To think that spelling/grammar should count toward NVQs?

[sungirltan]

I made a complaint today at dd's nursery about the appalling grammar and spelling in her learning journey. I spoke to the nursery owner, not the keyworker who looks after dd. I love dd's keyworker, I think she is brilliant and I am 100% happy with her care of my child plus she makes a big effort to let me know how dd is getting on and what has been done during the day. She is and all around lovely girl.

Owner was very sympathetic and glad I had brought it up but explained that the college/company who run/assess the NVQs do not check spelling and grammar on the student's written work and that this has been a big problem in the past. One parent hit the roof last year because a card came home which read 'happy farther's day'.

I am appalled. At level 3 of an NVQ you are alowed to open your own nursery - yet nobody cares that you cannot spell/construct clear reports or paperwork.

AIBU to think that if you work in education in a teaching capacity that your written work should be of an accpetable standard? I am not cross with the NN themselves - just the poor, poor standard of support and teaching they are receiving.

LeQueen

No point me dear. Btw, does your dh do 'the door'?

Wow this is weird. LQ I'm on two threads that you are, and you're being asked the most bizarre of things.

pmsl.

LeQueen

Ok, on a serious note, I was just thinking that if you possess a degree then isn't being a Teachers Assistant a waste of your degree?

Btw Queen, I do not have a degree, but do have a HNC. Several years ago, I was forced to do an NVQ Level 2 and could not believe how simple it was, insulting, tbh.

Sue- NVQ Level 5 qualifies you for management, you have to have done the practical ie start out at care assissant and work your way up, if it is in social care (that is all i know well), it is not equivalent as such as there are jobs that require a NVQ of a certain level and some that need a degree, so it is not totally correct to say one is the same as another. Degrees are academic, with the work having to be referenced etc. To do a higher NVQ you have to draw from your practical work.

I have NVQ's and a degree, my DD has just started her NVQ level 5, she supervisors a MH unit, there is nothing else that she would rather be doing and you cannot do a degree that will allow her to do her job. You could not walk into the jobs that she has done without experience. My DD uses pulling up the performance of the unit in her written work and sorting out Meds, being part of a multi-disiplinary team.

Birdsgottafly

Thanks for that.

*I don't even know what an NVQ is.

I thought it was for people who weren't bright enough to do A levels or degrees.*

LadyOfTheCuntryManor I don't know what an NVQ entails either. But I know an apt name when I see it.

Did you choose it yourself or was it bestowed by someone who knows you well?

My mistake

theres nvq5??? please tell me thats the degree level because dh only has 4 and i may rib him.

my nn does not have 8 children she has 2/3. there are 6 kids in dd's baby room and always 2 and often 3 nns in there. by learning journey i don't mean the day book, i mean the folder thing that gets sent home quarterly. i dont care about mistakes in the day book - its not a formal document and she has to read my handwriting. i realise this isn't hugely relevent as i'm not doubting htat nns are poorly paid ocmpared to the value of the work they do.

NVQ Level 5 is senior management. At one time to run a care home or similar you would need a Nursing degree and be RNG registered, now you can do so with a level 5 (i only know the system in social care). NVQ's show that you meet the national standard in terms of compency for that job, you cannot obtain a NVQ without working in the field, so are proving the practical. Employment has changed and so has the skills we know recognise as important.

That is why when SW and Nursing went to degrees from Diplomas it was made sure that a value base and personal qualities became important because passing paper qualifications doesn't mean you can carry out a vocational career. Many used to 'qualify' to work in MH and SW, to then find that they could not cope with the job.