Employment and equal opportunities minister Margaret Hodge told a House of Commons debate on nursery nurses last month, 'By 2004, we hope to be working with 1,000 people towards establishing a senior early years practitioner route that will be just below degree level and will enable the desired career progression for those who enter at NNEB level.' The plan is set out in a Green Paper published in February, Schools: Building on Success, which presents a string of targets for early years provision. It says that the Government wants more early education specialists to come through teacher training and will work on new routes into teaching and other senior early years practitioner posts 'so as to make the best of the skills and experience of the very large early years and childcare workforce'.
The Green Paper also sets out a commitment to developing 'more provision which sees children through the whole Foundation Stage in one place, to improve continuity and enhance parental choice', and to provide support to 250 nursery schools by 2004 to help them develop 'a wider range of services so as to serve their community more broadly'.
The Government has invited responses to the paper. Copies are available by ringing 0845 60 222 60 and quoting references DfEE 0041/2001 for the full version, DfEE 0042/2001 for the summary, and 0054/2001 for the response form. The early years proposals are on the DfEE website at http://www.dfee.gov.uk/buildingonsuccess/early_years/viewsection.shtmlNoNoa1.
