Early Years Teacher Status

[flowlow]

Hi all

 

just asking general opinions, I didn't undertake the Early Years Professional Status for many reasons, instead I did a BA Hons Degree in Early years. I have been chatting to someone today who was talking about the Early Years Initial Teacher Training course.

 

I heard mixed reviews about the EYPS and wondered if anyone knew much about the EYITT? you are supposed to leave after a year with Early Years Teacher Status!

 

thanks

 

[mrsbat]

I'm currently doing EYPS and there has been a lot of discussion about what happens to us/the qualification etc when EYTS comes into play and we have been 100% assured that EYTS will be no higher/better/more accepted etc than EYPS - essentially it is a name change, you still come out with the same qualification and level 6 and you cannot go straight into teaching, you would still have to go down the route of teacher training as you would if you have EYPS. Although the word "Teacher" is in the qualification you won't actually be one...... Hope that makes sense....

 

Early Years Professional Status = Early Years Teacher Status = the same thing......so I've been reassured by our EYPS tutor anyway......

[Madmum]

I think EYITT is a PGCE level course. ITT is Initial teacher Training so not the same as EYT as it will have QTS when achieved.

[mrsbat]

ooppss sorry my bad, I misread it - thought it was talking about EYTS

[Madmum]

I think someone somewhere has put lots of thought into making the whole EYPS/EYT thing as confusing as possible!!

[laura]

I was already an early years teacher when I did my EYPS, I took it because my teaching degree focussed on three year olds and up and as I wanted to run my own nursery I wanted to do EYPS to get the birth to 3 experience. Now my sister has joined me as joint manager at our nursery and she also has a teaching degree. She's now wondering if it is worth going for the EYT as essentially she already is one! but like me she wanted to get her knowledge of working with birth to three acknowledged. Not sure what she is going to do now....

[flowlow]

I agree Madmum it is confusing!!

 

I really don't know what if anything to do next. I don't know if I want to go for the EYITT or if I want to hang out for Masters or maybe neither!! The person I spoke to has a degree in something else but is now wanting to work in childcare but has been advised this route would be better than doing a level 3. My degree was in early years but that doesn't really help me in knowing where I want to go next, I was advised originally by university not to do the EYITT course and do PGCE as it was better, but I don't know if it is or not!

 

oh well maybe cuppa and chocolate and the need to any of it may go off

Edited April 16, 2013 by Johanna1

[hali]

I think only time will tell as usual - there may be new opportunities for current eyps or new eyts to work in accadamies and free schools but will have to wait to see if heads will be willing to pay a little extra!!!!!!!

[hopeytg]

I am currently an EYP and I attended a seminar on Saturday at The University of Worcester where I studied and they tried to explain all this to us. The new qualification is the Early Years Teacher - all current EYP's are automatically going to be called Early Years Teachers. There is no requirement to do QTS as we were initially advised. As an Early Years Teacher you are able to teach children up to and including the age of 5 in any school, private, maintained etc etc - if the Head is willing to employ you.

 

The downside is as yet there is no agreed salary scale - ie NQT scale etc - the general advise was it should not be NQT as that scale

is for teacher with no experience and as and EYP or Early Years Teacher you have experience in your field.

 

Hope this helps

[catma]

I suspect if you did get a job in a maintained school but didn't have QTS then you would be paid on the unqualified teacher scale, which would be less than an NQT. School teacher pay and conditions will be changed radically anyway come sept when I believe schools will pay by results not by a nationally agreed pay scale.

[Madmum]

I am an EYP and HLTA but am paid at TA rate other than when I cover PPA.

This may make you smile, but one of our other HLTAs suggested that the KS1 and 2 HLTAs should be paid at a higher rate than me ( ie at unqualified teacher rate) because they "actively teach" and I don't (in their opinion) :blink:

 

No, in EYFS I spend my time sitting with my feet up with a cuppa whilst chaos ensues around me!! :rolleyes:

[Guest]

Hi,

 

I'm possibly going to be controversial but ......

 

I now manage a pre school, but am a teacher with a BA QTS qualification & ...hmmmm ... (gloss over number of years :blink: ) ... teaching experience in mainstream schools. I also still teach classes in a school.

 

I struggle with the concept that a BA QTS qualification, that is 4 years FULL TIME & a mixture of both training & studying, plus ensures that students have an array of experience in different settings & environments is the equivalent to EYITT.

 

I have 2 staff who have completed the EYP, they did so via one evening per week over 3 years & remained in 1 setting. There is no section of the course that demands diversity of experience & that to me is one serious deficiency in the structure of it.

 

I'd like to point out that I do REALLY VALUE the EYP status, I strongly believe that all qualifications that people choose to pursue is a GREAT thing for the children they are involved with. BUT the level of training & studying & experience is phenomenally different.

 

Therefore I have encouraged them to go on to do a PGCE after their EYP/BA courses.

 

I also therefore believe that the qualification structure should be ....... EYP as a L6 & BA QTS @ L7 .... I also think this should be rolled out nationally through to schools as I feel this would help Head's understand the qualification more & therefore employ more EYP/EYITT.

 

Does this help at all OR have I just put the cat amongst the pigeons ???? I'm hoping I haven't offended anyone ? :wacko:

[Madmum]

I'm sure you haven't offended anyone....but...

EYP/EYT and EYITT are not the same. EYITT is similar to GTP - on the job training in a school ending up with a PGCE and QTS!

EYPS up to now has been achievable by various routes- alongside completing a BA, or after a BA with the course length varying according to experience. I did my EYPS last year via the Graduate Practitioner route , including a baby placement and completed it in 7 months. Some fellow students did baby and toddler placements, it depends on experience.

 

I think you're right that Heads don't understand the qualifications, but it also has to be said that to do EYP/EYT you have to have or be working at BA level in the first place and I know of many teachers whose teacher training was a 1 year PGCE after their degree, not necessarily a B.Ed, so will probably have less in school/setting experience than an EYP/EYT.

 

Hope that all makes sense! So many abbreviations!!!!.

[Guest]

Hi, just a point, EYPS is not a qualification it is a status, on top of a degree and thus cannot be gained by undergraduates, anyone accepted onto the course, (depending on pathway) is expected to already have a high level of knowledge and experience with 0-5's.