There have been a lot of confusion regarding the Level 6 qualification within childcare. Numerous students who have completed this qualification discovered that they were not classed as qualified as many of the Level 6 degrees lacked an “assessed performance” element, leaving those who completed them to be unrecognised as a Level 6 practitioner.
The colleges and universities that are running and promoting these courses are failing to notify students that the course is NOT a recognised, full and relevant Early Years qualification, and therefore unable to be used in any Early Years or Education setting. Students are gaining thousands of pounds worth of debt due to high student fees for a qualification that is not recognised in its intended field.
To be Level 6 in ratio you must have a post graduate teaching qualification either QTS, EYTS, EYPS. If the setting is a maintained nursery school there must be a teacher working with at least one other person with a full and relevant Level 3 in Early years. The ratio is then 1:13 for all staff assuming that all 0f the childcren are aged 3 and over.
Teaching Assistant qualifications are only full and relevant for Early Years if they were started Pre Setember 2014 and it is the NVQ or specialist diploma. The only full and relevant Level 3 started September 2014 onwards is the “Early Years Educator” suite of diplomas.
The qualification of Level 6 academically is not a post graduate teaching qualification or even a full and relevant degree which if it was would be Level 3 for ratios. You are classed as unqualified in ratio as your qualification is not full and relevant. The best option to become qualified would be EYITT which will give you the EYTS status at Level 6.
The course is not long as is fully funded by the DoE and the setting would get £7k. The course starts in September and would finish by the end of the academic year.