Advice on EYPS??

Advice on EYPS??

by: dd83 - 15-07-10 17:24

I have been accepted onto the EYPS 12 month pathway due to start in Sept, but I have just been offered a job at a Nursery which is what I want to do in the end but they have asked me to decline the Eyps and get trained up with them via the NVQ route! I am just after advice as what to do for the best in the long run to get the best job prospects, as I would obviously love to get the experience but do not want to pass up on the EYPS if it will cause me problems down the line!! HELP!! Anyone with any advice would be great thanks!!

by: scarlett

As an Employer I would not employ an EYP who did not have the experience.  You need good solid background experience because when you try and put theory into practice you need to understand it doesnt always work.

So for me I would get trained up first.....

by: dd83

Thanks very much for that, I thought that may be the case but just needed to put my mind at rest!!

by: Lolo

I am not sure whether the EYPS will exist in a year's time! Reading posts on here from people who have done EYPS with little childcare experience, I would definitely advise consolodating yoru knowledge and experience first, then going on to do further qualifications from a setting you already know.

by: scarlett

There was a letter in nurseryworld this week stating that I was very narrow minded not to consider employing an EYP with no experience. Au contrare to take on an EYP with no experience is narrow minded.  Yes it is a wonderful achievement to gain that award but from my 20 years experience in business and 12 years experience in nurseries it has been proven that experience along with training is the best combination to provide the best service for children, the best support to the staff and the manager.

by: kaz (the first one!)

Scarlett I agree withyou. Experience is essentail for an EYP. There are other qualifications to gain before EYP that give you experience and allow you to build your knowledge. Anyone who thinks they can do EYP with no experience is putting themselves and their setting on dodgy ground.

by: joshuajones

Scarlett I agree with you too !! During a recent Ofsted inspection it was my inexperienced Graduates that let me down !!! Experience and qualifications are a must, qualification alone is relatively meaningless.

by: c

I agree with the above, experience is  essential as you are leading, mentoring others about effective practice and this is something that they can't teach u at university, in some aspects.. experience comes with age, it's knowing what to do in certain situations....

by: 'Old' Louise

A newly qualified teacher is often in the same position with the qualification but little experience. However, they are never expected to lead the practice of others, spending their first year in a job being mentored themselves. Why do we expect newly qualified EYPs with no other experience in early years to immediately lead the work of others?

by: scarlett

Louise, what a good analogy!   You are right we would not expect a newly qualified teacher be they 21 or 41 years to lead the practice of other teachers advising the headteacher too.

Yes the EYPS does have dedicated units relating to management, I assume teacher training does not (as not experienced that) however problem solving and management skills come from having real experience and coming up with solutions to sort them out.

by: Charlie

Having completed the EYPS training pathway with limited experience, I understand the concerns about employing someone without experience in a leading and supporting role.  However, I saw this as a route into childcare not as a fast track into a high up position.  I now expect to get a job in a nursery nurse position where I can learn from expereinced staff whilst also providing new ideas from my course and personal study.  I do not expect a 'graduate' wage as I would not have gone into early years if it was the money.

If you are prepared to work as an early years practiotioner as an equal team member and build up your experience, I think the knowledge, understanding and experience you will gain on the course will be highly valuable. 

I think it depends on what you are expecting when you finish the course in terms of position and salary. 

by: Charlie

Having completed the EYPS training pathway with limited experience, I understand the concerns about employing someone without experience in a leading and supporting role.  However, I saw this as a route into childcare not as a fast track into a high up position.  I now expect to get a job in a nursery nurse position where I can learn from expereinced staff whilst also providing new ideas from my course and personal study.  I do not expect a 'graduate' wage as I would not have gone into early years if it was the money.

If you are prepared to work as an early years practiotioner as an equal team member and build up your experience, I think the knowledge, understanding and experience you will gain on the course will be highly valuable. 

I think it depends on what you are expecting when you finish the course in terms of position and salary. 

by: c

Good luck charlie, hope you enjoyed the course, and found it inspiring !!!

by: Chill

Get over it we all need to start somewhere. On the eyps course we are told about all u angry staff who have been in it longer being mean! Leading is by example where possible, not "telling the headteacher what to do!" r we here for the kids or what. As for the graduates letting you down with ofsted, you do not employ a rubbish graduate or "trained up nvq" practitioner! Your fault re recruitment.

by: Margos

Hi dd83,

My advice is to accept the EYPS. If you are good enough to get on to that you can most likely do NVQ with your eyes shut. As an NVQ trainee you can expect to earn very little. If you can afford to turn down this job you will benefit from EYPS in the longer term. When you have EYPS you can expect to be working in a leadership position. No contest :-)

Every success!

Margaret

www.proceedc.com

www.happytalkevents.co.uk

by: sparkles24

I assume Chill is talking about experiences on the EYPS Full Pathway- she makes a very good point about established staff often feeling resentful about a graduate (who may have no or very little early years experience) coming in to gain a leadership qualification which in theory should give them better employment prospects (although in reality an EYP's wages don't often reflect this).  I've often wondered whether introducing the Full Pathway (now renamed as the GEP) was particularly well thought out by the CWDC.  Perhaps it should be a requirement that anyone who embarks on an EYPS pathway should have a reasonable amount of experience first (which could be gained by working as a volunteer if necessary), as this would help them to gain credibility with staff on placement, as well as helping them to get a job once they've gained EYPS.

by: scarlett

Point proven I think...

Sparkle, well thought out response I agree.

by: sama saheed

It's often a lack of understanding about EYPS that cause people to disregard it.  The 39 standards are rigourous and can only be acheived within a workplace setting.  It is interesting that people talk about theory without practice when you need to apply both of these things to acheive EYPS. 

As an EYP that acheived the full pathway, I may not have had 10 years of experience within a nursery but I have had one year's worth of full-time experience within childminders, nurseries, children's centres and playgroups.  The nursery settings I worked in had at least two EYP's and recognised the value of the qualification and the quality  it added to the setting.  The bottom line is that it's the calibre of staff that is important rather than the qualification, a good nursery would recognise this. 

Do your EYPS!! you won't regret it and you will still find a job.  I am working in an excellent nursery right now and I am the third EYP there.   Either way, have passion, vision and ensure you deliver the highest quality provision for children.