1998 Early Years Development Plan
SECTION G - CURRICULUM AND THE ROLE OF AQUALIFIED TEACHERS@This section outlines the current picture across the City regarding qualifications, curriculum arrangements and the discussion within the working group on how to involve suitably qualified teachers in all early years settings.
Current Provision
A. Qualifications
Within the LEA maintained provision all reception and nursery classes are taught by qualified teachers and in nursery classes all support staff are also qualified with NNEB, BTEC or an equivalent qualification.Many support staff in reception classes are also qualified although this is not currently a requirement. Within Social Services day nurseries in Bristol all staff must be qualified with NNEB, BTEC or an equivalent qualification.
In private provision and in voluntary provision there is a range of qualifications from qualified teachers to unqualified staff. Providers have differing policies in this respect.
B. Curriculum and Organisation
All settings recognised under the Plan must be committed to working towards SCAA=s Desirable Learning Outcomes as a minimum.Within LEA maintained settings all plan their curriculum in areas of learning - most use the eight areas of learning outlined in the Rumbold report `Starting With Quality=:- Aesthetic and Creative, Human and Social, Language and Literacy, Mathematics, Physical, Science, Spiritual and Moral, Technology.
In addition schools continue to use the Avon Curriculum Statement and to refer to the Avon publication >Children in School: the Early Years=.The Curriculum Statement acknowledges the central importance of parents/carers as the child=s first educator(s) and the value of partnership. It points to the need for a relevant curriculum which builds on previous experience and which takes place within a positive ethos and well organised learning environment. It highlights the entitlement of every child to high quality, lifelong learning which is founded on active learning and strong self-esteem. It acknowledges the importance of varied teaching and learning styles, including individual decision making as well as group and whole class approaches.
Many nursery classes and schools operate a Highscope based curriculum in which children have opportunities to plan and select their own activities for part of the day. Many reception classes in schools have moved towards the same framework of areas of experience for their curriculum planning.
Increasingly schools are writing Early Years Policy documents which band Nursery and Reception together rather than linking reception with Key Stage 1. Schools use the guidance from the Schools Curriculum Assessment Authority (SCAA) document `Planning the Curriculum at Key Stages 1 or 2' as the rationale for the decision to link the Nursery and Reception year.
Within reception classes the LEA provides a range of guidance regarding curriculum organisation and structures. The City of Bristol is currently in the process of undertaking a fundamental review of the LMS formula to ensure that it reflects the aspirations and priorities of the LEA. Alongside this process, the LEA is preparing a Curriculum Statement, which will include a particular section relating to the Early Years.
The curriculum offer within private, voluntary and independent settings is varied. The Bristol Standard (quality dimension learning experience) will help develop a consistent approach to quality and learning.
Issues
A Definition of AEarly Years@
 | Many practitioners would prefer 0-6 years of age or a statement that National Curriculum will begin in Year 1. It is important not to impose too structured an academic curriculum too early. Teachers should work with the young child=s response to his/her environment in a sensitive way. |
| Should reception classes be linked to nursery classes and entitled Aearly years units@? |
| AEarly Years units@ should operate with the same philosophy and staffing ratios as other early years settings. |
| Recent research queries the educational value of 3 year infant education. |
| Currently there are different national standards across early years settings. |
 | staffing ratios with appropriate staff qualifications. |
| allocation of space |
| resources |
| environment |
Different inspection arrangements also makes it difficult to develop common philosophy.
B Definition of ACurriculum@
| The term `Curriculum= should be defined so as to include the sum total of the experiences, activities and events, whether direct or indirect which occur within an environment to foster children=s learning and development. |
| Any curriculum document should: |
| cover 0-6 years (i.e. end of reception year); |
| promote inclusive education; |
| be based on an agreed philosophy which allows children to develop through play; |
| The curriculum should address the holistic nature of children=s learning and should incorporate the Bristol Standard and the Effective Early Learning Project approach. |
| The curriculum should be supported by adequate training and in service opportunities. |
| Record keeping should be based on common principles but not necessarily with a common format. |
| There is a need to ensure that curriculum includes 0-3 age group with appropriate learning experiences throughout the whole age range. |
| The curriculum should be based on a cyclical process: |
planning
assessment principles implementation
reflection & evaluation
C Training to support the Curriculum
| The delivery of the curriculum should be supported by an early years advisory team of professionals from a variety of early years settings. |
| Staff in early years settings need to be able to be released in order to enable networking between providers. |
| Early Excellence Centres have a key role to play in supporting other local early years providers. |
D The role of Aqualified teachers@
| In the voluntary sector, training has been largely vocational. There is a need for a route into teacher training from NVQs. |
| The Teacher Training Agency should be made aware of need to plan content of more courses to focus on early years. |
| Teacher training courses need to be part-time in order to meet needs of mature students from the private and voluntary sectors. |
| Those staff who do not have first degrees need a system for accrediting prior learning for entry to PGCE courses. |
| It is difficult for the private and voluntary sectors to meet the cost of buying in qualified teachers. |
| Networks and exchanges of staff may be helpful. |
| Accept the need for specialist advisory staff with early years expertise including teachers. |
| Could extend role of development workers within Pre School Learning Alliance and involve qualified teachers. |
| Could develop existing local training networks involving a number of different settings in training and sharing expertise which could lead to staff spending time in different settings. |
| Could cost the secondment of early years teachers from schools. |
| Initial teacher training does not include the 0-3 age range. |
| Many private and voluntary sector settings have qualified teachers already working in the setting. |
| Other specialist early years workers can visit LEA nursery settings to support teachers. |
E The role of nursery nurses and nursery officers
| In discussions regarding the role of qualified teachers recognition should also be made of the role of nursery nurses and nursery officers in early years settings and in any new advisory/support team to be established. |
KEY ISSUES
| There is significant concern about the feasibility of involving a qualified teacher (early years specialist) in all early years settings, whether a sufficient number of such staff exist, and how non local authority providers will fund such provision. |
| There is a commitment to continue to look for local network solutions which can be mutually supportive. |
| There is a very clear view that the role and expertise of non-teaching staff should also be highlighted with opportunities developed for sharing good practice. |
| The definition of Aearly years@ needs to be clarified in order to inform curriculum planning. There is a need to develop an appropriate curriculum to form the basis of provision in all early years settings. |
| Curriculum planning must be supported with advice and guidance from suitably experienced staff who are available to provide support across all settings. |
| The private and voluntary sector providers welcome the opportunity to explore further ways of releasing staff to access training and development. |
| Within Social Services settings the input of trained teachers should be continued and extended. |
| There is strong support for a multi-disciplinary early years advisory/development team that could work with all settings. |
Forward A:Introduction B:Background C:Early Years in Bristol D:The Partnership & Consultation E:Audit of Need & Provision F: Quality & Inspection G: Curriculum & role of Qualified Teachers H: Training & Staff Development I: Family Support/ Parent Involvement & Under 3's J: SEN K: Integration L: Affordable Childcare M: Information Services Conclusions Annexes Executive Summary/Action Plan Supplementary Info