Huge slump in student numbers for EYE Level 3 courses

Training providers have reported drops of 80 per cent in applications for apprenticeships and 50 per cent for work-based EYE courses, which require a minimum grade C English and maths on entry, since September.

Recruitment agencies, which have long reported a dearth of quality childcare applicants, are also reporting a GSCE 'ripple effect' with employers ramping up demands about existing Level 3 candidates' GCSE qualifications, despite the more stringent GCSE rules applying only to new starters.

Lisa Bell, head of early years at Brockenhurst College, said that the number of people enrolled on new Level 3 CPLD (EYE) courses had dropped by half this September.

She said, 'We have 39 students enrolled on Level 2 and Level 3 courses. This year, 16 are on Level 3, but we usually have 25 to 30. It's because we've had to put 13 who would have been Level 3s on Level 2 courses (because they don't have the GCSEs).

'The drop is worrying for the department, as if the number goes below a certain level, there is uncertainty over whether the course continues. We are not at that stage now, but it is certainly a big change this year.'

Helen Perkins, who was part of the Nutbrown review, and is head of school for early years at Solihull College, said the college has had to cancel an adult evening Level 3 course as it had only two applicants instead of the usual 20, while numbers are also below average on its Level 2 course. She said the majority of her adult students are women in their 20s and 30s returning to work after having babies.

She said, 'Adult learners are the big issue as many took their GCSEs a long time ago, didn't get the grades and don't want to retake. Some are now taking teaching assistant courses instead.'

She added, 'It seems unfair that after 11 years of school, FE colleges become responsible for English and maths.

'It really does seem that (the Government) have no real understanding of the relationship between qualifications and who accesses them and why, and the impact of their policy.'

In the apprenticeships sector, where rules on qualifying GCSEs are set to be reformed by the Government, training companies have seen a drop of around 80 per cent for Level 3 apprentices. Parenta reported an average intake of 400 Level 3 apprentices reduced to 57 this year. Managing director Allan Presland said, 'This is happening right across the industry. We are limited to apprentices who have GCSE English and maths A grades or those who took their GCSEs in the past five years. It has not been thought through.

'Next year we will have nobody qualifying. This will create wage inflation and increased childcare costs.'

Meanwhile, recruitment agencies have noticed an increasing trend of employers automatically eliminating candidates on the basis of below-C-grade GCSEs even if they have a relevant Level 3.

Janice McKenry, director at JEM Childcare Solutions, said, 'I have had employers - about ten per cent, in the last year and growing - giving me job descriptions with this written in. They say candidates "need to be very experienced and have to have their GCSE at C or above otherwise I am not interested". This is even if they have a Level 3 qualification. People need to be aware there are some very good practitioners out there who do not have these GCSEs.'

Dee Ashcroft, recruitment co-ordinator of Bamboo Childcare, said, 'I now have to ask what GCSE grades (Level 3) people have, which was something I would only ask Level 2s to see if they could get on to a Level 3. If they don't have them it affects recruitment, as employers say "no, we will go for someone else".'

Ms Ashcroft added that in a number of cases, she had clients requesting that all their existing employees who don't have the C grades, despite some having qualified years ago under old qualifications, retake their GCSEs 'seemingly to please Ofsted.'

A DfE spokesperson said, 'The EYE qualification will raise the quality and status of the workforce and help our children go on to achieve their full potential. We recognise that some people, such as mature students or those returning to work may have older qualifications, which is why training providers are able to accept equivalent qualifications (such as O levels and AS levels) of an equally high standard.'