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Alliance responds to comments that nursery workers are raising a generation of Vicki Pollards

NEWS RELEASE

3 August 2006

Alliance responds to comments that nursery workers are raising a generation of Vicki Pollards

Early years education charity, the Pre-school Learning Alliance, today called comments made by the Professional Association of Teachers on the standard of the early years workforce ‘an insult’ and branded them as unhelpful to the current debate over qualifications required in the early years sector.

Michael Freeston, Director of Training and Quality Assurance at the Pre-school Learning Alliance said:

“The comments made by the Professional Association of Teachers suggesting that early years staff present a poor role model for our youngest children are an insult to the professionalism of the vast majority of thousands of staff and volunteers involved in the sector who give their time and commitment to caring for children, with little recognition and low pay in return.

Their demand that all early years workers hold GCSE maths and English at Grade C or higher before being allowed to enter the profession is not a helpful contribution to the current debate over the qualifications required of staff in the early years sector. Teacher representatives have an important contribution to make to the current CWDC initiative on workforce qualifications and it does not bode well for cross-sector liaison if they are promoting this perception of early years staff.

This motion is yet another example of the unfair denigration of a hardworking and undervalued sector. It also shows a complete lack of understanding that qualification levels are only pieces in the jigsaw of issues facing the early years sector and its workforce.

While roles with the responsibility for providing care, fostering social development and the early education of our children are paid and valued less than more basic jobs, some individuals (whether they have GCSE English and maths nor not) may well feel undervalued and their attitudes and approach to work may be less than we would want. The challenge is to raise the status of the childcare sector as a whole. This motion will have done much damage to this work.

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Anna Roberts
Pre-school Learning Alliance
T: 020 7697 2504
Out of hours press calls: 07979 531 130
E: Anna Roberts

Notes for Editors:

  1. The Pre-school Learning Alliance links 15,000 pre-schools and 800,000 young children and their families in England. Established in 1961 and registered as an educational charity, the Alliance is involved in more Sure Start projects than any other organisation and operates a number of Neighbourhood Nurseries. For information about the Pre-school Learning Alliance, visit our website: www.pre-school.org.uk
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