From education to employment

AELP calls for Functional Skills alternative for Childcare Apprenticeship

Functional Skills should be an acceptable alternative to good English and maths GCSEs that Childcare Apprenticeships now require on exit, rather than entry, according to the AELP.

The group welcomed the government’s decision to scrap the need for GCSE English and maths grade A to C on entry, which it blames for reducing the number of entrants to the sector.

However, AELP CEO Stewart Segal said the drive to improve English and maths should include Functional Skills as a high quality alternative to GCSEs.

“AELP agrees with the drive to improve standards but it is numeracy and literacy that is the real need for childcare employees,” he said.

“GCSEs are broader than functional skills but include some elements that are not essential for those teaching young children. Functional skills are very focussed on the practical skills and knowledge that will support young people. We believe that there is now a lot of evidence that employers have confidence in functional skills and we will work with the trailblazer groups and the Education and Training Foundation to build that evidence base.”

Natalie Thornhill


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