Edge Hill to Train New Early Years Professionals

Edge Hill University has won a bid, potentially worth £7 million, to deliver the training and assessment for new professionals working in the early years sector.

As part of the Government aim to improve outcomes for children, the new role of Early Years Professional (EYP) will be in place from January 2007 to recruit and develop more people into the children?s workforce.

Edge Hill is one of the country?s largest providers of teacher education and potential Early Years Professionals will be able to access its training at a range of centres across the North West in Lancashire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester and Wirral, as well as Shrewsbury and Telford and Wrekin

Robert Smedley is Dean of the Faculty of Education: "As a new university we aim to be the pre eminent provider of training and education for the children?s workforce and this contract will provide a significant shift towards achieving that ultimate aim. Our work with the Children?s Workforce Development Council is pivotal in ensuring the quality of training and assessment for this new professional status."

By 2010 the Government aims for Early Years Professionals to be in place in every children?s centre that offers early years provision and in every full day-care setting by 2015. Currently those who wish to achieve EYPS must be graduates, however their practical experience of working in children?s settings may vary.

From January 2007 Edge Hill University will be offering four pathways to EYPS ranging from a three-month part time route for those close to demonstrating the standards, to a fifteen-month part-time model for those with more limited experience.

Edge Hill already offers a range of programmes aimed at the whole school and children?s workforce and Robert Smedley is confident that the university?s portfolio, which includes flexible routes towards entry to EYPS, will ensure that more people who wish to join the sector, or develop their roles will find a suitable route towards this new status:

"As the largest provider of Foundation Degrees and short programmes for teaching assistants in the UK primary and secondary sectors, we are pioneers in the training and development of the whole school workforce. We have experience of guiding people towards developing their professional status and can offer potential graduates working in the early years sector a range of pathways to meet the required entry criteria."