EYPS in association with
Outstanding Professional Development
Delivering beg425er outcomes for children
Voluntary professionals
Achieving Early Years Professional Status can make a powerful diff erence to the lives of our youngest
children, the candidates, their colleagues and to families, whether in paid, or in voluntary work.
I
T IS important to understand and value the centre, which off ered a broader overview of
learning that takes place throughout life, working with multi-agency and outreach teams.
both outside of, and at, work. At CETAD In this context Syl feels she was able to make a real
– the Centre for Training and Development, diff erence: ‘In one of the workshops on Supporting
a specialist work-based learning centre at Lancaster Learning the tutor raised awareness of embracing
University – we have an ethos of ‘building from Attitudes, Dispositions and Gender, so in the
experience’ and of work-based learning, which children’s centre I was able to lead a staff meeting,
underpins our work as an EYPS training provider. put forward new ideas and, as a result, I was able
We use a range of methods, such as workshops, to infl uence and change the policy on weapon and
small group work focusing on real work issues, superhero play.’
projects and one-to-one guidance; all with an Another Home Start practitioner, Dorothy
Greta Grindell
emphasis on knowledge, skills and experience, which Rowe, undertook the short EYPS pathway with
can be applied directly to a participant’s workplace. CETAD last September (2008). While Dorothy
is EYPS programme
Based on our philosophy of working with was already very experienced, she felt that she
manager at CETAD,
individuals to achieve success through high benefi ted from the bespoke ‘Birth to Th ree Early
University of Lancaster
quality work-based learning, we created a bespoke Years Foundation Stage’ workshops.
full pathway model – the Professional Practice Dorothy is responsible for delivering family
Programme. learning sessions at Home Start Chorley for
A signifi cant element of this course provides families with young children, off ering a variety
candidates with a sound theoretical understanding of diff erent activities to help them learn together.
through a series of developmental workshops, all She brings passion, wide-ranging expertise and
underpinned by the Early Years Foundations Stage professional skills to her role, and at 68-years-old,
(EYFS) Principles into Practice and mapped to the she enthusiastically embarked on EYPS and gained
EYPS standards. her maths qualifi cation along the way.
Th e workshops are lively and interactive and they ‘We are proud of the high quality family and
are also available for other pathway participants early learning environment that we have achieved,’
who may need input in a specifi c area, or who says Dorothy. ‘We continue to develop as a result
simply want to enhance their EYPS journey. of the infl uence [that] EYPS has.’
Th e following examples all have EYPS, the Dorothy’s enthusiasm and energy is an
Professional Practice Programme and the Home inspiration, especially to Rifat Kauser who, having
Start scheme in common. Home Start is a charity benefi ted from Dorothy’s guidance and support
that aims to support families with young children while a Home Start parent, has now embarked on
in local communities, providing family and early the EYPS full pathway.
learning environments among other benefi ts. As for Syl, she has moved on from Home Start
Syl Wyatt, a student on our full pathway and is now a District Parent Support Advisor,
programme, says: ‘I decided to opt for the full which is hosted by Haslingden Community Link.
pathway as I was taking a career break while deciding ‘Th is is a new position, and I am tasked to work
which direction the next stage of my life should take.’ alongside parents, early years providers and schools,
Over the past nine years Syl had set up and as part of the Extended Schools programme, to
managed a thriving Home Start scheme. With try and improve provision for parents and to help
a BA (Hons) in German, but no intention of engage parents in the education of their children,
resurrecting her rusty grammar to go back into which, as research has shown, increases immensely
teaching, Syl knew that she wanted to continue the achievements of, and thus the life chances of,
working with young children and their parents, their children,’ says Syl.
and gaining EYPS seemed the logical step. ‘Th e knowledge I have gained through my EYPS
Syl’s fi rst placement was in a private nursery, journey and the related professional programme
working in the baby room, with babies as young as has helped enormously.’
four-months-old: ‘Th is enabled me to understand Th ese are just three examples of how professionals
how the EYFS could work for even very tiny can make a real and powerful diff erence to the lives
babies.’ Her next placement was at a children’s of our youngest children. eye
Originally published in eye Volume 11 No 8 December 2009 11
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