EYPS - don't think it's feasible

[venus89]

I've just got the provisional dates through for the EYPS Short pathway I've been accepted onto and I can't see that I can do it, realistically. There are 2 Tuesdays and 6 Wednesdays, and 3 days that will be decided closer to, all over 8 months. One parent would be affected by the Tuesday and the Wednesdays. I really don't know what to do as asking her if she can juggle her life around all those days seems a massive ask. The alternate is looking into the issue of replacement childminders, I can't even fathom how that would work? I'm not sure about hwo the parents would feel about me asking them to send their child to someone else all those days? Why oh why can't they do a childminder friendly course over evenings or weekends?

[Donkey]

Venus, Don't bother with the EYPS we don't know what this government is going to do with it....
It might be got rid of, changed, scaled back, they could do anything with it.

If you have the FD can you not have a look at topping it up to a full BA??

This is the route I am going to take, then tag myself a PGCE on the end of it and go to a foundation unit in a school

:o

[venus89]

I already have a BSc (not in childcare, but......). And a diploma. And I'm just finishing the NVQ3. I want to go up a notch educationally, ideally, as I don't plan to stay in the job once DS leaved primary.

[Donkey]

aahhh I see

because you have the BSc you can do the EYPS..

sorry chicken presumed you had the FD.

why not have a look to see if you can do a PGCE??
whats your BSc in?
how long till your DS leaves primary??

[sarah707]

I'd agree with flutters and wait a while until we know what's happening with Eyps.

Could you do the OU level 4 next year? :D

[venus89]

That's all right :D

DS leaves in 4 years, he's in Year 2, so I have a while - assuming I manage to keep afloat which is obviously never guaranteed in this job!

BSc is an Open Degree - it's 2 years of psychology and criminal justice at Uni proper (before I got pregnant :rolleyes: ) topped up with various child / social care subjects from the Open university.

PGCE is a thought but wouldn't that require being on campus or being at a school? I must admit that teaching is tempting because of the holidays.... DH works in a school too so we could have lovely breaks together :D

[Donkey]

it all depends where you want to end up long term...

if you want to be a manager at a setting or if you want to end up in a school...

I am going to try to start begging my Network Co-ordinator for projects to get my teeth into which are 'Level 4' Level. This way I will hit the ground running when I start my FD in Jan (fingers crossed) Maybe you could speak with your early years team about similar??
Buddying? setting up and running drop ins for other minders..

there is all sorts you can do!!

(zomg, I actually feel like I know what I am talking about :D scary stuff indeed!! )

[Donkey]

posted at the same time,

yes I think the PGCE is a full time course, but I think there is bursaries and things, or you might be able to qualify for post grad help/student loans etc.

if your DS is in primary school now it might be an idea to do it now, you might be able to mind before and after school and in the holidays to supplement income, it will be hard work but worth it!

[venus89]

I'd agree with flutters and wait a while until we know what's happening with Eyps.

Could you do the OU level 4 next year? :D

That boils down to money :ohdear: which is tight, to say the least. I just had to fork out for a car (which I have to keep sending back as the dealer's mechanic isn't fixing a fault) and have subsequently found out that my loan application may not go through as I can't prove my income... HAving one of those weeks :laughing:

[The Juggler]

aahhh I see

because you have the BSc you can do the EYPS..

sorry chicken presumed you had the FD.

why not have a look to see if you can do a PGCE??
whats your BSc in?
how long till your DS leaves primary??

I agree! do the pgce or if you don't want to teach look at a post graduate diploma in something. having said that I'm signed up for the short pathway in sept but I only have to attend 1 thursday per month for 3 months plus two other possible dates. is this the extended short pathway (stupid name I know!)?

I agree, wait and see what happens. I'm gonna go for it anyway as I want to go into a more advisory/children's centre role and they will pay me to do the course.:p but given the number of days and disruption for you I would wait and see what happens.

[venus89]

Flutterbyes - getting onto the Network people isn't a bad idea, although my coordinator is so scatty, bless her, I'm not one hundred per cent convinced that she would remember to do anything :laughing: It's definately worth a try though.

One of my big problems, which is partly what's landed us here, is that my stepdaughter has very different term dates than ours and lives with us in the holidays. That means that somebody needs to be around to look after her during term times for a good four plus weeks a year. That's a huge part of what made me take up childminding in the first place. A few more years and she'll be a teenager and probably won't want to come here so often for the holidays but until then......

PS - you sound like you know what you're talking about too! :D

[venus89]

I agree! do the pgce or if you don't want to teach look at a post graduate diploma in something. having said that I'm signed up for the short pathway in sept but I only have to attend 1 thursday per month for 3 months plus two other possible dates. is this the extended short pathway (stupid name I know!)?


Nope, this is the so-calles short pathway with Canterbury Christ Church Uni. Starts properly on the 22nd September but even before that there's a half day introductory session on a Tuesday. Then the setting visits take place at the end of the course between 21st Feb and 11th March. So not that short :laughing:

[The Juggler]

Nope, this is the so-calles short pathway with Canterbury Christ Church Uni. Starts properly on the 22nd September but even before that there's a half day introductory session on a Tuesday. Then the setting visits take place at the end of the course between 21st Feb and 11th March. So not that short :laughing:

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: I have only 4 college dates plus a visit and the gateway assessment. Is it Tribal running it?

[venus89]

:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: I have only 4 college dates plus a visit and the gateway assessment. Is it Tribal running it?

No idea!

The visit it 5 hours and 40 minutes long...... What a bizarre length of time :laughing:

[TammyN]

Venus, Don't bother with the EYPS we don't know what this government is going to do with it....
It might be got rid of, changed, scaled back, they could do anything with it.

If you have the FD can you not have a look at topping it up to a full BA??

This is the route I am going to take, then tag myself a PGCE on the end of it and go to a foundation unit in a school

:o

this is the pathway i'm looking at too, just going to start yr 3 of fd. with focus on moving on when dd is full time school. i agree with above quote!

[The Juggler]

No idea!

The visit it 5 hours and 40 minutes long...... What a bizarre length of time :laughing:

I know and it's timed to the second apparently:laughing: :laughing: the tour of the setting won't take long at least:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:

[g l bowerman]

Hi, first time Ive used this forum-never seemed to have time in the past. Sorry put a damper on things but I have a full BA hons in childhood studies, I have completed my EYPS, have received outstanding in all areas and still cannot move forward to another job. I am now studying for my master but wondering whether to carry on with it. I have academic qualifications galore but begining to think they are useless!!

[brillminder]

for funding look at direct gov, there are grants on their to apply for

[The Juggler]

Hi, first time Ive used this forum-never seemed to have time in the past. Sorry put a damper on things but I have a full BA hons in childhood studies, I have completed my EYPS, have received outstanding in all areas and still cannot move forward to another job. I am now studying for my master but wondering whether to carry on with it. I have academic qualifications galore but begining to think they are useless!!

what are you looking to do? I wanted to become a d.o. at some point but looks like these are the posts being cut now with all the local authority cut backs:(

[venus89]

Hi, first time Ive used this forum-never seemed to have time in the past. Sorry put a damper on things but I have a full BA hons in childhood studies, I have completed my EYPS, have received outstanding in all areas and still cannot move forward to another job. I am now studying for my master but wondering whether to carry on with it. I have academic qualifications galore but begining to think they are useless!!

*sigh* that's the trouble, isn't it? None of these things are worth anything, not in the field of childcare, not really..... But then I thought I might go on to do nursery teaching, or go into schools, so at least it's a related field. In reality though I'm doingt his largely for me and only partly for my CV. I like to be studying, especially as this job doesn't require a lot of brain power :blush:

[Gherkin]

I looked at the EYPS for a long time and decided against it. I have MA in another field. I'm going to do E100 from October so that I get the Certificate in Early Years Practice. Doing it more for me.

[Monkey26]

I did the EYPS when it first came out, it is a hard slog and i spoke to the kids parents honestly and openly before i embarked on it and they were all very accepting of me taking days off etc :) Maybe i was lucky?? I had another childminder who Ofsted allowed to go over her ratios the days i was the course to accommodate one of mine who couldn't find alternative care-it is always worth a shot esp if u give Ofsted a good enough reason and the EYP at the time was plenty haha! Good luck if you decide to go ahead and feel free to PM for any advice xx

[g l bowerman]

Sorry- should be more positive- was having a "down moment"- I have applied for several jobs at sure start etc - lead childcare devevelopment officer etc but all the jobs that offer decent salaries want years of management experience- had a few interviews but no luck-always seems to be someone who has had that role before. A few job I had applied for have now been withdrawn due to cuts or I have been told they have been changed to internal candidates only. Suppose I will keep on studying for my M.A. and keep looking.!!:rolleyes:

[venus89]

I did the EYPS when it first came out, it is a hard slog and i spoke to the kids parents honestly and openly before i embarked on it and they were all very accepting of me taking days off etc :) Maybe i was lucky?? I had another childminder who Ofsted allowed to go over her ratios the days i was the course to accommodate one of mine who couldn't find alternative care-it is always worth a shot esp if u give Ofsted a good enough reason and the EYP at the time was plenty haha! Good luck if you decide to go ahead and feel free to PM for any advice xx

Thank you.

Well the two parents who will both be most affected by me doing it are happy for me to go ahead and want to use me another day that week as they'd rather I was the one caring for their children..... The other two families are only affected 2 days and I'm waiting to hear back from them.....


G L Bowerman - I'm under no illusions that this probably won't have a significant effect on my future but I figure that it will boost my self esteem. Plus it's free, I like learning and I'm in need of a challenge.... I waas just saying to my husband that I can't imagine what I'll do after CMing as I've plenty of qualifications but nothing that will actually make me employable....

[g l bowerman]

You get paid for the cover time whilst doing your EYPS but not until the end then you can claim it back-most of my parents were very helpful when they realised how their children would benefit. The most difficult aspect is proving leadership and management- but there are generally ways around these problems when you look at them

[coolfm]

I've been working towards EYPS, but had to defer partly because of the difficulties of getting appropriate opportunities. (Also for personal reasons, but the two combined made it impossible.) I've recently been appointed Lead Childminder, which I'm hoping will help.

I am also a qualified teacher and have wondered about going back to teaching instead, but even if I do this I'll have to stop childminding to allow me to get some up to date classroom time. I can't even register for supply in my area because I don't have a reference from the last 3 years. :huh:

It's quite difficult to work on career development as I childminder I've found.