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| Childcare recruitment 'catastrophe' looms, say campaigners | Childcare recruitment 'catastrophe' looms, say campaigners |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| The requirement for new nursery staff in England to have good GCSE passes in English and maths will lead to "catastrophic" staff shortages and should be scrapped, campaigners say. | The requirement for new nursery staff in England to have good GCSE passes in English and maths will lead to "catastrophic" staff shortages and should be scrapped, campaigners say. |
| From September, new recruits must have at least GCSE C grades in the subjects, with alternative equivalent qualifications no longer accepted. | From September, new recruits must have at least GCSE C grades in the subjects, with alternative equivalent qualifications no longer accepted. |
| The Save our Early Years campaign says recruitment has already been hit. | The Save our Early Years campaign says recruitment has already been hit. |
| But the government says numeracy and literacy skills are "essential". | But the government says numeracy and literacy skills are "essential". |
| Staff ratios | Staff ratios |
| Under the current rules, staff are only allowed to look after specific numbers of children. | Under the current rules, staff are only allowed to look after specific numbers of children. |
| Although nurseries will still be able to hire staff without good GCSEs, these staff will not count towards the ratios. | Although nurseries will still be able to hire staff without good GCSEs, these staff will not count towards the ratios. |
| Carol Medcalf, the managing director of an award-winning nursery in north London, who supports the campaign, called the rule "a huge barrier". | Carol Medcalf, the managing director of an award-winning nursery in north London, who supports the campaign, called the rule "a huge barrier". |
| "I strongly feel, and this is backed up by experience, that the GCSE requirement, especially in maths, is a huge barrier for many wonderful staff entering the profession, and they become unemployable, which is crazy", said Ms Medcalf who runs Carol Jane Montessori Nursery in Enfield. | |
| "I myself do not have maths GCSE - yet I have run a highly respected, multi-award winning, Ofsted outstanding nursery for over 25 years, and I manage to get the business figures right." | "I myself do not have maths GCSE - yet I have run a highly respected, multi-award winning, Ofsted outstanding nursery for over 25 years, and I manage to get the business figures right." |
| The campaigners say the recruitment crisis will be particularly acute with the government having promised 30 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds from next year. | The campaigners say the recruitment crisis will be particularly acute with the government having promised 30 hours of free childcare for three- and four-year-olds from next year. |
| They want the government to reinstate "Functional Skills" qualifications as a suitable alternative to GCSE for childcare staff. | They want the government to reinstate "Functional Skills" qualifications as a suitable alternative to GCSE for childcare staff. |
| These qualifications are offered to the 40% of teenagers who do not achieve the benchmark English and maths GCSEs in school and are the equivalent C grades. | These qualifications are offered to the 40% of teenagers who do not achieve the benchmark English and maths GCSEs in school and are the equivalent C grades. |
| Julie Hyde, executive director of the childcare qualifications awarding body CACHE, said childcare was the only sector where they were not accepted. | Julie Hyde, executive director of the childcare qualifications awarding body CACHE, said childcare was the only sector where they were not accepted. |
| "We simply want a level playing field," she said. | "We simply want a level playing field," she said. |
| 'Blocking potential' | 'Blocking potential' |
| Liz Bayram, chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, said feedback from members suggested trainees were being prevented from fulfilling their potential. | Liz Bayram, chief executive of the Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years, said feedback from members suggested trainees were being prevented from fulfilling their potential. |
| While Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said he did not believe staff needed GCSEs to demonstrate they were literate and numerate. | While Neil Leitch, chief executive of the Pre-School Learning Alliance, said he did not believe staff needed GCSEs to demonstrate they were literate and numerate. |
| "We simply cannot afford to be blocking smart, eager and passionate potential practitioners from joining the sector, just because they don't have the right type of qualification," he said. | "We simply cannot afford to be blocking smart, eager and passionate potential practitioners from joining the sector, just because they don't have the right type of qualification," he said. |
| A Department for Education spokesman did not directly address warnings of staff shortages, but said strong numeracy and literacy skills were "essential" for staff working with young children. | A Department for Education spokesman did not directly address warnings of staff shortages, but said strong numeracy and literacy skills were "essential" for staff working with young children. |
| "That is why we introduced GCSE requirements for those early years staff working for 'level three early years educator' status. | "That is why we introduced GCSE requirements for those early years staff working for 'level three early years educator' status. |
| "We are continuing to look at what more can be done to encourage talented staff to forge a career in the early years." | "We are continuing to look at what more can be done to encourage talented staff to forge a career in the early years." |