Nurseries are losing employees
According to a latest survey nurseries are in a dilemma. Job vacancies are being left unfilled this is because nursery staff are unable to make progression in their current jobs and it leaves them no other choice but to quit their jobs.
The impact of having to have GSCE English and Maths to obtain a level 3 certificate in childcare has left many level 2 practitioners quitting their jobs. This is because many people feel they are unable to achieve the required GCSE’S grades.
So where does this leaves nurseries? Many nurseries every day are advertising for level 3 qualified practitioners but with many level 2 practitioners not continuing their careers what will happen to those nursery that are in need of new recruits?
Practitioners wanting to further their careers whom don’t hold the right GCSE’S can train for their level 3 but on completion of the qualification they must also have achieved grade C or above in English and Maths. For some practitioners this isn’t possible and again leaves them in the dilemma of what next.
The only option nurseries have is to increase salaries to attract those qualified practitioners, whilst this is good news for practitioners working in the industry it is parents who are paying the price with increased fees. Therefore this is a difficult decision for nurseries to make as they don’t want to see parents leave over this decision.
For many nurseries it leaves the uncertainty of being able to provide childcare if they are unable to recruit those qualified practitioners.
Where does all of this leave nursery owners and parents?
My experience of private nurseries is that the calibre of staff when it comes to professional standards, values and ethics is low. And I attribute this to lowerintellectual ability. There is a tendency for nursery staff to lack emotional intelligence, often getting offended and defensive to any constructive feedback about the child’s care, having an inability to be non-judgemental, often labelling parents and informally criticising parental styles behind the patents backs, gossiping, treating those children who’s parents they do not like less favourably,cutting corners in care (one nursery worker told me she saw the other young girls fail to apply barrier cream to babies when Changing nappies (except on the last nappy Change of the day, so parents wouldn’t know.. When she asked them why, they said they didn’t have time. Incidentally, she got dismissed the next day by the owner who said she ‘didnt fit in’ with the team. Reality is she was brave enough to directly challenge things. Private nurseries are bad news
I’m very sorry that you have had such negative experiences of private day nurseries; however the number of outstanding nurseries in the UK is on the rise and practitioners and managers gaining much higher qualifications. Do you think this may help to upskill the workforce and improve practice?
I agree with the comments above. Especially if people want to progress further in their qualifications you need GCSE English & Maths grade C. For many people who don’t have this where does it leave them???
I agree with the above comment but believe if the education system was better, more people would achieve higher grades! To be honest you need some level of numeracy & literacy to get by in life!
I think this is ridiculous. I have been in nurseries for nearly 20 years and have obtained a level 5 foundation degree without my maths and English. I am dyslexic and would find it very difficult to achieve my GCSE now. I am a member of the management team and also a Preschool leader and have achieved all this without it. The children in my care have been taught well and when they move onto school the teachers and parents have informed me that they are further on then the children from the school nurseries. Why do you need GCSE to care and teach the children. Just to raise standards, this does not make you a better Nursery Nurse.
I agree above comment!