皇冠体育app

People looking to work in childcare will be given more help to reach the high levels needed to give children the best start in life, Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah announced today (1 July 2015).

Childcare apprentices will have to show they have a good level of English and maths by the end of their training through the creation of an 鈥榚xit standard鈥� of a grade C or above in GCSE English and maths.

Today鈥檚 announcement builds on last week鈥檚 Ofsted early years statistics that showed settings offering the government鈥檚 free hours of childcare per week have never been rated better and the quality of staff has never been higher. As a result, 100,000 more pupils are on track to be reading more confidently compared to 2012.

Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah said:

All the evidence shows that the higher the quality of childcare, the higher the quality of a child鈥檚 learning and development. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 imperative that childcare workers have crucial literacy and numeracy skills needed to give every child the best possible start in life.

We鈥檙e totally committed to raising the bar and improving the care children receive in the early years so parents can have the strongest confidence in the people who are teaching our youngest children.

However, unnecessary barriers shouldn鈥檛 stop skilled people joining the workforce, and it makes much more sense to have an exit standard rather than a barrier to entry. That鈥檚 why I鈥檓 pleased to say that we will offer people the chance to study their maths and English GCSEs alongside their childcare apprenticeship training.

皇冠体育app news has been warmly welcomed by the childcare sector, who say that the move will encourage more apprentices to join the early years workforce.

Sue Robb, Head of Early Years at 4Children, said:

We welcome the government鈥檚 decision that apprentices can work for their childcare qualifications at the same time as studying for their GCSEs in maths and English.

This will encourage more apprentices into childcare and early years.

Neil King, from the London Early Years Foundation, said:

It is essential that we have accessible routes for those apprentices who are on their way to achieving their grade C in maths and English; whilst ensuring we continue to raise the quality of provision for children across the sector through the early years educator (EYE) qualification.

This decision further supports government policy which is predicated on a high quality early years workforce that is fit for the future.

Staff with level 3 EYE qualifications can lead and manage settings delivering this care, so it is essential that they are suitably qualified and have an appropriate level of numeracy and literacy.

A number of government-funded projects are available to help staff to improve core skills while they are training or employment.

皇冠体育app apprenticeship trailblazer group made up of childcare employers has submitted a new apprenticeship standard to government for consideration including a GCSE on an exit requirement. If approved by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills, the new standard would come into effect on 1 August 2015.

In order to raise the quality of early years learning, the Department for Education has improved early years鈥� qualifications by setting more robust criteria for them and encouraging more high-quality entrants to the profession, including graduates through early years initial teacher training routes.

As a result, 87% of the workforce now have level 3 qualifications and 13% have degrees.

Notes to editors

1. 85% of children receiving the government鈥檚 offer of free childcare receive it in 鈥榞ood鈥� or 鈥榦utstanding鈥� settings
2. 皇冠体育app apprenticeship trailblazer group is made up of childcare employers and has a remit to develop employer led apprenticeship standards on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
3. 皇冠体育app exit requirement for GCSE English and maths grade 鈥楥鈥� or above means the new standard is more closely aligned with the requirements of other apprenticeship programmes. 皇冠体育app standard will not however accept functional skills as an alternative to GCSE.
4. In addition to apprenticeship routes, there are also standalone childcare courses that provide a level 3 training route for those individuals that already hold GCSE English and maths.