The National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), which is delivering the pilot nationally in partnership with the Open University, is keen to emphasise that this represents an opportunity for employers with staff above level 3 to enhance their workforce.
Stella Ziolkowski, head of workforce development at the NDNA, said, 'The creation of the EYP is a positive move for settings and is very much about developing from within. The NDNA has been involved in developing the draft standards and, based on its experience of working with daycare providers, sees itself as key to the process.'
The NDNA is a member of the Open University's consultative group and has advised on its early years foundation degree. By working together on the EYP programme, the two say they hope to create a training package that combines the needs of nursery practitioners with the flexible study methods advanced by the Open University.
Dr Linda Miller, senior lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at the OU, said, 'We are currently working together to create a training and assessment model which will work most effectively. It is still early days in terms of the fine detail, but assessment issues will be resolved quickly to meet the deadlines for phase one of EYP roll-out.'
A September launch for the pilot programme will mean that the first EYPs can be in place by January 2007. It is expected that 100 practitioners will follow the course through the NDNA and Open University. A mix of nine other training providers have been appointed to deliver the pilot regionally (see News, 11 May), and they are expected to bring the total number of practitioners qualifying in the phase one group to 600 by the beginning of next year.
The NDNA pointed out that there is nothing to stop lower- level practitioners from applying for the EYP programme now. Stella Ziolkowski said, 'Although these practitioners will not be in the first phase of graduates, they will be on the road to qualifying. We can provide advice for them once the Early Years Professional prospectus has been published.'
Most practitioners should be able to gauge from the standards where they will need to build on their academic or practical experience. They are being urged to check regularly on the standards, which are still in consultation, on the Children's Workforce Development Council website at www.cwdcouncil.org.uk. In June, the CWDC will publish a detailed prospectus setting out the final proposals and standards.
Anyone interested in registering for the course through the NDNA can do so by e-mailing info@ndna.org.uk to request an expression of interest form.