On my journey to Early Years Teacher Status..

It's been just over a week since I got the wonderful news that I have been accepted on to the very first intake of students for the Early Years Initial Teacher Training programme which starts in September 2013.

I am obviously thrilled to bits that I got through the application process and moreover that my setting (which a childminder by registration) is 'hopefully', if I pass, going to be led by Early Years Teacher within the next year.

Already I feel that I have to defend the qualification/status because there seems to be a bit if negativity or perhaps misunderstanding about it.  I should point out that the misunderstanding could be on my part because information regarding the details of EYT has not been forthcoming. I have of course been able to see the Teacher Standards that I will have to evidence that I meet.  Obviously I believe I can or I wouldn't have applied.  Other than that I have had to rely on my application form, written task and two interviews and hope that I was selected because they demonstrated that I will be able to achieve it.

The main cause of concern seems to be that there seems to be no focus on play in the new standards and there is a worry that the standards are geared towards a more formal approach to learning.

I haven't interpreted them in that way. 

3.1 have a secure knowledge of early childhood development and how that leads to successful learning and development at school.

Well my knowledge of childhood development, which I'm sure will be broadened along the way, leads me to believe that for the under 5s at least that effectively using play can lead to learning and development.  So that is what I will be seeking to evidence here.  

4.2 promote a love of learning and children's intellectual curiosity

Again what better way to do this than through play?

I suppose there may be a question mark over 3.4 and 3.5 which require an understanding of systematic synthetic phonics and appropriate strategies in the teaching of early mathematics.  The way it has been explained to me is that because EYT covers the whole of the foundation stage ie. until the end of the reception year that I will have to gain some experience within reception year in school even though I work with the under 5s.  I don't see any problem with a slightly more formal approach in reception year and am looking forward to experiencing some of their teaching methods.  This does not mean that I, when working with under 5s I will be teaching as if I'm a school in the same way that my setting is home-based and I don't want to make it like a nursery.

Of course I will be making critical analyses of not only the EYFS but also the EYT standards as anyone doing a postgraduate qualification would so I reserve the right to reflect, learn, change and improve.

EYT is one aspect of 'more great Childcare' that I do think is a positive thing so I am hoping that other professionals will embrace it.

To see the EYT standards see www.bestpractice.co.uk/teacher-standards-early-years

Thoughts on revised 'more great Childcare'

So the debate over what is high quality, affordable Childcare and how we can achieve it goes on...

It occurs to me there still so many contradictions in the minister's (Elizabeth Truss) revised proposals after their u-turn on ratios.

Ms Truss still seems hell bent on the introduction of childminder agencies claiming that these will increase the supply of childminders.  

I can only think that by this that she means that more people who otherwise wouldn't have set up in business as a childminder will now be able to because they will be spoon fed by an agency.  Although I'm not necessarily against this if people need this kind of support, do we really want to increase the number of practitioners who are not willing or able to invest their time and/or money in order to order to offer a high quality practice themselves.  There are already tried and tested peer support networks in place which can offer help, support and advice to those who need it such as Pacey Local.   Or is it just about attracting more individuals into the sector who will charge less than the more experienced and more qualified practitioners at the expense of quality?

If the minister is correct in saying that Childcare is in short supply then wouldn't  we all be full to the brim with our 'phones ringing off the hook?  I am certainly running a sustainable business but could increase my capacity if I were to employ more people which I actually think would help the whole employment situation because I would be creating more jobs.  The rules of my childminder registration restricts the number of assistants I can have though, to a maximum of two at any one time, for reasons unknown.  The issue of different registrations and why we need so many different ones with different rules I'll save for another day!

Suffice to say that if I did have more flexibility in the number of people I employ and in turn the number of children we look after (within current ratios) then I may well be able to charge a little less and still make a decent living who knows?  Not that I feel I should...

Surely flooding the market with less experienced newbies who will probably charge less is not going to attract this new higher calibre of practitioner that they are after and may also make a lot of excellent existing practitioners rethink their careers.  I have heard numerous childminders say that if they were forced to join an agency then they would give up altogether.  Fortunately, the government are saying that belonging to a childminder agency will not be compulsory but they could certainly make it more difficult for us as independents....