Guest Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 I have just finished my first year of the foundation degree and am beginning to contemplate what comes next for me for my third year. I dont want to do my PGCE and im aware that you need GCSE maths in order to do some third years. Is the BA hons in Early childhood studies one of those courses or can you apply without a GCSE? I know that i cant find time to fit in doing my GCSE maths on top of my degree so thats a def no for me. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
finleysmaid Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 sorry RachP71 but as amanager i already require all my staff to have maths and english GCSE. So even with a degree i would still expect you to have these -humm probably not what you wanted to hear sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 From what I am aware all future training at level 3 and above will be asking for evidence of GCSE (or O level) Maths and English to minimum C grade. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 From what I am aware all future training at level 3 and above will be asking for evidence of GCSE (or O level) Maths and English to minimum C grade. Sorry. Do you have a source for this information myhenroxanne? We're all ok in our group at the moment, but if this is the case I'd like to know where to find something in writing before I need to recruit any more staff. Rach if you've just done the first year of the Foundation Degree, don't you have a bit of time before you need to worry about what to do in your third year? Perhaps you could have a chat with your tutor about the maths thing. finlaysmaid I wonder what has led you to adopt the policy of only hiring staff with GCSE Maths and English? I can think of several fantastic practitioners who don't have GCSEs but whose practice is first rate. I wouldn't have been able to apply for a job in your setting, (til I did EYPS) and I'm not so shabby as a practitioner either! Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Maz - I totally agree with you ! I have other 30 years experience in early years working in hospitals, schools, nursery, creche,playwork,family centre and now childrens centre. I have done my foundation degree and in sept will do the top up(BA)Although I have gcse English I dont in maths and highly unlikely that I will ever!!!! Rachp71 I would advise doing your BA in early childhood studies .I had my interview last week and was not asked about my GCSEs at all and I have been offered a place! Good luck what ever you do. Unsworth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Maz - I totally agree with you ! I have other 30 years experience in early years working in hospitals, schools, nursery, creche,playwork,family centre and now childrens centre. I have done my foundation degree and in sept will do the top up(BA)Although I have gcse English I dont in maths and highly unlikely that I will ever!!!! Rachp71 I would advise doing your BA in early childhood studies .I had my interview last week and was not asked about my GCSEs at all and I have been offered a place! Good luck what ever you do. Unsworth Hands up from me pleading guilty to not having GCSE maths ( shock horror!) I am trying (seriously) to think how, if I had achieved Maths GCSE, it would have impacted upon, or changed my practice in any way and I can't come up with one. I left school in 1972 at the age of 17 and was not old enough to take up a place at the residential college I wanted to go to so I toddled off to a boarding school and worked as an assistant helping in classrooms and on the pastoral/boarding school life side. As I was about to leave a year later the Headmistress asked me to stay and said I could have a job for life and in time would have my own class! I did not want to go into teaching so declined her offer. After 2 years residential training I achieved an NNEB, after a further 6 months working in a children's hospital a child health related qualification and after nine months working as a live-in nanny was awarded the college's full diploma. I haven't ever worked in any other field but have worked in a range of early years settings and had four children of my own. Over the years I have done numerous courses and in recent years achieved levels 4 5 and 6 qualifications but still no maths Retirement is now looming and if I had my working life over again I wouldn't change a thing, early years is where my heart is and could a maths GCSE really have enabled me to do anything 'better' for the children in my care?? I would really love someone to explain why it is deemed to be so important for practitioners working in early years foundation stage settings??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 I would really love someone to explain why it is deemed to be so important for practitioners working in early years foundation stage settings??? There is no doubt a need for early years practitioners to be literate and numerate and to have a sound foundation on which to build their early years qualifications and experience. I broadly support the need for EYPs to have both maths and english GCSEs since EYPS is designed to be of equivalent status to QTS. However this still raises the problem of the number of we maths dunces whose whole educational experience have led us to believe all our lives that we just "can't do maths" but who otherwise are perfectly suitable members of the early years workforce. Also, what is our approach to practitioners who have dyslexia or discalculia and who therefore may struggle to gain a maths and english GCSE? I'm not sure what the answer is. Maz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scarlettangel Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 I was asked for maths and english at o level when I applied for the foundation degree and have been asked for it to do EYPS. Friends doing the top up degree and not EYPS have been asked for o level english too! Sorry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Goodness, that is really conflicting advice! lol My friend who has just completed her third year didnt have GCSE maths which is why she took that route (which i think is the BA early childhood studies) but i think i will clarify with her the exact name of the award. I will have a word with my tutor on monday (we get the marks for our first year then!) and let you all know what she says. Thanks all, Rach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sunnyday Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 Hands up from me pleading guilty to not having GCSE maths ( shock horror!) Please can I join the club - Maths is not my strong point at all - never has been - never will be! However - I get by perfectly well! I have over thirty years experience in Early Years, various qualifications, run my own business (small pre-school), have an absolute passion for my job - this passion has never waned and I would say has grown, retirement won't be far off I suppose - but actually I can't even contemplate that really I would like to think that my lack of GCE or GCSE maths has had absolutely no impact on my career and, more importantly none whatsoever on the children who have passed through my pre-school Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hopeytg Posted June 25, 2010 Share Posted June 25, 2010 I think its madness that you need English Language GCSE - I have English Lit but thats not good enough! - The Uni I am going to do and equivalancy test so you don't have to study for a full GSCE - from looking at an example paper if you have a basic knowledge of maths or English you will be fine - worth asking the uni if they do the same Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest countrygirl Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 Goodness, that is really conflicting advice! lol My friend who has just completed her third year didnt have GCSE maths which is why she took that route (which i think is the BA early childhood studies) but i think i will clarify with her the exact name of the award. I will have a word with my tutor on monday (we get the marks for our first year then!) and let you all know what she says. Thanks all, Rach. Hi I am in my third year of BA Early Childhood studies and having GCSE maths at grade C was never mentioned. It is only now that I am doing EYPS that the maths has become a problem and I am running that in alongside my degree and EYPS bits. I too agree that if you are a competent and confident practitioner and you can study at a higher level is the maths really an issue? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pimms o'clock? Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 I think countygirl is right. Maths GCSE grade C or above is a requirement for Early Years Profesional Status. For the Foundation degree, year 3 "top up" or full degree pathway you have to have English GCSE grade C or above. So you should be able to complete to full degree without Maths, providing you are not doing a third year with EYPS added on. BMG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted July 4, 2010 Share Posted July 4, 2010 yes thats correct BMG the maths and english is only required for EYPs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 More conflicting advice- my tutor told us that if your GCSE's or o levels are over 20 years you may need to update and resit them! she also said that from 2011 in order to start the F.D in early childhood studies, candidates will need to have gcse in maths and english. for the BA at our college, gcse english and the foundation degree are the only requirements. what to do!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jester Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I applied for a BA in ECS and fine art without GCSE maths. As far as I know you need Cs for ITT, EYPS and HLTA status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Hi, I have a B inEnglish and a C in Maths and still struggle with the homework that the 8 year old I nanny for brings home, so personally really can't see the difference in if you have the qualification or not, I have the qualification but I'm probably a lot worse in these subjects than many who don't hold it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
louby loo Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 I would really love someone to explain why it is deemed to be so important for practitioners working in early years foundation stage settings??? Obvious really - it's so you can work how the SFF will impact your setting!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SueJ Posted July 5, 2010 Share Posted July 5, 2010 Oh you are such a wag - you should know that to work out the SFF you need a PHD in Applied maths and economics and a Masters in politics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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