Government U-turn on early years qualification entry requirements

Instead the two GCSE qualifications will become an exit requirement for those taking the apprenticeship.

The move has been made amid concern from the early years sector that making GCSEs an entry requirement would set the bar too high.

Earlier this month the Early Years Trailblazer Group, which is made up of early years employers and groups had urged the government to ensure applicants could study GCSEs alongside their vocational training.

The new entry requirements have been approved by the Department for Business, Skills and Innovation and the Department for Education, and will be reviewed after a year.

Trailblazer Group chair Chrissy Meleady said: “The decision to make grade C GCSEs in English and maths an exit rather than entry requirement for the first year gives training providers valuable breathing space to prepare students wanting to progress.
 
“However we must bear in mind that this decision will only be in place for the first year and then will come under review. It is therefore extremely important training providers use this transitional period to ensure apprentices achieve their GCSEs by the time they complete their apprenticeship.”

Stella Ziolkowski, director of quality and workforce development at the National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA), who is a member of the Early Years Trailblazer Group, also welcomed the move.

She said: “There is clear evidence that everyone in the early years sector wants to see a highly skilled professional workforce and this is a big step toward that goal.”

Skills minister Nick Boles said: “Since 2010 there have been 1.8 million apprenticeship starts and the Early Years Trailblazer is leading by example in the development and delivery of high-quality apprenticeships that give people the chance of successful careers and help businesses get the skills they need to grow.”