The National Professional Qualification for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) will be available from Autumn 2022.
Susie Owen, director, early years and childcare, at the Department for Education, told delegates at this week's Westminster Education Forum early years policy conference that the new qualification was being developed and would focus on ‘early years pedagogy and practice’.
Crucially it will be available for early years practitioners working in PVI settings, as well as headteachers of maintained nurseries and nursery schools.
National professional qualifications (NPQs) are a national, voluntary suite of qualifications, designed to support the professional development of teachers and leaders.
A reformed suite of NPQs is available from autumn 2021. From autumn 2022, this is being expanded to include two more qualifications, which are in the process of being developed – the NPQ for early years leadership, and the NPQ for literacy.
A guidance document, which has just been published, states that the 2022 NPQs are the:
- National Professional Qualification for Early Years Leadership (NPQEYL) – for leaders qualified to at least Level 3 with a full and relevant qualification who are, or are aspiring to be, managers of Private, Voluntary and Independent nurseries, headteachers of school-based or maintained nurseries, or childminders with leadership responsibilities.
- National Professional Qualification for Leading Literacy (NPQLL) – for teachers who have, or are aspiring to have, responsibilities for leading literacy across a school, year group, key stage or phase.
The framework for the NPQEYL was developed in consultation with members of an Expert Advisory Group and in collaboration with a wide range of early years leaders, academics and experts.
'Leading a nursery requires a wealth of strategic and operational knowledge. The role is reliant on working with and through colleagues to ensure every child gets the best start in life,' the framework document states.
'This framework is a codification of essential knowledge, skills and concepts that underpin successful leadership of a high-quality nursery. It sets out what those leading a nursery should know and be able to do within the areas related to their role and in relation to approaches that enable their nursery to keep improving.
'Providers of this qualification will design a curriculum that draws on and blends together sections from across this framework, and which is responsive to the needs of the participants who are taking the course and considering the context of their nursery (or school).'
The framework includes seven sections:
One - Culture
Two - Child development, curriculum and assessment
Three - Additional and Special Educational Needs and Disabilities
Four - Professional Development
Five - Organisational management
Six - Implementation
Seven - Working in Partnership
The DfE states that 'further details in relation to the procurement and funding for these qualifications will be announced in due course.'
Commenting, Liz Bayram, chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, said, 'It is welcome news that childminders who have worked hard supporting children through the pandemic will be able to build on their skills and expertise through this new qualification next year.
'But this is only a small part of a much needed workforce strategy that addresses the historical issues that cast a shadow over the sector – low funding, low recruitment, poor retention, low pay, an undervalued and stressed workforce. We continue to push for a review of current childcare and early education funding and for the DfE to work with the sector to develop a long term strategy that overcomes these issues and ensures the sector can continue to support children and families.'
- The framework document for the NPQEYL is available here