Offered a uni place - on wrong pathway!

[Bluebell]

I received an offer for a university place on Friday - for a undergraduate practitioner pathway. Really confused. I applied for non-practitioner graduate pathway - I get post graduate early years qualification with EYPS if I do the graduate pathway and because its non practitioner I get lots of childcare /education /pedagogy etc that I don't have because I have not being minding for long and my degree is not childcare related. I explained all this on my application to them. If they'd said do the graduate course but as a practitioner I would have understood that because maybe they would support me in any gaps I have but they have put me on a undergraduate pathway and I'm a bit confused by it all - especially as that is 2 years! It doesn't appear to have the post graduate qualifications and doesn't have the credits towards a masters.

Am thinking of phoning Best Practice network as a few of you have recommended it. Anyone know how theres works with regards to post graduate qualifications and masters credits as they are not a university but affiliated with local learning centres? Anyone got EYPS through them?
Its all confusing. I was a bit of an idiot really because I phoned to find out details about the course - particularly with regard to attendance at college days and didn't find any info but was told to apply that day as it was the closing date!! applied in a rush and have now had to e-mail them not only asking why I've been put on that course but what exactly it entails commitment wise. I'm sure I don't make a very impressive candidate!

[jumping j]

I'm about to start EYPS through best practise, I emailed my enquiry, outlining experience, qualifications etc. Had a phone conversation again going through experience and qualifications and which pathway I needed to take (6 month pathway) got my offer through...for the 2 year pathway :panic:
I emailed to query it and they'd made a typing error, I'm on the 6 month pathway :laughing:
Apparently it was late when they sent out my offer, she must have had a rough day coz it was only 4.15pm when I got the email :laughing::laughing:

[Bluebell]

I phoned best practice and I felt really armed to ask the right questions as I've had an e-mail from the uni explaining that the place I've been offered is because I am a practitioner I have to take a practitioner course (fair enough) especially as the non-pratitioner courses are based in the uni so wouldn't be compatible with working. She said the reason i've been offered a non graduate place is and I quote;

for those who are graduates BUT not in a relevant field we are allowed to offer you the chance fully funded to attend the course of study in Early Years that will allow you to gain the relevant degree level knowledge to complete EYPS validation. As you already have a degree you will not be required to submit work for degree validation only for EYPS.

I find it a bit confusing and she had offered to phone me if I needed further clarification and I've replied asking yes because I want to ask about how many days exactly I need to be there. Also if the degree level work I am learning will lead to post graduate certificate in early years like the graduate non practitioner one does. I would prefer to submit work if I can get credits for it if you see what I mean! and if I get masters credits like the other one does - because if not I may as well go with best practice and do the 6 month one as they are happy to do that. when I queried my knowledge base having being practising for a short time she said you can take up to 12 months to do the 6 month pathway and if that is the best option for me they will establish that at the telephone interview stage.

I am more confused than ever because it sounds like best practice is a quicker option more suited to childminders and that only 4 days in the college will suit me better but until I get answers from the uni I can't really proceed!
Also the uni course is from September for up to 2 years and the Best practice I can defer my start until January which would actually suit me a lot better!

The uni offer up to £3200 as cover days - how many days do you think that equates to over 2 years - it sounds like a lot to me and I don't want to let my families down.

[md0u0131]

I'm doing the 6-month route with best practice and get £800 towards cover so £3200 over 2 years sounds about right.

My degrees are BSc Biomedical sciences and BSc Physical science but I have a PGCE in secondary science too and they are letting me do the 6-month route no problem at all.

[Bluebell]

ah yes of course - 6 months = 4 days = £800 - god I wonder if anyone ever claims that much - thats £200 for a days cover! How do they work that out! Although it did say as a maximum so maybe other providers expect slightly more days.
So 4 x 6mo= 2 years = £3200.
That would be really good if it was 4 days per 6 months - I think I could handle that for my parents - just want to know when so I can re-arrange for them/give them notice of days unavailable.

[jumping j]

when I asked about the funding they said it was for cover or loss of earnings.
I suppose if you're full,
3 or 4 under 5's
2 or 3 unders 8's
and a couple of over 8's
It might come close to £800 loss of earnings over 4 days, I certainly wont need that much :laughing:

[md0u0131]

I wish I earned £800 for 4 days work!!

[Bluebell]

ha ha me too !!

But actually I'm sure I read on here somewhere that some childminders use replacements when they go on holiday? - I don't know what I'm thinking of - maybe a temping agency or nanny service?? I'd really like to know. But if you went down that route to cover then it would cost a lot I would say. I've spoken to the uni and its 1 day per week for 12 weeks between Sept and Feb - not sure what there term dates are but I really don't know how I would cover that - I've got 2 x half day and 2 x full day plus my own 2 children to collect from school.
It seems short notice for September really as I've been arranging the bookings I'm taking for September for some time.
She did say I could get post graduate certificate early years with my EYPS and masters credits and the EYP bit is from the Feb and won't take 2 years - they would be looking at 6 months so all in all a year - which is what best practice was speaking about for me.

Help - what to do? seems unreasonable amount of time to ask my parents for me to have off but I really am interested to do it this way!!