Review of GCSE requirements for childcare staff

The Save Our Early Years Campaign welcomes review of GCSE requirements for childcare staff

A statement from Julie Hyde, Executive Director at CACHE, the organisation leading the Save Our Early Years Campaign, calling on the Government to reverse a decision that Level 3 Early Years Educators can only count in the ratios if they have GCSEs at C or better in English and maths – with alternative qualifications, such as Functional Skills, no longer accepted.

The Save Our Early Years campaign has seen more than 2,500 individual letters sent to Education Secretary Nicky Morgan and to MPs by supporters calling for Functional Skills to be accepted as equivalents to GCSEs.

Commenting on an announcement made by Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah this morning, Julie Hyde, Executive Director of CACHE, the organisation leading the Save Our Early Years campaign, said:

“We are pleased that the Government has announced a review of the GCSE English and Maths requirements for Level 3 practitioners – this has been having a hugely negative impact on recruitment in early years setting.

“The Government deserves real credit for listening to the sector, but must now finish the job and ensure that functional skills are accepted as GCSE equivalents, for September – any later will be too late.

“Childcare is the only sector where Functional Skills are not accepted within the apprenticeship framework, so we simply want a level playing field.

“The Save Our Early Years campaign looks forward to working with the Government and the sector to ensure that this review recommends that Functional Skills be accepted as equivalent at the earliest opportunity.”