Early Years Teachers - Part 6 - First class

Malaysian-born Ananda Rabindranath's first love is marine biology. As a child he was fascinated by the exploits of conservationist and explorer Jacques Cousteau. As a young man he was inspired to study marine biology at the University of St Andrews in Scotland and then moved into a doctorate on the effects of climate change on arctic plankton.

But having volunteered to work with children while at boarding school in India, Mr Rabindranath began to realise an academic career was not for him. 'I wanted to do something that would help others,' he says. 'I knew I was lucky to have had the education I did, and I had begun to realise that not everyone is so lucky.'

Mr Rabindranath heard about Teach First from friends, who explained how the organisation aims to support high-calibre graduates to become teachers working with the most disadvantaged children in the UK.

The 28-year-old decided he wanted to specialise in early years teaching, feeling there was more opportunity to make a real difference at such an early age. He already had some experience in working with children. 'I did a bit of voluntary work with younger children, especially those with disabilities, in India, where my family moved when I was young,' he says. 'Then when I first moved here I worked as a learning support assistant in south London.'

In 2013 Mr Rabindranath became one of Teach First's first cohort of Early Years Teachers (EYTs) - until then the organisation had concentrated on teachers of primaryand secondary-aged children.

Entry to the course is competitive -those who get past the initial application must then attend an assessment day. 'It is a very rigorous process,' says Helen Taylor, primary and early years curriculum and assessment lead at Teach First.

Activities include group work, a teaching task, an indepth interview and a written task, with applicants assessed on aspects such as teamwork and resilience. An online test follows, and successful applicants are invited to a six-week summer training school.

Mr Rabindranath was one of 17 students on the first early years summer school. The following year saw 39 participants and this year there are set to be 82.

He says that he found the training to be less early years specific than it could have been, but is pleased that Teach First has now changed the course content.

'We initially adapted the primary curriculum for a quick start, because the early years expansion was approved at quite a late point,' says Ms Taylor. 'But the next year we started with a sheet of blank paper. There is a huge emphasis on child development and how that underpins all the different areas of learning for children, the approaches used in early education and the environment that is constructed for early years children.'

Following the summer school, Mr Rabindranath started work as an EYT at Oasis Academy Hadley in north London, a school which takes children from the age of two.

Teach First graduates start with 60 per cent responsibility for their class which goes up to 80 per cent by the first half term. The rest of the time is spent on professional development and planning.

Oasis Academy has been involved with Teach First since the organisation launched ten years ago. About 10 per cent of its staff have come through the programme, including the deputy head teacher.

Mr Rabindranath committed to working there full time for two years, receiving a teacher's wage while training. After the first year, he received his PGCE and after his second he will gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Teach First has decided to award students with QTS, which allows students to teach in primary schools, rather than Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). 'When we started, QTS was a well-known qualification, while we felt EYTS wasn't,' says Ms Taylor. 'We want to raise the profile of early years teaching and felt that was best done though QTS.'

With weekend training days, assignments, and observations, Teach First graduates have a challenging schedule. They meet with an in-school mentor once a week to discuss progress. They are also assigned a Teach First leadership development officer, who supports them with issues such as well-being, and a professional tutor, affiliated with a training provider - in Mr Rabindranath's case, this is the Institute of Education, University of London.

Making a difference is important to Mr Rabindranath, who was keen to work with disadvantaged children, but he acknowledges that he was not prepared for the full extent of some children's needs.

'Children coming in without breakfast, with very little ability to do their homework, and lots who have English as an additional language,' he says. 'My role is not just about teaching; there is a massive psychological well-being aspect to it.'

Mr Rabindranath feels it is particularly important that more men become EYT. 'A lot of the boys in my class relate to me differently than to the women who teach here,' he says. 'A lot don't have a male role model at home.'

He thinks the Teach First route is particularly beneficial in attracting people who might not have previously considered early years teaching as a career. 'I have a lot of colleagues who would not have been in teaching if it was not for Teach First,' he says.

He has noticed a definite development in his early years practice over the course of his two years. 'I feel I am a whole different teacher to when I started,' he says. 'I was doing everything by the book; now the way I interact with the children is very different - I'm a lot more relaxed. The school is very much about learning through play.'

When his two years are up, Mr Rabindranath will move on as his wife has gained a job in Buckinghamshire, which is too far to commute. And while he enjoys teaching, he may follow up his interest in another aspect of the course in the future.

'I am interested in policy development,' he explains. 'The course has given us a lot of contacts with policymakers, we have had a few roundtable discussions with members of Government, and there are good opportunities arising from that.'

While this means the sector would be losing an EYT, Teach First doesn't see it that way - the scheme is very much about producing leaders.

'Teach First is a leadership development programme, so we hope our participants will go on to become leaders within education, or perhaps inother areas with strong links to education,' says Ms Taylor.

Further information

More details about Teach First's leadership development programme, including early years, can be found at http://graduates.teachfirst.org.uk/leadership-development-programme

ROUTES TO EARLY YEARS TEACHER STATUS

1. Graduate entry, a full-time, 12-month course for graduates, of which 120 days are placement. All entrants have their fees fully covered, with a £7,000 grant to cover course fees as well as bursaries of up to £9,000 for graduates with a first class degree and £4,000 for graduates with 2:1 degrees.

2. Graduate employment-based: a one-year part-time route for graduates working in an early years setting. Applicants must be employed in an early years setting and their employer needs to support their application and agree to release and support them to undertake the course. All entrants have their fees fully covered, with a £7,000 grant to cover course fees, and an additional £7,000 as a contribution to costs incurred by their employer. Applicants need to hold at least GCSE Grade C (or a recognised equivalent) in maths, English and science, and a degree in any subject, and must pass the professional skills tests for trainee teachers.

3. Undergraduate: a full-time, three- to four-year route leading to EYTS. This route is for undergraduates completing a degree in an early childhood related subject, who will earn EYTS as well as their degree.  There is no additional fee for the EYITT element, and tuition fee loans are available from Student Finance England. Degree courses will have varying entry requirements. Undergraduates wanting to incorporate EYITT into their degree must have a GCSE Grade C and above (or recognised equivalent) in maths, English and a science subject, and must have passed the professional skills tests for trainee teachers. Students must carry out 120 hours of paid or voluntary early years experience

4. Assessment only: three months, self-funded for graduates with experience of working with children from birth to five years old who can meet the Teacher Standards (Early Years) without further training, for example an early years teacher from overseas. Applicants must have achieved a GCSE grade C (or equivalent) in English, maths and a science subject, hold a first degree (Level 6) from a UK higher education institution or equivalent qualification, and have passed the required professional skills tests. Fees vary depending on the training provider, with some providers offering additional tutor visits or support prior to the course at extra cost for example.

5. School Direct (Early Years): route 1 is delivered by a nursery provider or school along with a training provider. Results in EYTS. Training is fully funded by NCTL through a grant of £7,000 available to all trainees. Bursaries are available: £9,000 for graduates with a first-class degree and £4,000 for graduates with a 2:1. Prospective students for the School Direct route 2015/16 should apply directly to one of the nine lead organisations. See www.gov.uk/government/publications/school-direct-early-years-initial- teacher-training-lead-organisations

• The DfE provides information on the different entry routes, case studies and a list of accredited providers, www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/subjects-age-groups/ early-years
• Teachers' Standards (Early Years), www.gov.uk
• Professional skills tests, http://sta.education.gov.uk.

 TEACH FIRST (EARLY YEARS)

A two-year training programme for 'high calibre' graduates working full-time in schools, nurseries and early years settings. Applicants must have a degree at 2:1 or above, and two relevant A-Levels at a B or above if their degree is not in early years, psychology or a relevant curriculum subject. If the applicant passes the initial application they must attend a day-long assessment process, followed by an online test and a six-week summer school. They then start working at a school or nursery while studying for their PGCE after one year, and QTS after two.