A working strategy

EPI has published new research (with support from the Nuffield Foundation), which looked at the impact of recent Government interventions on the qualification levels of the early years workforce.

Existing evidence is clear that having a highly qualified workforce can have a positive, lasting effect on children’s outcomes, particularly those from disadvantaged families. But, as previous research has shown, the workforce in England is low-qualified, low-paid and qualification levels and career progression are on a downward trend.

So, our latest research sought to identify whether specific Government policies have had any discernible impact on this problem. We looked at four major interventions in the past 15 years: the Graduate Leader Fund, the introduction of minimum GCSE grades for workers; the expansion of the two-year-old entitlement; and the expansion of the three- and four-year-old entitlement.

We found that expansion to free entitlements for two-, three- and four-year olds led to an overall increase in the number of workers in the sector between 2014 and 2018, but there was no notable increase in the qualification levels of the workforce. In fact, the proportion of those with a Level 3 declined slightly.

Meanwhile, the minimum GCSE requirement created a tension with the increase in entitlements – fewer staff could be counted in ratios and providers overwhelmingly cited these new requirements as a barrier to recruitment. As a result, the Government watered down the requirements so those with functional skills and other Level 2 English and maths qualifications could be reinstated.

The Graduate Leader Fund did have a positive effect on qualifications. Between 2007 and 2011 (when the fund was ring-fenced), the number of staff with a bachelor’s degree or equivalent increased by 76 per cent, those with a Master’s or equivalent increased by 13 per cent, and there was an overall increase in qualifications generally. Since 2013, the improvements to qualification levels have been mixed.

To replicate and build on the success of the Graduate Leader Fund, the Government must have a long-term strategy to develop the workforce; the GLF was rooted with an evidence-based, long-term strategy and properly funded. If the Government fails to address this, then its social mobility aspirations could be seriously under threat.