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Original poster

Men in early years - prejudice?

14 replies

RoseGold7 · 11/10/2020 17:07

My DP is considering training to work in early years. A level 3 or foundation degree. As a primary school teacher, I haven’t noticed any men in nurseries connected to schools. There probably aren’t many men working in nurseries that are fee paying.

What’s your experience? Is there prejudice against men in early years?

OP posts:
Subordinateclause · 11/10/2020 17:44

The opposite. Men who show an interest are lauded as amazing, regardless of performance. Some of them genuinely are, some less so. Men are generally seen as a rare commodity in primary schools and I'm sure in some schools this helps them at interview.

noblegiraffe · 11/10/2020 17:50

There were two men at the private nursery my DD went to. One ran a 'forest school' which he was loved for. I'm not sure if there was any prejudice against them - my DD was in the preschool room so no nappy changing which might have made a difference.

Daisy169 · 11/10/2020 19:18

My DD's key worker is a man. I admit I did find it a bit odd at first, though I wouldn't have said anything. But then I met him and I have no worries at all now. Admittedly because he is very camp. It's not a prejudice I want to have but I do.

Original poster
RoseGold7 · 11/10/2020 21:49

Very interesting responses! It’s quite sad that society still tends to attribute certain jobs to certain sexes.

OP posts:
HopeClearwater · 13/10/2020 11:40

I wouldn’t worry. As a pp says, any bloke in Early Years is treated like a god irrespective of ability. All his female colleagues will support him and cover for his inadequacies. Also, he’ll be promoted out of it into management quickly while the female teachers’ careers are held up by maternity leave. You’re a primary school teacher - you know the score.

Original poster
RoseGold7 · 13/10/2020 13:04

@HopeClearwater You get inadequate teachers male and female. Doesn’t matter which sex they are. I do see your point though. As a primary school teacher, men are seen as a novelty. Maternity leave can hold women back, but that’s another debate! I was wondering whether mums would think it “odd” that a man is in early years rather than KS2.

OP posts:
AegonT · 22/10/2020 19:24

My daughter's reception teacher was a man. He was very popular and when I volunteered in class I liked his teaching style - it was very no nonsense and quite strict but he was also alot of fun. He'd been at the school 25 years so has taught other years.

seven201 · 25/10/2020 13:15

My dd is in reception and has a male NQT for a teacher. I haven't heard any parent discuss him not being a woman at all. Everyone seems happy.

When dd was at nursery (a very small one) the manager was a man. He did nappy changes. Again, didn't hear any worries from parents.

I'm a secondary teacher or a girls' school. Men are loved there too!

Mysterian · 25/10/2020 16:46

6 responses so far. 2 negative, so yes there is prejudice. If he does well it's just because he's a man.

When I first started in childcare in the 90s it was around 2% male. It's now up to around 3%, so big improvement there!

Better to go for a different job due to pressure, workload, hours and pay.

phlebasconsidered · 26/10/2020 10:40

He'll be fine. In fact, he'll be promoted and running the place in a couple of years, even if he's shit at the job.

As other posters have said - men in primaries are over lauded, over promoted and act as a living embodiment of institutional sexism in my experience.

Mysterian · 26/10/2020 20:17

7 responses, 3 negative.

"He'll be fine." except that a percentage of people will think he only got the job/promotion because he's a man. That's not being fine.

Subordinateclause · 28/10/2020 22:14

But men are disproportionately represented in senior management in primaries compared to the number who begin in classroom teaching roles - I can't be bothered to look up the figure right now, but it's quite startling. It's clear that people assuming he only got the job because he was a man is not what the OP meant though, and if that's the worst he has to deal with in his career I'm sure he will survive.

cabbageking · 29/10/2020 17:13

We seldom get many men applying for positions in primary.
We would welcome more.

ICSI · 13/11/2020 23:57

My DH is a reception teacher. Our school is unusual in that it has a much higher number of men than your standard primary, 6 out of the 14 teachers are men. We don't have the old classic staffing structure of one man in the school who is either PE or ICT lead!

DH does face some doubts from parents at the start of the year that their child will be scared of him because he is man, but they very rarely are, and even if they are a bit wary to begin with once they are settled in they are fine! He is very fun and is great at making everything a game so the kids love him.

He doesn't do any changing of children after accidents and is very cautious about that sort of thing, which is sad I think as it shouldn't make any difference. I do understand why he feels the way he does though.

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