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Early Years Workforce & Qualifications

The Webinar:

The qualifications requirements for early years

workers. New qualifications and apprenticeship

developments and how you can find out which

qualifications are accepted.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children from birth to five years learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.

The safeguarding and welfare requirements cover the steps that providers must take to keep children safe and promote their welfare, including staff to child ratios and staff qualifications.

The learning and development requirements cover the areas of learning and development which must shape activities and educational programmes for children in all early years settings, the early learning goals that providers must help children work towards (the knowledge, skills and understanding children should have at the end of the academic year in which they turn five). Also the assessment arrangements for measuring progress.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework--2

Workforce Requirements

Staff ratios in Early Years Settings

The Statutory Early Years Foundation Stage framework sets out the requirements for staff:child ratios in early years settings and the qualifications practitioners must hold.

• Under 2s: 1 member of staff per 3 children

• 2 year olds: 1 member of staff per 4 children

• 3 & 4 year olds: 1 member of staff per 8 children

(or 1:13 if they hold Qualified Teacher Status/Early Years Teacher Status)

Staff Ratio and Qualifications requirements are set down in the EYFS.

For a majority of early years settings:

• The manager must hold at least a DfE approved* level 3 qualification

• Half of all other staff must hold a DfE approved* level 2 qualification

• The remaining staff can be unqualified.

There is no requirement for graduates, except in maintained school settings, where staff

leading classes are required to have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS).

Staff qualifications in Early Years Settings

To count in the ratios at level 3, staff holding an Early Years Educator qualification must also have achieved a

suitable level 2 qualification in English and maths as defined by the Department for Education on the Early

Years Qualifications List published on GOV.UK.

* DfE Approved – sometimes referred to as 'Full and Relevant’ and included on the Early Years Qualifications

List published on GOV.UK.

It is important that qualifications are available to those who wish to enter the profession and

those already working in early years who wish to develop and progress.

Vocational qualifications offer a combination of theoretical teaching and practical experience.

We have:

• Standalone qualifications delivered by colleges and training providers – a mix of

classroom and work placement training and assessment.

• Apprenticeships - jobs with training to industry standards developed by employer

groups.

To be able to practice in early years at levels 2 and 3, individuals must achieve a

qualification that meets the criteria set by government. DfE works closely with awarding

organisations and employer apprenticeship groups to make sure that the qualifications and

apprenticeships developed are suitable.

Types of Qualifications

How does DfE decide which qualifications to approve?

• We set criteria for the skills, knowledge and understanding that that someone must demonstrate to successfully achieve the qualification.

• The criteria are developed in consultation with the early years sector.

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-practitioner-level-2-qualifications-criteria

• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-educator-level-3-qualifications-criteria

• Awarding Organisations develop their qualifications using the criteria.

• DfE assess the qualifications and approve those that meet the criteria. These are then added to our online Qualifications List.

How do I know which qualifications are DfE approved?

• The Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL) provides guidance and qualification lists to help those delivering the EYFS to identify qualifications that are approved by DfE at levels 2 and 3 (both pre and post September 2014).

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder

The lists are provided in spreadsheets, which can be sorted and filtered.

Because of changes to the qualifications criteria there are different lists, depending on when the qualification was started.

• The EYQL also provides guidance on level 6 ratio requirements (EYTS, EYPS, QTS) and maths and English requirements.

Tips for Using the EYQL

• Guidance is available on a tab to help search the

spreadsheets.

• Use the title shown on the certificate.

• Use filters on pre-September 2014 list for

for the qualification level

awarding organisation (include various)

• If qualification title found and states ‘Yes’ - remember

to check for notes/additional requirements (column E).

• Qualification titles have to match exactly those on the

EYQL

EYQL has information on:

• Paediatric First Aid requirements.

• Literacy and Numeracy requirements.

• Overseas qualifications.

• Early Childhood Studies and related degrees.

• Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Teacher Status and Early Years Professional Status.

• Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Qualifications (post Sept 2014)

• Nursing qualifications

• Apprenticeships

• Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND)

• Careers progression map

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/early-years-qualifications-finder

• Integrated programme of on and off-the-job learning which enable apprentices to gain and apply the skills, knowledge and understanding required by employers in a particular sector.

• Apprenticeships are particularly suitable for early years because they offer hands-on experience alongside theory-based learning

• Existing Early Years Apprenticeships

• Level 2 – Average 12 months to complete

• Level 3 – Typical duration: 18 months

All apprenticeships are approved by DfE, for level 2 or level 3 practitioners as appropriate.

Apprenticeships – jobs with training to industry standards

Paediatric first aid (PFA) QualificationsNewly qualified staff with a level 2 or level 3 early years qualification, awarded after 30 June 2016, must also have either a full paediatric first aid (PFA) or an emergency PFA certificate within 3 months of starting work. If they do not have this you cannot count them in the EYFS staff:child ratios at level 2 or level 3.

The EYFS includes details of the requirements and criteria for effective PFA training at Annex A.

You may also wish to encourage new staff to complete PFA training so that your early years setting can apply for Millie’s Mark. This is a voluntary quality-mark awarded to settings where all staff have an appropriate PFA qualification.

Help with qualifications

Contact us

•Use our contact us form on GOV.UK if you have any queries.

Questions?

New/Upcoming Developments

• Level 2 Practitioner Qualifications

• Apprenticeships

• T levels

Level 2 Early Years Practitioner

• New criteria published summer 2018.

• Level 2 qualifications must meet this new criteria from 1 September 2019 to be DfE approved.

• Awarding Organisations have developed new qualifications - listed on the EYQL:

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/eyfs-staffchild-ratios-dfe-approved-qualifications

New style apprenticeships

Apprenticeship standards show what an apprentice will be doing and the skills required of them, by job role.

Standards are developed by employer groups, known as ‘trailblazers’ and industry experts in conjunction with the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education.

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/

New Early Years apprenticeship standards are in development for levels 2, 5 and 6.

See Employer guides to apprenticeships:https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/apprenticeships-guide-for-employers

T-levels• T-Levels will be two-year courses equivalent to three A-levels, combining

classroom theory and practical learning and will be available to 16- to 19-year-olds who have completed GCSEs.

• There will be 25 T-Levels in total which are being phased in over the next four years.

• Early years sector will be one of the first new technical qualifications to be taught at selected schools, colleges and other further education providers across England.

• T-Level students will need to complete a high-quality industry placement to build the knowledge and skills they need to thrive in a workplace environment.

• UCAS recently confirmed that T-Levels will attract points equivalent to three A levels, offering students the option of progressing to higher technical training, a degree or an apprenticeship.

• There is a new website is aimed at young people preparing to take their GCSEs next summer, so that they have the information they need about the new qualifications.

https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/

Funding for Training

• Education and Skills Training Agency (ESFA) funded Adult Education Budget:

Legal entitlements, for people 19 to 23, entitled to full funding to:• achieve a first, full qualification at level 2• achieve a first, full qualification at level 3

If you are 19 or over and have already achieved a first level 2 qualification, you may undertake a further level 2 qualification but you or your employer may be expected to contribute towards the costs of this.

From 1 August 2019 the adult education budget is devolved to specified combined authorities and the Mayor of London, the devolved authorities will publish and operate their own funding rules. However, they must have due regard to the legal entitlements at level 2 and level 3.

• Advanced Learning LoansFor people 24 or over, or 19 or over (if they have already achieved a first level 3 qualification).

You can apply for an Advanced Learner Loan to help with the costs of a course at a college or training provider in England. You have to start repaying your loanwhen your income is over a certain amount.

Funding for Training• Study programmes are available for people agreed 16 to 19. This typically combines

qualifications and other activities, tailored to each individual’s prior attainment and career goals

• Learner Support - for people 19 or over

The money can help pay for things like:• accommodation and travel• course materials and equipment• childcare - if you qualify

• Many courses in reading, writing and basic maths are free, and you may not have to pay for tuition if you’re under 24 and studying for your first qualification equivalent to GCSE or A level.

• Grants and Bursaries - these do not usually have to be paid back

• Adult learners can apply for grants and bursaries to help pay for courses and training. Usually, you do not have to pay this money back.

• For most grants and bursaries you apply directly to the organisation that gives them out.

• Turn2Us provides information about education grants and has a grant search.

Apprenticeship Funding

• If you’re an employer with a pay bill over £3 million each year, you must pay the apprenticeship levy from 6 April 2017. Read guidance on how to pay the apprenticeship levy.

• You will report and pay your levy to HMRC through the PAYE process.

• If you are a levy-paying employer, you can now create an account on the apprenticeship service to:

• receive levy funds for you to spend on apprenticeships• manage your apprentices• pay your training provider• stop or pause payments to your training provider

Apprenticeships Funding

• Non-levy paying employers will share the cost of training and assessing their apprentices with government - this is called ‘co-investment’.

• The co-investment rate has changed for new apprenticeships starting on or after 1 April 2019. You will now pay 5% towards the cost of apprenticeship training. The government will pay the rest (95%) up to the funding band maximum.

Apprenticeship employer helpline

Email nationalhelpdesk@apprenticeships.gov.uk

Telephone 0800 0150 600

Graduate Qualifications

Universities and other Higher Education Providers provide degree courses, and graduate training and assessment, for early years practitioners.

They usually include a range of work placements and assessment in the workplace.

• There are early years related under-graduate degree courses– for example, Early Childhood Studies.

• Early Years Initial Teacher Training for graduates leads to Early Years Teacher Status – a course for those wishing to specialise in birth to 5 years education (it is not for school teachers and does not lead to QTS). The course is funded by DfE.

Higher Education - Student finance

• Overview

• You may be able to borrow money to help pay for university or college tuition fees and to help with living costs.

• You might get extra money on top of this, for example if you’re on a low income, are disabled or have children.

Any Questions

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http://www.foundationyears.org.uk/