Guest Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 Can anyone enlighten me - what is involved with an NVQ 2? I've never done the course and I'm having a few problems understanding what is needed? A member of staff is doing a course (started Sep - will finish April!!!) and has been told to plan and carry out 8 activities. for example to involve food, outside physical. I've asked to see her plan and tried to discuss what learning might happen within the activity and concerned to find "oh no - it just has to be a plan for food - no reference to learning ". Asked about refering to EYFS or curriculmn guidance and the tutor has said we don't use those that's another course. Surely if expecting to plan and carry out activities in a setting they should discuss the learning and curriculm. I'm now wondering if I am being harsh, but I don't want activities planned just because it's food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Guest Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 I have 2 members of staff doing NVQ2 they will be doing some work on the EYFS I talked with the assesor and she said there are different versions of nvq . It also depends on the training body , this I can see we had a staff member 3yrs ago did both her level2&3 with another agency she did no work on b-3 or fs and could not plan for anything she did not know what stepping stones were. I have to say the new version looks good and does more in areas such as planning and legislation at present they are working on health and safety and safegaurding children they have helped themselves to lots of policies and procedures .
Beau Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 There are several things here tess. Firstly this is a level 2 qualification which is for people in a supporting role. Therefore the expectation is that they will not be solely responsible for the care and learning of children but there to support others who are qualified to a higher level. The second thing is that the NVQ is not there to teach people about the curriculum but to help them understand how to care for children, meet their needs, understand child development and begin to be able to identify and help children to develop further. Curriculum's come and go but what is important is that these candidates understand child development and what are appropriate activities to offer children in order to help them develop further but also the caring side of it is very important and should not be overlooked as being of lesser importance! Lastly, it is sadly the case that many colleges are offering 'courses' designed to get candidates through the award as quickly as possible. They care little for how much these people actually know at the end of the course and whether they would make good child carers - they just want them to pass and collect their money.
Guest Posted January 15, 2008 Posted January 15, 2008 I'd like to add that NVQ should not be viewed as a 'course' it's origins is that it is an 'assessment', a 'validation' of what the candidate 'can do', (skills), 'does know', (knowledge - the reasoning behind why they do things the way they do in terms of all aspects of child care & education) and their 'attitude', based on the 'ethos, principles & policies' they work within. As the candidate goes through the process of assessment then the assessor, may define gaps in their knowledge, skills and attitudes, which then as a training provider ( not validator) they can then offer training to the candidate to fill these gaps, or offer advice as to where to get that training from, be it another training provider, candidates own reading and research etc. As Beau states NVQ level 2 is for candidates who are supervised by others, therefore in the area of planning the candidate only needs to show knowledge skills and attitude of the methods / principles of planning 'in general' and not to have to actually produce plans relevant to any curriculum that is set for the child ( this comes in Level 3 NVQ). However, I would say that if the NVQ L2 candidate is currently working at the level of producing more indepth curriculum plans ( on his.her own ie: it is their work), he/she should include this KSA in her level 2 portfolio because it can then be cross referenced to and 'signed off' when she goes on to do her level 3. Hope that makes sense. Peggy
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