Foundation Years: Cathy Nutbrown to head qualifications review

The move comes in the wake of sector criticism of the Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce, which was launched last September as the generic qualification  for the early years workforce.

Professor Cathy Nutbrown, (pictured), Professor of Education and Director for Research at the School of Education, University of Sheffield,who is heading it up, will focus on how qualifications can support career progression for those working in the Foundation Years.

The review will also consider how to ensure that entry qualifications are of a high standard and meet the needs of employers. It will run alongside  a review of the standards for Early Years Professional Status,currently being conducted by the Children’s Workforce Development Council, and a review of the National Occupational Standards.

Professor Nutbrown says she is looking forward to collaboration with a wide range of colleagues who have an interest in the crucial issue of workforce reform.

‘High quality provision for young children means that we need skilled and knowledgeable people in the workforce,’ she said. ‘I will be looking at ways we can strengthen qualifications and improve pathways to support career progression in the sector, to the benefit of young children, their families and those who work in the early childhood sector.’

Other plans outlined by the Government to strengthen the early years workforce include:

• The setting up of ten Early Years Teaching Centres by Pen Green Research Base. Based on the teaching schools model, the centres will help to raise standards across the early years workforce. The 10 centres are being selected over the summer.

• A look at how the specialist leader of education (SLE) role can be adapted for the Foundation Years, for qualified teachers and early years professionals.

• Funding for the National College of School Leadership to provide 800 places on the National Professional Qualification in Integrated Centre Leadership course over the next two years. The Government expects all existing and aspiring children’s centre leaders to take this qualification in due course.

Maggie Farrar, executive director for leadership development at the National College believes the drive towards NPQICL will be important for strengthening the workforce. 'This will help to support the continuous and sustained improvement of leadership development in children's centres across the country,' she said.

However, Ben Thomas, national officer at Unison criticised the proposals for lacking a coherent strategy for the whole workforce. 'It mainly seems to be a list of pet projects,' he said. 'We are concerned at the reliance on the sector to lead its own improvement and on the ability of the Teaching Agency to deliver for the early years workforce.'

WORKFORCE CO-PROUCTION GROUP

Bernadette Duffy, head of Thomas Coram Centre, is co-chairing the Early Education and Childcare Workforce Co-production group with the CWDC's chief executive Jane Haywood.

As a sub-group of the wider co-production steering group, its purpose is to work with the DfE on the implementation of a long-term vision for ensuring the quality and diversity of the early education and childcare workforce.

The work of the group will centre on the themes of leadership, professionalism and quality, reflecting the Foundation Years Policy Statement. It will be informed by the workforce recommendations made in Dame Tickell's review and will also consider the work of Frank Field and Graham Allen.

Ms Duffy said, 'A key aspect of this group will be to foster an inter-relationship between education and health professionals ensuring strong workforce partnerships with people having the right skills in the right place and at the right time. It will also factor in all establishments who have interests in early years, or an early years presence, be they private providers or nursery schools or childminders.'