Early Years Initial Teacher Training: Graduate Employment Based Route

Working as an early years teacher is a rewarding and challenging career and you can make a real difference to young children’s development and life chances. This part time training programme is designed for graduates who are employed in an early years setting and wish to further their experience and knowledge in early childhood development and lead education and care for children from birth to five years

Why study Early Years Initial Teacher Training: Graduate Employment Based Route at Middlesex University?

This 12 month part time training route enables you to work towards Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) whilst being employed in an early years setting. We recognise that as an employed student you will have unique training needs and we will work with you to create an individual training plan, in consultation with your employer, to ensure that you have sufficient training and placement opportunities to meet all aspects of the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years).

In addition to the practice role you have in your workplace, you are also required to extend your knowledge, skills and understanding through placement experiences in order to meet the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years). You will gain experience of different approaches to teaching, and to school and early years setting organisation and management.

As an Early Years ITT Graduate Employment Based trainee you will work towards the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years) and achieve Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS). To enhance your progress towards achieving EYTS, we offer the Professional Practice in Early Years Foundation Stage Teaching which enables you to gain 60 credits at Masters Level.

As a student of this course you'll receive a free electronic textbook for each module.

What will you study on the Early Years Initial Teacher Training: Graduate Employment Based Route?

You will be expected to teach in two schools or early years settings which will comprise of:

• A contrasting setting placement This placement will be for a period of up to 30 days depending on the extent of your previous teaching experience and you will focus on the teaching and practices on an age group you have not had experience teaching
• A 10 day placement This placement will support your understanding of children's learning as they progress through primary school as you will focus on the teaching and practices of children aged 5-7 years

There are also three additional components to this course which are assessed by coursework and cross referenced against the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years).

How is the Early Years Initial Teacher Training: Graduate Employment Based Route taught?

This course will be taught through weekly lectures and seminars on early years theory, policy, education and care practices which will closely reference the Teachers’ Standards (Early Years) and the professional knowledge and skills required by early years teachers. Opportunities are provided through small group supervision sessions to share ideas and reflect on your academic learning and practice with an experienced early years tutor.

During your training, your working timetable should be no more than 90% of your full time working hours, enabling you to be released for training days, study time and placements. Your employer must be in full support of your application and agree to release and support you to undertake the requirements necessary to achieve EYTS.

Assessment

Assessments have been designed to enable you to reflect on your knowledge and understanding of young children’s learning and development alongside the experiences of professional teaching practice that you gain from your role in your work place and on placement. Teacher led sessions are delivered twice a month with opportunities for smaller group and individual supervision based on your training needs. In addition, trainees are encouraged to learn independently through guided and blended learning through an e-portfolio and a work based project. Progress meetings within your workplace with your employer and tutor will take place at regular intervals throughout the training programme.

How can the Early Year Initial Teacher Training: Graduate Employment Based Route support your career?

Early Years ITT is the only teacher training focused on the birth to five year age range. This makes Early Years Teachers ideally placed to provide high quality education and care for babies and young children in all private, voluntary and independent (PVI) early years settings which is where the majority of children and early years provision is based. You can also work in free schools, academies and independent schools where teaching staff can be employed without the requirement for them to have QTS.

Early Years Teachers with EYTS can work in maintained settings. However, only those who meet the legal definition of a school teacher with QTS can lead teaching in a maintained nursery school or a nursery class in a maintained school for children aged 3 and over.

There is no pay scale for early years teachers. The pay and conditions of individuals with EYTS are determined by employers. All early years settings are free to set the level of pay for individuals they employ with early years teacher status including maintained schools.