Early Years Professional Status?

[chabbychic]

Anyone done the course? Thinking about it? I've just sent in my application form to start the course in September, I'm hoping for the 6 month course despite my irrelevant degree.

Apparently I'd be the first childminder in my area to undertake the course.

I am hoping to gain it, however i cannot do the course unless i get my maths gcse first.
I am doing the top up degree and going to work my maths alongside and then do EYPS.
I too would be the first minder in my area to gain it.

Good luck! I'd have loved to do it but you can't as a nanny.

Good luck Pippin - I guess you'll have to do the 15 month pathway? I'm hoping to avoid that.

Thanks Frakkin.

chabbychic, I am a CM and did the EYPS last year also on the 6 month pathway. I found the first session to be SO confusing so don't let it put you off.

It is doable and manageable. Please let me know if you want to know anything more. I will be very happy to help out.

After a long chat with the course leader, I have been told that I can do the shorter pathway at the end of my top up providing I gain my maths before the end of the degree part. That might be a bit hard going - I am totally useless at maths!
Anyhow we will see.

Good luck to you Chabbychic, we need more minders like you.

Congrats to you numberfour as well in gaining EYPS

Oh thanks Numberfour. It sounds pretty straightforward but I haven't had the interview yet! What did they ask you?

Do you have to have the GCSE maths? I am ending my 2nd year doing a BA (Hons) in Early CHildhood Studies and was considering the EYPS. I have O Levels so would need a GCSE Maths for this then? I'm sick of studying .

GCSE and O Levels are equivalent, aren't they?

I've been told they don't recognise o's for pgce so an equiv is needed . I'm guessing if eyps wants gcse's it'll be the same. I'll be retired before I get to work at this rate.

I started this in January on the long 15 month pathway.

I did my foundation degree in early years, childcare and education, was pg with DS all through the second year, so had a year out to do GCSE maths. Started on the top up to the BA (Hons) in September, found out I was pg again so have been madly trying to cram it all in.

TBH, I wouldn't fancy doing EYPS in 6 months. There is so much to go into it. I'm doing it over the 15 months and I'm already worried that I won't have enough time to get all the evidence together, although part of the problem is that I am on mat leave now from work so obv can't do anything atm.

You can do an equivalency test for maths, some uni's will accept it, but mine didn't, plus I want to do PGCE from January 2011 so did the GCSE. It really wasn't that bad, but I had to spend as much time on it as I did on my degree .

Good luck though! One of my friends at uni is a CM and is doing the status and she is finding it manageable at the moment.

I cannot believe that is right for a minute that an 'O' level A B or C pass is not acceptable. Having looked at the entry requirements myself it clearly states "The only acceptable GCSE equivalents are corresponding GCEs or CSE Grade 1 or NARIC confirmation". A pass at 'O' level achieved in the UK is a GCE! Surely they cannot be discriminating against everyone who took their o levels before GCSE's were introduced in 1988!!! We're not even that old!

Yep O levels are accepted. My mother did her PGCE with her O levels and didn't have to do GCSEs or equivalencies.

I have been told I can use my O'levels.

I did it a few years ago on the full pathway and my degree is in history!

I'm not working in EY at the mo as am SAHM to 15 month old but am hoping to find somenthing when she's older.

TBH placements in baby rooms really put me off using them for her

but it's a fascinating (and challenging) course and gave me a lot of confidence.

Surestart have been very supportive to me, I'm on the staff bank for them

I have done the EYPS, and was in the very first group to do it, after the pilot group. It may well have changed a bit now.

Yes to O levels!

I did the shortest route which was 4 months I think.I am acting as a witness / referee currently to someone on the 6 months pathway.

I can try to answer any questions!

Ratherbeonthepiste- at the last EYP network meeting I attended, there was talk of 'Super EYP's' going into struggling settings and modelling good practice.

Just wondered if you'd heard of that as well or if it's a local (South west) initiative.

I wonder how I managed to do it now tbh, certainly need to go on refresher course when it comes to my own 2 dcs.

Yes, talk of that here too in SW London, but at present I want to concentrate on our setting IYSWIM!

It was an intense course, but not overly challenging, based on reflective practice, but a lot to do certainly.

Hmm, maybe it's more work than I first thought... still up for it tho! Did those of you who've completed it get paid £4000? That's what I've been offered. I know if you're in a nursery setting it's the nursery that gets it, but as a cm I'll get it!

I received a £5000 bursary, which was paid over the course of the year in equal monthly instalments.

When you qualify, your setting becomes eligible to apply for the Graduate Leader Fund, a proportion of which has to be used to top up your salary.

In September, Surestart paid me an additional £500 bursary to help find work as an EYP.

chabbychic: which LA are you in?

wow that is amazing

£4000

Our LEA are not interested, this is the same LEA that brushed off attempts by CMs to get the Early Years grants that some of you got

BALD: that's bloody disgusting! what about your local MP? or is that a ridiculous idea??

We do not get EY grants but a lot of resources have been bought for us - lots! ICT stuff, books, musical instruments, etc etc. Lots more for network than non-network but lots nevertheless.

I am currently on the 15 month pathway, and although its not exactly what I had anticipated it has been very well supported so far. I have a mentor and tutor who are available when I need them and there are CPD sessions throughout each term.

On the long pathway you are entitled to £4000 in 3 entallments, I started in September so got £1600 in October, will get £1200 this month and £1200 in January. This is direct from the University not Local authority, I just had to put in an invoice for my time on my own headed note paper.
I have also claimed two lots of £225 from the local authority as a study support grant specifically for childminders studying.

I would have a think about doing the 6 month pathway as you need to show leadership throughout, which is tricky for childminders. I have done one task as a placement in a nursery, one with my minded children in a children's centre and another at home but leading another childminder in hers. My degree is in Cell and Molecular Biology and I have only been minding since July 2008 so I didn't feel I had enough experience but was assessed as needing to take the 15 month pathway at my interview.

Sorry don't know about O levels but agree that it would be silly for it not to be allowed!!

Thanks to everyone who says the 'o's are fine. Have been finishing an assignment hence my rude silence