Early Years Professional Status, (EYPS) is a status awarded to successful candidates who have demonstrated effective personal practice and leadership skills whilst working in the private, voluntary or independent Daycare sector. Government targets are such that there should be at least one member of staff with EYPS in every Children's Centre by 2010 and in every Early Years (OfSTED registered) setting by 2015.
This is an intensive programme of academic study and work-based learning.
The programme reflects the national agenda for developing a new children's workforce and to securing children's rights to have access to a highly qualified workforce.
Why study EYPS at Chester?
This course is aimed at graduates who have a strong desire to work in the Early Years sector and achieve at M level (Level 7). The course offers three 20-credit bearing modules of study related to child development and reflective practice in the Early Years. EYPS is the highest level of qualification to work with young children aged from birth to five years.
It is attractive to graduates of related degrees, such as Early Childhood Studies, Early Years Education, BEd/PGCE because it provides an appropriate progression route that, with further study, can lead to a Masters degree.
This Postgraduate Certificate course, however, is innovative in that it also provides an opportunity for graduates from other discipline areas to move into this area of work.
Features:
The government is keen to attract graduates who are interested in working with our youngest children, (children aged 0 - 5 years), particularly to provide strong leadership in Early Years settings and has provided the necessary funding to help make this happen.
The Children's Workforce Development Council, (CWDC) currently provides funding for this one-year, full-time course and tops this up with a small bursary which is paid in instalments to those seeking to achieve EYPS. The CWDC fund a number of pathways to enable candidates to achieve EYPS.
One of these, the Full pathway, is available at most approved centres for provision of training and assessment for EYPS. The Faculty of Education and Children's Services is in a position to offer interested candidates this Full pathway option as a Postgraduate Certificate course. This is a particular feature of the University of Chester's programme within the North West Early Years Transformation Group's wider provision of EYPS.
Programme Structure:
ED7701 Professional Practice: a pedagogy and curriculum for the early years [20 credits, M level]
The overarching objectives for participants on this programme are to achieve academic and professional recognition for their knowledge and understanding of developing and leading effective practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage. In conjunction with the opportunity to learn in the workplace the module seeks to develop reflective and reflexive practitioner skills in promoting the learning and development needs of babies (0-20 months), toddlers (16-36 months) and young children (30-60 months). It also focuses on personal leadership skills in the context of leading and transforming practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Strategies for developing collaborative working will be critically explored. The module introduces the Standards for EYPs and approaches to providing evidence for meeting the 39 Standards for Early Years Professionals. I conjunction, therefore, with placement experience it seeks to provide opportunities for critical reflection on practice -related matters in light of key documentation including government policy, theoretical frameworks, relevant literature and contemporary research.
ED7702 Early Childhood: thinking, learning and development [20 credits, M level]
This module aims to provide opportunities for critical analysis of key aspects of developmental theory and the impact on practice in the Early Years. It investigates the main theoretical perspectives in young children's learning and schematic behaviour of young children the implications for practice. A rationale for the observation and assessment of young children's holistic learning and development features strongly and debate will be promoted through identification and analysis of key issues related to the thinking, learning, care and development of young children.
ED7703 Early Childhood: children under three [20 credits, M level]
Within this module, there will be opportunities to investigate specific approaches to learning with young children and the important relationships involved in this in terms of intervention and support. Key theoretical models and the influence of historical and contemporary pioneers will be investigated in an effort to reveal the enormous thinking, learning and developmental potential of the very youngest children.
Each of the three 20 credit modules features formative and summative assessment. Assessment instruments are varied:
- ED7701 is assessed through a Portfolio of critical reflections of practice
- ED7702 is assessed through a case study critical analysis
- ED7703 is assessed through an essay
There are three separate academic assessment points in the year, normally December, March and April and one EYPS assessment which takes place in the setting normally in June.
The University of Chester awards the Postgraduate Certificate in Early Years Practice and the CWDC awards Early Years Professional Status to successful candidates. There are opportunities for reassessment of academic work that does not meet the minimum requirements. If EYPS is not achieved in the first instance there are opportunities for candidates to be assessed again at a later date. In some cases this may require additional placement time.
Honours Degree
e.g. Early Childhood Studies, Early Years, BEd, Educational Studies.
Candidates with an unrelated Honours degree or postgraduate award will also be considered. All candidates are interviewed.
In addition:
- GCSE Maths and English, grade 'C' (min)
- CRB clearance
Applicants must also have some experience of working with children in a paid or voluntary capacity.
