hi. My name is Vivienne and I am new to the forum. I am happily working in a Reception class and have a Diploma in pre-school practice. Is there anybody out there who could suggest further training and qualifications? I am not sure that I really want to go the QTS route but would like to gain further qualifications and develop my career.
Have a lovely week-end everybody and thank you so much for all of the replies I hope I'm going to get!!
Vivienne

Can't really offer any advice but I'm sure someone will be along shorty so just want to say welcome to the forum

Hi Vivienne and welcome to the forum. I'm doing the Foundation Degree at the moment and to be honest, I'm still undecided which way I want to go with it once its done. I am considering doing the full degree and then progressing on to teaching but then there is also the lure of EYPS. It all seems a long way off for me just now, I'm only just at the end of my first year and although it has been hard work that has literally taken over my life, I have enjoyed every second of it (well, except for the self doubting points obviously!).

I'm sure you'll find some fab advice on here.

Welcome once again and enjoy!

hello and welcome, personally i would do the FD route then progress from there

A warm welcome from me too! I would also advise the Foundation Degree route - I haven't heard anything negative about it at all and the people I know who are doing it have managed to fit it in alongside their job "fairly" easily - although I know it's been difficult at times!!

Hi

I have Diploma in Child Care & Education which I did part time about four years ago. Would now like to do something else mainly for personal satisfactionbut it would have to be distance learning as I now work every day (before I only worked three days so could fit in one day at the campus and the placements). Any suggestions as to the best course to take and which provider?

Thanks

Hi Vivienne - welcome to the forum!

If you genuinely don't know where you want to take your career but want to gain further qualifications, the FDEd is a good option. Perhaps the best place to start is in school - will they support you in further studies? If not then the OU would be a good route (and ohers on here have reported very favourably on studyin with the OU). By the time you've got the FDEd under your belt you may well have developed your thinking and identified what you really want to do - whether it be teaching or not.

Or there is always an NVQ level 4 if you weren't thinking as far ahead as a Foundation Degree.

There are bound to be many options available to you given the need to upskill the early years workforce. My only query is whether you will be able to access funding - I'm in the Private and voluntary sector and have no knowledge of how training funding works in the overall schools funding.

Good luck!

Maz

Hi Vivienne,
Welcome to the forum. I have just completed my DPP and will start the Foundation Degree with the OU in October. By completing the first two modules of this degree will give you a level 4 qualification and you can then decide whether to go on and finish the foundation degree and with further study, on to the full honours degree.
As the other posters have said, it does depend on what direction you want your career to move (or you could just join the Old Saddo's Society - people of a certain age who actually like studying!!!!!! No offence intended!!)
My LEA in Leicester are gladly funding me ("How much?" they said, with their hands wide open. "Let us know if you need any more!!!!!!") Very generous here in Leicester!!
I'm sure you will get lots of other replies to your query and hope it will help you decide what to do.
Cheers and again, welcome.

Ooh how old do you have to be to join?

Maz