Montessori training deemed invalid
Janaki Mahadevan
Monday, March 7, 2011
The core principles of Montessori and Steiner schools, praised by Michael Gove during his time as shadow education secretary, are under threat from a diploma set to be introduced next January.
The Level 3 diploma for the children and young people's workforce, developed by the Children's Workforce Development Council (CWDC) and originally set to launch last September, will replace existing early years qualifications.
Montessori and Steiner schools provide their own qualifications, which are the equivalent of a minimum Level 4 and 5 diploma respectively. Both have been informed that these qualifications will be invalid once the new diploma comes into force.
Having met with officials from the Department for Education (DfE) and CWDC in January, the organisations are demanding that Education Secretary Gove rethinks the decision.
Barbara Isaacs, academic director at the Montessori St Nicholas charity, said: "We need to have a qualification that is fit for purpose in our schools. We understand that we need to meet the criteria of Ofsted and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). But in CWDC's review they did not consult us at any stage. Since we had no communication to say that our qualification would be invalid we did not pick up the message straight away."
Both organisations have been told they have to wait until May to hear further news. But Isaacs said future workforce planning and training was in doubt.
She added: "We have demonstrated that we work within the regulations. The challenge to our qualification therefore does not seem to make any sense. Eighty-eight per cent of Montessori settings have been judged as either outstanding or good."
Janni Nicol, early childhood representative at the Steiner Fellowship, said it was vital that the unique principles of Steiner and Montessori are respected. "We take an approach to teacher training at a very high level, involving broad training against very specific requirements, which includes a more holistic way of viewing the child," she said.
A CWDC spokeswoman said that following a meeting with the associations and DfE officials, concerns had been noted. She said: "Discussions are continuing and in the important context of the imminent Tickell review of EYFS, which may have implications across the sector."
