Training Talk - Up a Level

Just two months after completing a Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children and Young People’s Workforce – Early Years, Reece Garrod of Green Wellie Day Nursery in Bury St Edmunds was promoted to deputy manager. ‘My confidence has soared massively,’ he says.

City & Guilds launched the course in 2013 after calls from the sector for better progression from Level 3. As a competence-based qualification, assessors observe candidates’ practice at work. It is available in two versions: advanced practice; and management. Mr Garrod, who gained his Level 3 in 2014, chose advanced practice.

Ten mandatory units and at least seven from a choice of 33 optional units made up the course. Mandatory units include understanding children’s development, while optional units cover areas including family support, disability and financial management.

Mr Garrod’s assessor observed him in practice about six times over the nine months he spent studying. For example, for a unit called ‘Appraise staff performance’, she observed Mr Garrod conducting a staff appraisal. In addition he had to complete about three pieces of written work for each unit.

He also took part in webinars of between 30 and 45 minutes.

Mr Garrod says the amount of work was manageable, and his colleagues and assessor supported him throughout. ‘If I didn’t quite cover something in an assignment, my assessor would add it to the end of the course,’ he says. ‘It was all very flexible.’

Following the course, Mr Garrod has set up new activities for the nursery’s children, such as agreeing with a local school for the setting to host Forest School activities within its outdoor area. This has proved popular with parents. ‘A lot have said the Forest School is their child’s “wow moment’’,’ he says.

Mr Garrod adds that the qualification made a ‘big difference’ to his work. ‘It made me think more about what I do and why I’m doing it,’ he says.

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