionals and it is good they are getting recognised as such.'
She adds, 'There does, however, still seem to be some confusion about what the qualification actually means in terms of career prospects and pay.'
She believes the Developing Excellence programme has a broader remit than the EYP scheme, which she feels seems to concentrate on childcare and leading the childcare curriculum.
It is also, of course, specifically tailored to Teddies Nurseries. However, the chain is keen to embrace the new and has already signed up one of its staff from the Developing Excellence course to an EYP training pathway.
Another welcome element of the Government reforms is the Transformation Fund, which providers can access to pay for their employees to train as EYPs. Ms Hodgkinson says, 'There is money out there and we are doing our best to tap into it.'
Meanwhile, Teddies is preparing for the introduction of the new Early Years Foundation Stage next year. It has drawn up a customer-focused project plan that shows how the whole group, at all levels, will be addressing practice within the EYFS. Its Developing Excellence programme will continue to ensure that staff are motivated and skilled when it comes to delivering the new framework.
* www.sendist. gov.uk
* www.dfes. gsi.gov.uk
* www.nas.org.uk
Further information www.teddiesnurseries.bupa.co.uk
Going the extra mile
Case study: Pauline Gordon
Pauline Gordon has been working for Teddies' nursery in West Hampstead, London, for seven years and completed the programme last October.
'I wanted to do it as I thought it would help me develop professionally and help me run my room,' she says.
'I found it really helped me a lot. I have become more assertive and firmer in my decision-making.
'Before I went on the programme I was struggling to separate friendships from working with staff as a leader. But the course really helped me to overcome that.
'It also made me realise what my staff expect and want from me. I also feel more confident in doing showarounds when you take prospective parents around the nursery.'
Miss Gordon's manager, Karen Barker, is pleased with the impact it has had.
'It has boosted Pauline's professional practice and now she can deal with situations in a more positive way. She is also more knowledgeable about the management areas in the nursery and I feel I can leave her on her own, as I do with my assistant managers. We are putting all the heads of our units on the programme.'
Further information
* www.teddies nurseries.bupa.co.uk
