Early years practitioners forced out of Dundee primaries

"Education Scotland, through its work and the work of the online service, aims to ensure that teachers and early years practitioners are offered a range of continuous professional development opportunities to ensure that all children have the best start in life."

http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/earlyyears/about/index.asp

Some early years practitioners are not impressed that they are being transferred from primary schools to nurseries and do not recognise the move as either professional development or helping children: One Dundee spokesman for the council explained that reading, writing and numeracy skills are essential for pre-schoolers. Others see the situation as more like robbing Peter to pay Paul with little help now on offer for children requiring extra help in primary schools. Is this taking the focus on the earliest years one step too far?

"One of the early years practitioners (EYP) being forced to transfer from city primary schools to nurseries has claimed it will have a "devastating" impact on the pupils they help.

She also said the council’s education department had wasted money and effort training them in a new literacy programme.

The EYPs are being removed from 22 primaries as part of savings in the education budget for 2014-15. In the nurseries their wages will instead be paid by the Scottish Government.

The woman who contacted The Courier but did not want to be named, said: "I have been watching my fate unfold in the newspapers and it seems that the education department have sugar coated what is actually about to happen in the nurseries, when in fact we are not allowed to use our skills to teach reading, writing and numeracy."

One respondent had this to say:

"See 'Working for Scotland: The Government's Programme for Scotland 2012-2013.

It is stated:

Children and Young People Bill

The Children and Young People Bill will encourage early years support and intervention to improve the outcomes for all children and young people in Scotland, in particular the most vulnerable. This will help ensure all services work together to support children and young people at all stages of their lives. The Bill will also make real the rights of young people by increasing transparency, scrutiny and accountability around the public sector's approach to the realisation of these rights."

Note: 'all stages of their lives.'

http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/dundee/msp-says-facts-do-not-justify-dundee-s-early-years-practitioner-shift-1.223147