Government U-turn over GCSE entry requirement for early years educator apprenticeship

The government has backed down on its GCSE entry requirement plans for early years educator apprenticeships.

It had been planning to make grade C or above English and maths a requirement for course starts from next month, rejecting Functional Skills quals, as reported in FE Week in February.

The Department for Education (DfE) claimed its rejection of Functional Skills would “raise the overall quality of literacy and numeracy skills of those entering the workforce”.

But in a new apprenticeship standard released today as part of the trailblazer programme, the GCSE requirement was shifted to completion of the course.

The National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) also confirmed GCSE would be a completion requirement from September until the new apprenticeship standard comes into effect in early 2015.Marc Ozholl

The move has been welcomed within the sector, in which fears had emerged the GCSE requirement for entry might have put many learners off.

Marc Ozholl (pictured right), funding and apprenticeship specialist at the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (Cache), told FE Week: “The sector has been campaigning for some time for GCSEs to be a completion requirement rather than an entry requirement, to ensure there are no barriers for the large number of talented and dedicated early years learners wishing to undertake the early years educator apprenticeship.

“We are pleased that the concerns of the sector have been addressed and believe that the decision will have a positive impact on the quality of the workforce, as well as ensuring there is sufficient provision of quality care in a wide variety of childcare settings.”

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4 Comments

  1. Lorraine Murphy

    I do not support this move at all, and was not aware of any campaign to remove the requirement.
    Confirmation that a candidate is able to fulfill the course requirements should be made first. If a student has not managed good educational grades on leaving school they are not suitable to be educating others. How can we raise the attainment levels of future generations if their carers are not well educated? A grade C or above is not much to ask for.

    • paula hayes

      I understand what you are saying having children myself, but surely they are entitled to have a chance to study what they really want to do.
      A lot of our learners flourish once they are in an area they love and not school and enjoy completing the English and Maths as part of their apprenticeship programme. If this was an entry requirement then they would not be given that chance to evolve in an area of their choice.

  2. I agree but we also need it to be an even playing field as regards all vocational courses now some university’s are openly saying we only look at UCAS points so if the EYE is more difficult to complete by having exams and external assessment anyone going on to teach in Early Years or Primary will now look for other options for example why not do an HSC qualification you can still go on to do teaching and by doing course work can get the highest amount of UCAS points rather than an Early years qual or A levels which it us far more difficult to gain the same amount of UCAS points yet initially you will more than likely been a more academic student at GCSE level ?? Happened to friends of my daughter advised to do A level as had 11 GCSEs As and Bs yet a Friend who got 3 cs at GCSE maths eng science got on QTS teaching with her Distinction grades on HSC the A level student more academic found it more difficult to achieve same points who got a place teaching! Yes the HSC student even though the A Student had a fantastic interview and had done work placement like an an early years student!! Who also never got a place as again external assesment on the childcare qualification !! May as well do HSC. For Uni purposes

  3. champagne

    This has been an entry requirement in FE for many years. Training providers have lobbied hard to keep their substandard government funded education businesses afloat. Profit is their only motive and the educational achievements of their learners is questionable to say the least. In this completely unregulated sector billions of pounds of tax payers money has been wasted with no regulatory oversight by Ofsted, whilst directors take massive dividends out of their companies at marginal rates of tax. I am surprised that the government backed down and pandered to these interests. Having maths and English should be a compulsory entry requirement for any Level 3 program. Education is not and should never be for profit. The gravy train rolls on – for now, but the time of retribution is near.