Early Years Professional Status
When can you start this course? | Fees | Entry requirements
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You can also start this course in January |
Why choose this course?
- Early Years Professionals are key to raising the quality of early years provision. Once you've completed this course, you'll be able to lead practice across the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), support and mentor other practitioners, and shape the skills and behaviours that safeguard and support children.
- Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) is a professional qualification endorsed by the Government for graduate practitioners who can demonstrate a set of professional standards.
- In January 2011, the Government announced its intention to continue to fund the training and accreditation of Early Years Professional Status between 2012 and 2015.
- Since its launch in 2007, EYPS has become recognised as the gold-standard in early years training and the only government endorsed accreditation for the early years workforce.
If you would like to apply for EYPS, please contact Louise Harvey, l.harvey@derby.ac.uk. Our application forms are currently being updated, so please keep checking back for information.
EYP Northern Alliance - leading the way to making a real difference for children and families
The University of Derby is a member of the Northern EYP Alliance led by MMU
About the course
To achieve Early Years Professional Status, you'll need to demonstrate that you meet a set of national standards that indicate what you must know, understand and be able to do. They cover working safely with babies, toddlers and young children from birth to the end of the new Early Years Foundation Stage (five years old).
There are 39 standards in total, which are organised into six areas:
- knowledge and understanding
- effective practice
- relationships with children
- communicating and working in partnership with families and carers
- teamwork and collaboration
- professional development.
As an Early Years Professional, you'll:
- be part of the team working with children in early years settings or wider children's services
- take responsibility for leading and managing play, care and learning
- have a secure and up-to-date knowledge and understanding of early years practice with children from birth to five
- lead and support other staff by helping them develop and improve their practice
- establish and maintain positive relationships with children
- communicate and work in partnership with families, carers and other professionals.
There are four ways that you can complete to achieve Early Years Professional Status:
The graduate practitioner pathway (GPP)
You can complete this pathway if you are a graduate working in the sector and you require a small amount of learning or experience before you can demonstrate the EYP standards. If you feel that you need more experience in a certain area, for example with babies, then a relevant placement will be offered, so that you can feel confident in the area. You'll study this pathway part time.
The undergraduate practitioner pathway (UPP)
If you're already working in the sector with a level 5 qualification, for example a foundation degree in early years, then this pathway is for you. It will allow you to 'top up' your foundation degree to a full degree. You'll study this part time.
The graduate entry pathway (GEP)
If you have a degree but have limited experience of working with children from birth to five years old, then this pathway will allow you to pursue your career of working in early years. You will undertake a minimum of two work-based training placements in different settings before assessment for EYPS. This will allow you to develop your personal practice and leadership skills in the delivery of the EYFS and your competence in working with children and families. You will be required to keep a reflective log of the placement experience, recording links to the EYPS Standards and your own personal practice and/or leadership and support of colleagues. You must undertake a total of at least 18 weeks work-based training placement. You'll study this pathway on a full time basis.
The undergraduate entry pathway (UEP)
This pathway is only available from September 2012. If you are currently completing a degree in Early Childhood Studies, then this pathway is for you. You will undertake a minimum of two work-based training placements in different settings before assessment for EYPS. This will allow you to develop your personal practice and leadership skills in the delivery of the EYFS and your competence in working with children and families. You will be required to keep a reflective log of the placement experience, recording links to the EYPS Standards and your own personal practice and/or leadership and support of colleagues. You must undertake a total of at least 18 weeks work-based training placement. You'll study this pathway on a full time basis.
Your career
As everyone must demonstrate the same standards to achieve Early Years Professional Status, your current and future employers will be confident that you've reached a high level of professional competence. So you'll be able to work in a range of early years settings.
It's the Government's aim to have Early Years Professionals in all children's centres that offer early years services by 2010, and in every full day care setting by 2015. So your skills will be in demand.
What our students say
Lisa Snell, one of our graduates
"As childcare and curriculum manager, my role is all about empowering staff and overseeing quality in the group, and I believe my EYPS has been a vital contribution to this." Read Lisa's full story here.
Sara Iqbal, Practitioner at The First Day Nursery
"The prospect of undertaking EYPS was overwhelming and intimidating, but as soon as I walked into the interview I was greeted by friendly, welcoming and an exceptionally supportive team. I definitely felt that this was the path for me. It has helped me become more confident, a better leader, and I have had an amazing opportunity to build professional relationships with mentors, tutors, colleagues and fellow EYP's. It was a pleasure to be apart of the EYPS experience at Derby University."
Angela Donaldson, Local Authority Early Years Improvement Officer
"Having completed my EYP, I now feel greater confidence when supporting the settings in my area as LA Early Years Improvement Officer. I particularly enjoyed using my experiences to reflect on what i actually do and know and the staff at Derby helped us all grow in confidence."
How you'll learn
You will attend face-to-face sessions, called Preparation Days to learn more about EYPS and prepare for the assessment.
Workshops will be held in the university covering more in depth reflection on the different groups of standards. You will contribute to discussions around your own practice and how you meet the different EYPS standards.
Depending on your pathway you'll also attend modules to develop and promote your understanding of early years practice.
You will also complete a Professional Workplace Practice booklet where you can record your reflections linked to your own practice. These reflections will support your final assessment for Early Years Professional Status.
Midway through the course you will undertake a 'development & progress review' to determine how you're doing. You'll receive an action plan to support your progress towards achieving a successful assessment outcome.
How you're assessed
Your final assessment includes:
a portfolio/file of evidence which includes at least three witness statements relating to your practice against the EYP Standards;
a series of assignments designed to highlight/assess your knowledge and understanding of the standards;
a single setting visit during a working day where you will demonstrate practice against the standards;
an interview
Anything else?
Which pathway is right for me?
On your application we will invite you to an informal chat where we will discuss your experience and determine the best pathway for you.
If you are a graduate working in an early years setting, you could be eligible for the validation or short training pathways.
If you have a Level 5 qualification, such as an Early Years Foundation Degree or require longer training to meet the knowledge and experience, then the Long pathway would be for you. Candidates with Level 5 qualifications will be able to top up to a full degree on this pathway.
Not got the entry requirements?
We can help you develop your skills and expertise to allow you to achieve EYPS. The University offers a Foundation Degree in Children and Young Peoples Services which allows people with level 3 qualifications or A levels the opportunity to gain a qualification in early years and then go onto the Long pathway of EYPS.
You need to be a graduate and you must also have GCSE grade C or above (or equivalent) in English and Mathematics. If you don't have these qualifications, contact us for details of local providers, online equivalency agency or our free of charge maths exam.
Funding
We are now pleased to offer a self funded option for candidates who are not eligible for funding but wish to pursue Early Years Professional accreditation. For an application pack and details of costs please contact Louise Harvey on 01332 593025 or email L.Harvey@derby.ac.uk.
If you work in a private, voluntary or independent early years settings, your employer may be able to receive additional support from their local authority.
Places to maintained settings
We are pleased to confirm that from January 2012, funding for Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) will be available for staff working across all setting types in the early years' workforce, including maintained settings.
Start dates
You can apply to start this course in:
- January 2012
- September 2012
Fees*
EYPS funding from January 2012
For eligible candidates:
- All EYPS training pathways are fully funded where places are available
- A bursary is available to candidates undertaking the Undergraduate Entry and Graduate Entry Pathways.
- For employers, supply cover will be made available for the time the candidate is out of their setting on training (Graduate Practitioner Pathway & Undergraduate Practitioner Pathway only).
- Childminders are eligible for funding alongside other candidates and will attract the same supply cover.
We are now pleased to offer a self funded option for candidates who are not eligible for funding but wish to pursue Early Years Professional accreditation.
For an application pack and details of costs please email Louise Harvey l.harvey@derby.ac.uk
Entry requirements
At the start of each EYPS Pathway you must have: Been subject to a Criminal Records Bureau ...
