Qualifications

Islington Early Years Service supports a range of qualification opportunities for people who are working with young children in Islington.

The funding available varies from year to year depending on central government support and the number of applicants. Funding for a qualification is usually shared between the Early Years Service, the setting and the individual, but not necessarily equally. Our intentions, aims, a framework for funding, together with progression routes are shown in more detail in the Islington Early Years Professional Development Local Qualification framework, which has been sent to all early years settings.

An application for a qualification should be identified with line managers and applied for using the appropriate forms. Copies of these forms are available below.

Qualification training currently available through the Early Years Service can be seen in the downloadable document below.

Qualification Bursary

A Qualification Bursary is funding available through the EYFS team to support access to qualitfications for practitioners working with children in the early years. If you want to find out more about a Qualification Bursary, please contact the Qualifications Administrator on 020 7527 1819 or you can download an application form by clicking on the link below.

Graduate Leader Fund

The Government is aiming for all PVI full day care settings to employ an Early Years Professional by 2015 (2 in the most disadvantaged areas) who will lead on the development and learning for the setting. The Transformation Fund was allocated until March 2008 to support this. This is now being replaced by the graduate leader fund. The Government is aiming for all PVI full day care settings to employ an Early Years Professional by 2015 (2 in the most disadvantaged areas) who will lead on the development and learning for the setting. The Transformation Fund was allocated until March 2008 to support this which is now being replaced by the graduate leader fund and focuses specifically on securing graduate early years professionals (EYP).

A Graduate Leader Grant is available to full day care PVI settings and Children's Centre's where the childcare is provided by the voluntary sector. £6000.00 per annum if they employ an EYP or £4500.00 if they employ a graduate on an EYP pathway. 

For more information on eligilbility requirements please contact the Early Years Workforce Manager on 020 7527 5629

Further information and guidance on national funding to support the development of the early years workforce can also be obtained via the every child matters website link on the right hand side.

Further information on early years professional status and other children's workforce developments can be obtained through the Children's Workforce Development Council website link on the right hand side.