Rafa Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hi looking for advice. I am the registered provider of a village setting and two of my staff are 'thinking ' about 'following the EYP pathway'. We are all currently level 3 however they have degrees in unrelated subjects so apparently it will take just one year?! Can anyoune tell me their honest thoughts on the pros and cons of this status. I appreciate as self development it is a good thing but how would it generally effect the setting? I have heard so many conflicting thoughts so not sure how supportive I need/ should be!! ? Theres a huge push in our LEA for people to go along to meetings about it at the moment, though I also understand its not considered necessary in a pre- school? What to do......? PS. theres no spare cash for huge pay rises. : ( !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Well. I did EYPS a few years ago and, as a registered provider of a village setting at the time, I can say it benefitted me both personally and professionally. Personally it gave me so much more confidence in myself as a practitioner because it enabled me to demonstrate how my deeper knowledge directly impacted on the quality of provision in my setting. Professionally doing EYPS impacted on the environment and experiences I could provide for the children, but also on the CPD of my staff team. It made me reflect more deeply on what I believed to be important to me as an early years practitioner, and helped me develop my personal ethos, underpinned by what I had learned and all the questions I had about what I have yet to learn. A lot depends on the motivation of the people who are seeking to undertake EYPS: you're not alone in saying there is no spare cash for payrises, however in our LA there is an enhancement to the Nursery Education Funding for settings who have an EYP and many settings qualify for funding under the new EYPS contracts. As an employer you will need to support your EYP candidates to attend college, and to enable them to lead and support EYFS practice within your setting. You might also need to release them if they need to do a placement to gain experience with other age groups. If you can get all the mechanics right and are open to reaping the rewards of their developing knowledge I am sure there will be benefits to your setting. How much childcare experience do they have already? I ask because I'm not sure how much more difficult candidates with unrelated degrees find it - but with a good amount of childcare experience I'd say they'll be fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hali Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 excellent advice M has said it all. I was also in a setting when i did mine and it improved mine, the staffs and the enviroment measurably - i would say go for it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stargrower Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Yes, I agree with Maz and hali. I did mine a few years ago and it has been very beneficial and a confidence booster too. One difficulty you might come across is the need to work with babies as well as toddlers and pre-schoolers. So your colleagues might need to find other placements to cover all age groups. Also as Maz says, if they have very limited childcare experience, it will probably be more difficult for them as those of us who have worked for a long time with children have a wealth of experience to draw and reflect upon. Still worthwhile though. Good luck to them! Beehive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Well thanks all for your positive comments, certainly I can see how it benefits! Not sure how we would manage covering time out for placements tho as they are both key staff. One has lots of childcare knowledge, but the other, personally, not sure its really her field!!?Both are attending a meet about it tonite so shall await their feedback with interest! Also.....how much personal worktime is needed ? they want to know this too...honestly!! andnot from the Eyp training co... Still keen to hear if anyone has any less favourable thoughts.....just to get both sides of course.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmum Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 HI! I am about to submit my tasks etc and have my setting visit next month. I have done the GPP route, so started it in January and am about to finish. I work in a maintained nursery and the only problem we had was that the budget they aloowed ( £800) for cover for my uni days and placement was quite tight in a school where an agency supply for a day can be £100!! We have managed by using some school L3 qualified TAs on top of their usual hours and supply only when essential, and I did some of my placement for babies in school holidays to save money. In terms of time, I have managed by doing my written tasks and file at weekends ( my brain doesn't work evenings!) and in the holidays, and it's not been too heavy going if you don't let it pile up. My submission date is 2 weeks away , but it's ready to go! Hope this helps you!! Madmum 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inge Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I hate to sound merciless.. but also remember that if they do go for the qualification , unless there is a post for them they will remain in the same jobs and the same roles... no need to create a job and pay more unless you really do need it, they have been employed in a specific role / job etc and this will remain the same ... so they may not stay with you once qualified as they will probably be expecting a better wage so likely to move on to a setting that does need an eyp. if you do decide to employ one as eyp to get the enhancement how will you decide who gets the role and pay increase.. thinking ahead what will happen if they decide to remove the enhancement for eyp, could you afford to continue the extra pay? I would also think about 2 doing it at the same time and the impact it could have on the setting, same days out of the setting, finding cover for 2 staff at the same time.. etc.. sorry all a bit disjointed suffering from a cold.. not thinking overly straight.. but a few negatives may help.. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devondaisy Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I think a lot depends on the training provider, and I would recommend that they try to speak to someone who has recently completed with that provider for an honest appraisal. I am on the GPP 6 month pathway, started in Feb and deadline is next week, so really it's less than 4 months to get a lot done. There have been problems with my provider which has meant the whole thing has been a bit of a nightmare to be honest and I really haven't enjoyed it at all. MadMum you seem to be doing at lot better than me! It is essential that any candidate has your full support as well. My degree is unrelated (and a long time ago) but I have lots of experience. The others on my course are young and have just completed early childhood degrees, and I think they have found the assignment writing easier than I have, but evidencing practice harder, it's swings and roundabouts. Remember that the syllabus/content is all changing in September too. Sorry, not the most positive reply! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tinkerbell Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 My HLTA has found out about the foundation degree and it will take her 2 years to complete in the evenings ,she will not need to take any time out of school and she is going to pay for it herself! she needs a covering letter from me to say I will support her in the work she has to do... Our school afterschool co-ordinator has level 3 and has expressed an interest in furthering her qualifications and has also looked at the foundation degree.I know we should be supporting every member of staff to further their qualifications and get on ( say s so in the new EYFS too) but unfortunately it would mean a session a week when she is not running the club ( for a year?)and we would need to get another qualified person in,we have no money to pay for the course as the club actually runs at a deficit,so how do we pay for the supply?..... so tricky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Hmmmm....thanks for that everyone.....certainly given me lots to think about! With regard both of them doing it at the same time I think that would be out of the question...my setting would fall apart!! and if they do both say YES tomorrow how on earth do I deal with that one??! eeny meeny...... Thanks again, will let you know if the training provider hooked them! And what I do about it ?!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 .I know we should be supporting every member of staff to further their qualifications and get on ( say s so in the new EYFS too) but unfortunately it would mean a session a week when she is not running the club ( for a year?)and we would need to get another qualified person in,we have no money to pay for the course as the club actually runs at a deficit,so how do we pay for the supply?..... so tricky Yes tinkerbell, my thoughts too. Bit of a catch twenty two situ. Will not go down well with Mrs O if she finds out Im failing to support staffs personal development!! Dearie me.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gezabel Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Don't know if your LEA does RAG ratings each year. Ours has changed this year and the self-rag included a VERY detailed (and specific) question section on staff qualifications. It is a straightforward tick the yes or no box but these boxes are pre-coloured red, amber, green and the best judgement we can get is amber because we don't have an EYP!!! Doesn't matter that we have BA (Hons) in early years, several level 4 and everyone else level 3! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sox Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I would tend to think about your settings long term future as well! A year ago as part of my staffs ongoing professional development I agreed that 2 staff could do their higher level training together (pros, cons and benefits for both parties considered! however in that year business has increased and now we are struggling to cover leave! Also brilliant advice about getting feedback about training providers! We definitely won't be using our present providers! One headache I won't be sorry to see the end of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 Another thought to add to the mix - it may not be fully funded forever, so the longer you leave it to get registered on the pathway, the more chance you may have to pay for it. Would be worth asking the question about future funding at interview as well. Would totally agree about checking out providers and asking actual previous students! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deb Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I think a lot depends on the training provider, and I would recommend that they try to speak to someone who has recently completed with that provider for an honest appraisal. I am on the GPP 6 month pathway, started in Feb and deadline is next week, so really it's less than 4 months to get a lot done. There have been problems with my provider which has meant the whole thing has been a bit of a nightmare to be honest and I really haven't enjoyed it at all. MadMum you seem to be doing at lot better than me! It is essential that any candidate has your full support as well. My degree is unrelated (and a long time ago) but I have lots of experience. The others on my course are young and have just completed early childhood degrees, and I think they have found the assignment writing easier than I have, but evidencing practice harder, it's swings and roundabouts. Remember that the syllabus/content is all changing in September too. Sorry, not the most positive reply! Could I ask which provider you went with, will be undertaking EYPS next year so am interested to know which ones to avoid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rafa Posted May 17, 2012 Author Share Posted May 17, 2012 Could I ask which provider you went with, will be undertaking EYPS next year so am interested to know which ones to avoid? Yes, can we ask..?? thanks for all the responses, continued food for thought....! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madmum Posted May 17, 2012 Share Posted May 17, 2012 I think a lot depends on the training provider, and I would recommend that they try to speak to someone who has recently completed with that provider for an honest appraisal. I am on the GPP 6 month pathway, started in Feb and deadline is next week, so really it's less than 4 months to get a lot done. There have been problems with my provider which has meant the whole thing has been a bit of a nightmare to be honest and I really haven't enjoyed it at all. MadMum you seem to be doing at lot better than me! It is essential that any candidate has your full support as well. My degree is unrelated (and a long time ago) but I have lots of experience. The others on my course are young and have just completed early childhood degrees, and I think they have found the assignment writing easier than I have, but evidencing practice harder, it's swings and roundabouts. Remember that the syllabus/content is all changing in September too. Sorry, not the most positive reply! The uni advice has been hit and miss and quite conflicting a lot of the time, and the Student discussion board has been a bit dead!! I did HLTA a few years ago and think that has helped with building the file and writing the tasks. At the moment, what I've done would be wrong wiht at least one set of advice, but I am happy wiht it so it's staying as it is. I think the 'new' programme is having teething troubles, so maybe the next students will have fewer problems! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForestFlo Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Im due to start my EYPS in September on a Bespoke Practitioner Pathway at Anglia Ruskin, Chelmsford. Its a fully funded place. Had a 30 min interview and 30 min writen task to complete. Really looking forward to it Kx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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