Nursery World - GCSE rules scrapped for standalone Level 3 EYEs

The requirement for those taking standalone Level 3 Early Years Educator courses to have GCSE English and Maths at Grade C or above before starting the qualification has been removed just before the new funding year begins on 1 August.

The move, the latest in a series of rule changes for childcare courses, brings standalone courses (non-apprenticeships) for those aged 19 and over into line with Level 3 apprenticeships, for which the entry requirement was amended recently.

It comes in response to protests from the early years sector over a huge drop in those starting EYE courses and increasing difficulties in recruiting staff. Last month's National Day Nurseries Association survey reported that half of nurseries were struggling to find good candidates with the right qualifications and experience, and half of qualified level three and level two practitioners did not have GCSE maths and English at grade C or above.

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