Overview of the PG Certificate Early Years Practice
Welcome to the partnership page for the PG Certificate Early Years Practice at the Institute of Education.
The purpose of these pages is to support educators who are working with our students in settings and learning environments, including Early Years, special needs schools, and social care.
Working with partners
We have strong partnerships with hundreds of child-based settings and are renowned for our excellent relationships with these settings. When commenting on the Early Years ITE provision and partnership in 2024, Ofsted said: “Course leaders and settings enjoy strong, professional relationships. Many providers are former trainees themselves, keen to continue their partnership with the university.” […] “The founding principle of working with settings to benefit children in the local area shines through.”
Pathways
There are two pathways into Early Years teacher training:
Find out more about the PG Certificate in Early Years Practice
Assessment Only
As an experienced teacher, it is possible to gain QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) or EYTS (Early Years Teacher Status) without additional training through the Assessment Only route. The route to QTS or EYTS is only available to teachers who have substantial experience in teaching in either the public or private sector but do not already have QTS or EYTS.
As many schools and settings are unfamiliar with Assessment Only, we are very happy to talk to school/setting leaders about the route and its process.
Find out more about the Assessment Only route
Early Years Mentoring
The ability to reflect on their own practice and that of the school or setting and to relate this to what they have learnt will be vital to the successful completion of the programme for students on either pathway. The role of the setting and, more specifically, you as a mentor, will be to support the student and facilitate with them, opportunities to put their evolving knowledge into practice.
In the context of Early Years Teacher Status, a mentor needs to be someone who:
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has been through the experience of training to work with babies, toddlers and young children
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is available to talk through both complex and general issues in a knowledgeable, sympathetic and trustworthy way
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has experience in delivering and leading practice in the Early Years Foundation Stage
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can support a trainee to become autonomous through dialogue and skilled questioning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find out about funding?
Fully funded places are available for graduate practitioners and graduates who wish to work in early education. An employer incentive payment is also available for employers with trainees on the graduate employment-based pathway. Visit the DfE Get into Teaching website for more information.
How does it work as an employer?
View the DfE (Department for Education) guidance for employers for more information
A prospective candidate does not have a degree yet – can they study alongside work?
We offer a Foundation Degree in Children’s Development and Learning in partnership with local FE colleges where candidates can study alongside work. The candidate will need to work in early years (birth-5 years) or educational (4-11 years) setting for at least 2.5 days a week. College attendance is required for one afternoon and evening per week.
There is then the opportunity to do a top-up year to gain BA Children’s Development and Learning. Once they have successful obtained their degree, the candidate can then progress on to one of our postgraduate Primary ITE programmes.
Useful contacts
| Role | Name | |
| Head of Early Years/ Director of Early Years Teacher Status Programmes | Jo Elsey | j.h.elsey@reading.ac.uk |
| Assessment Only Programme Director | Assessment Only Team | |
| Admissions Team | teachertraining@reading.ac.uk | |
| Programme Administration Team | eyts@reading.ac.uk |