Nursery World - Confusion over Early Years Educator GCSE requirements

The sector has raised concerns over conflicting advice from the
Department for Education (DfE) and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) on the requirement for those starting the new Early
Years Educator courses to have GCSE English and maths.

At the end of last month, the DfE confirmed that from 1 August 2014 students receiving Government funding to undertake the Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification will require GCSE English and maths at grade C or above on entry. Functional skills will not be accepted as equivalent to GCSEs.

This follows on from the education and childcare minister Elizabeth Truss's intention, as stated in More Great Childcare, to raise the overall quality of literacy and numeracy skills of the sector.

However, students who want to do the new BIS Trailblazer apprenticeship for early years (see below for more information), will not be required to hold GCSE English and maths A*-C because they can meet the English and maths requirements of their apprenticeship through Functional Skills qualifications.

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