able to start the new Early Years Educator level 3 qualification from
September?
Well, different government departments seem to be at odds on this, as our news story explains. The Department for Education is adamant that GCSE is necessary to enrol on an EYE course and to end up with a full and relevant qualification that means you can be included in ratios.
Business, Innovation and Skills, meanwhile, seems to believe that equivalent qualifications such as functional skills will be acceptable.
A further twist is that equivalent skills to GCSEs will be recognised for the Early Years Teacher Status courses (see our special guide) - a higher level course, obviously, than the level 3.
This needs sorting out pronto. The DfE decree has raised very strong feelings in the sector as our readers' comments on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the website make clear. It is quite a complicated issue.
It is evident that at the moment, early years providers are struggling to recruit qualified staff, and anything that cuts numbers of those taking childcare courses will not help. It is also only six months until the EYE courses start, which means that this year's candidates wouldn't have time to acquire missing qualifications.
It would seem fair to require those coming straight from school study to have gained English and maths grade A-C, but for older entrants and those progressing from level 2 it is not so easy.
We all want to raise standards and professionalism, but if there is not some flexibility allowed in a transition period - the chance to study GCSE alongside or after the EYE course, or for functional skills to be recognised - it could be even harder for the sector to meet demand.
