As part of the government’s overhaul of training and qualifications in childcare and early education, the National College of Teaching and Leadership (NCTL) has set out more detail on what will be expected of the new early years teachers and early years educators.
Early years teachers will be graduate leaders in early years settings on a par with school teachers. They will need to meet new standards,which closely mirror the standards for classroom teachers, and trainees will need to take the same skills tests taken by classroom teacher trainees. These measures are intended to raise the status of the profession and help attract high-quality graduates into early education.
Early years educators will hold A level equivalent qualifications and provide support to early years teachers. Under new criteria it is stated only the very best qualifications will earn the ‘early years educator’ label.