Where Do I Go From Here?

[Guest]

Hello everyone,

 

I am in a difficult situation. I am enrolled on the Early Years Foundation Degree with the Open University. My setting is not backing this (two of our nine staff have NVQ level 4, and that is enough, so they say; the rest of us are unqualified).

 

I am nearing the end of my first course (hopefully I will pass it). My next course starts in February. These two courses could give me a QCA level 4 qualification. I have chosen not to accept this because my setting does not require this of me. Indeed they do not want any of this training!!!! Why am I doing this? Beacuse it will benefit me and the children I worl with. That is why.

 

What should I do?

 

I want to be qualified to level 4 and use this in my setting. Should I ask for a staff appraisal? (we only have them every 3 years, and in mine last year it was decided that I should think about my own training. I have. lol. My setting is not paying for this. lol again) .

 

Should I move somewhere else? Offer them my committment to training (and £500 per year from Sure Start to provide supply cover and/or management support). Or should I stay where I am. The two NVQ level 4's have told me that their courses were so much harder than what I am doing!!!

 

 

Trouble is, the children are wonderful, and I get on well with the parent (oh, hell, this is what is good).

 

Do I move (if so what can I look for) or do I stay (and how can I get the senior staff backing my training)?

 

Gosh, I need help

 

Diane.

[Susan]

Oh, Diane

what a dilemma! I don't have any experience to offer you direct help BUT it must benefit you especially longterm to get a qualification so I would be inclined to think you should continue.

 

How can the others possibly know that their courses were harder than yours?! Sounds to me as if they feeling threatened??

 

Good luck with the course you are doing and with getting yourself sorted. I think you need support with your studies too so perhaps a move is your only option.

 

Hope someone else out there can give you more specific advice.

 

Susan

[Guest]

Dear Diane,

I felt very sad when I read this. Presumably you really enjoy the course you are doing and you are finding it very worthwhile both on a personal level and a practical level of dealing with the children. Perhaps the other staff do feel threatened by your studying as you will come out with a degree and from everything I have seen from research that the Government is carrying out through a number of organisations, the higher the qualifications (especially an early years degree) you hold the better position you will be in.

 

I don't know what training your local EYPCD fund, (they all seem to have a different criteria) but look at their training funding, many of them have monies available from the European Social Fund and are willing to pay up to 70% of the course. There is however, a maximum they will pay, in my area is is just under six hundred pounds. This will not affect the group you work at in any way unless of course you need to take time off to attending training. I think they appear to be quite short sighted, if as you say only two are qualified and the rest are not - how do they manage when one person is off sick - as you must have at least 50% of the staff qualified. Surely it can only benefit them to have additional qualified staff!!

Also try your local council for a low interest loan - they have a number of loans/bursaries available to students - mature/otherwise which may help you finance if you really want to. These are separate to the EYPCD funding.

 

The key question is if you really enjoy the course, then you should try and complete the next stage, at least you will gain from having a qualification. However, I am sure fairly soon the Government via the Universities will be introducing an e-learning course for the Early Years Foundation degree which will be cheaper than OU, which I think can be quite expensive. If you have any problems trying to find out about these things I might be able to point you in the right direction.

Good luck

Nikki

[Guest cat33]

Diane, I would employ you in a minute!! It is very sad that your setting are not encouraging you to get your qualification. I see this as vey selfish and not putting staffs professional development first. I would definitely keep going because at the end of the day, even if you stay where you are, you will have that qualification and be a more able Practitioner because of it. Do it for YOU. I should think that the new level 4 you are doing through the OU is a very good qualification - dont listen to others. There are some people with leve 3s that are not strong at all! The government are trying to pull the levels together more thank goodness.

Onwards and upwards.

Chris

[Guest]

Hi Diane

It's reaaly interesting to read your note. i am currently studying to complete a HND childhood studies which is also level four. I also classroom assist and do lunch time supervision.

I am often asked why i am doing the HND if i have no plans to carry on and do the degree year. i can do what i do now with a level 2 qualification. I have found that people often dont understand that when you find a subject that interests you and lecturers that inspire you learning is a pleasure.

but what i find most paradoxical is that the people who ask these questions of me are supposed to be educators. If they do not find this subject inspiring and worth learning more about what hope do we have for the children in their care.

[Guest]

Hi Diane

What sort of a setting do you work in? It would help to know this because if it is a pre-school/playgroup or private day nursery then half the staff have to have a qualification level 2 or above. If they do not have them then they have to be working towards. If you only have two members of staff qualified then OFSTED will be asking questions!!

I would go with your qualification anyway-your own professional development is very important for you!!

Linda

[Guest]

Replying to my own topic (sad or not)

 

I am weathering the storm.

 

The setting (community pre-school) does not understand levels of training, in that they think underpinning for level 2 is the same as level 2. That is, if people have done the underpinning, they are working to level 2 (to satisfy OFSTED) even if they do not intend to undertake any further training. Will OFSTED go for it? I don't know.

 

Anyway, I am carrying on at pre-school and with my foundation degree in early years. I am also moving back into some sessions of after-school care, and am about to start working in an inteverntional programme with an autistic 7-year old (one-to-one). This will all broaden my experience. Eventually, I hope to look more closely at SEN in the mainstream.

 

All this really says is that I know what I'm doing and where I'm going. If my setting does not like what I'm doing (they don't), then it is their problem and not mine.

 

Someone, someday, will want me with my qualification, I hope.

 

Diane.

[Guest]

Good luck Diane with your decisions-I'm sure they are the right ones for you. Just be positive and look forward!!

Linda