The Department for Education has made a U-turn over its decision not to publish the results of a key early years consultation, which included plans to raise child: adult ratios in early years settings, following an appeal by the union Unison. Sixty-six per cent of respondents disagreed with the planned changes to ratios; where providers made a suggestion on which level of qualifications should allow providers to operate with the proposed new ratios, 15 per cent said that 100 per cent of staff should be qualified to a minimum of Level 3. And some childminders say they are being put off enrolling for Early Years Teacher courses in September because of the requirement to undertake at least two weeks’ work experience in a school.
