Early Years Teachers Status

[Confusedandconfused]

Hi! I'm not sure if this is the best place to post this, but hoping I could be redirected if there's a better spot for it!!
I'm thinking of trying to get Early Years Teachers Status next year via the full time 12 month graduate entry route. I've heard a lot about the problems with this course and the pay differential between those with this Status and those with QTS but am wondering specifically if anyone has done the course and how they found the actual course as opposed to the career afterwards if you see what I mean? I'm wondering about things like assessment, hours of commitment, workload etc and how it compared to a PGCE with QTS if anyone has done both?

Any insights greatly appreciated!

I've not done it but I'm mentored a student on it in the past. It seemed comparable to PGCE in terms of commitment. PGCE would give you more options.

I'm doing an Early Years PGCE (0-5) with EYTS at the moment(started at the beginning of September). When we're in uni we're often in lectures with the primary PGCE students and I would say that the workload/hours of commitment so far is pretty similar to them, possibly a little bit lighter. From talking to my mentor on placement, the workload once you're in the job is definitely less than that of a primary teacher (she rarely has to take work home), but as you've said the pay of an EYT reflects this though!

EYTS definitely isn't as well known or well regarded as QTS but hopefully this will change in time as it is still a very new qualification

Overall I would say go for it but only if you're absolutely sure you want to work in early years as, as the pp said it definitely does give you as many options as QTS does at the moment

Thanks everyone that's really useful! I definitely don't want to work in a primary school and I like the idea of working with children aged 0-5 in another ways I.e. not necessarily teaching I wonder if either of you have any info on how feasible this is with the status? I suppose I'm nervous as well that I wouldn't be academically able for the work of a PGCE or the observations/standards demanded

I'm in the final year of my degree in Early Years and Childhood studies and have just applied for Early Years Initial Teacher Training. I went for the Graduate Employment route though, as I already work in a nursery.
One thing I'm really worried about is the Skills Tests, they are the same ones you have to do for QTS. I haven't done maths since I left high school, I don't even know what a fraction is anymore!!!