Introducing the Experience-Based Route for Early Years Practitioners: A New Pathway to Quality Childcare

new experienced based courses

The Department for Education (DfE) has announced a significant development in the early years sector with the introduction of the Experience-Based Route (EBR) for early years practitioners. This new pathway, set to be implemented from March 2025, aims to provide experienced early years educators with an alternative route to gaining the necessary qualifications to work within staff:child ratios at level 3.

The initiative is part of the government’s broader strategy to enhance the quality of early years education and childcare, while addressing challenges in recruitment and retention within the sector.

Background and Context

Early years education and childcare play a pivotal role in shaping the life chances of young children. The government has been actively working to break down barriers to opportunity, ensuring that all children have access to high-quality early education.

From April 2024, eligible working parents of 2-year-olds have been able to access 15 hours of childcare support, with plans to extend this to 30 hours for children aged 9 months to 5 years by September 2025.

However, the sector faces significant challenges, particularly in recruiting and retaining qualified educators. To address this, the DfE proposed the introduction of the EBR, allowing experienced practitioners without formal level 3 qualifications to gain recognition for their skills and experience.

This proposal was initially part of a broader consultation on changes to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) held between May and July 2023. Following positive feedback, the DfE launched a technical consultation in April 2024 to refine the details of the EBR.

Consultation Overview

The consultation, which ran from 22 April to 20 May 2024, received 1,159 responses from a wide range of stakeholders, including private, voluntary, and independent (PVI) early years providers, local authorities, parents, and representative organisations.

The majority of respondents supported the introduction of the EBR, with 76% agreeing that early years providers should be responsible for deciding whether a staff member meets the criteria to work in the ratios at level 3 after completing the EBR.

Key Findings and Government Response

The consultation sought views on three main areas: the decision-making model, eligibility criteria, and process requirements for the EBR. Based on the feedback received, the DfE has decided to proceed with all 16 proposals, with two key amendments:

  1. Interim Eligibility Criteria for Providers: Early years providers must have received a “good” or “outstanding” Ofsted judgement in their most recent inspection to offer the EBR to their staff. This requirement will be introduced as an interim measure, with further adjustments expected as Ofsted’s reporting arrangements evolve.
  2. Experience Requirement for Decision-Makers and Supervisors: The person making decisions about a staff member’s EBR status, as well as those supervising the staff member during the EBR, must hold a full and relevant level 3 qualification and have at least two years of experience working in an early years setting. This is an increase from the initially proposed six months.

Eligibility Criteria for Practitioners

To be eligible for the EBR, practitioners must meet the following criteria:

  • Prior Qualifications: Practitioners must hold either a level 2 qualification from the DfE’s list of full and relevant qualifications, or a level 3 or above qualification relevant to the care or education of children (even if it is not on the DfE’s list). The DfE has also clarified that educators with equivalent qualifications gained outside of England will be eligible for the EBR.
  • Minimum Experience: Practitioners must have at least one year of experience working with early years children (aged 0-5) in an early years setting or a related sector in England.

Process Requirements

The EBR will involve several key steps to ensure that practitioners meet the necessary standards:

  1. Initial Assessment: Providers must assess a practitioner’s existing knowledge, skills, and experience against the level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) criteria. Practitioners must meet at least 50% of the criteria to proceed with the EBR.
  2. Supervised Practice: Practitioners must complete between 751 and 900 hours of relevant work and supervised practice. During this period, they will work to meet any remaining criteria, with support from qualified supervisors.
  3. Reassessment: At the end of the supervised practice period, providers must reassess the practitioner’s knowledge, skills, and experience to determine if they meet the level 3 EYE criteria.
  4. Additional Requirements: Practitioners who complete the EBR must also hold a suitable level 2 English qualification and a Paediatric First Aid (PFA) qualification before they can be counted in the staff:child ratios at level 3.

Record-Keeping and Transferability

Providers will be required to keep detailed records of the hours worked by practitioners during the EBR, as well as the outcomes of assessments. These records must be shared with the practitioner for their own records.

However, the EBR status will not be automatically transferable between early years settings. Providers will have discretion to decide whether an incoming staff member who has completed the EBR elsewhere is suitable for their setting.

Limitations on EBR Staff

To maintain the quality of early years provision, the DfE has decided that no more than 50% of staff with EBR status can be counted in the ratios at level 3 at any one time in a particular setting.

This ensures that there is a balance between experienced educators and those with formal qualifications.

Next Steps

The DfE plans to make the necessary changes to the Early Years Qualification Requirements and Standards document and the EYFS framework to bring the EBR into effect.

The changes are expected to come into force in March 2025, with educators completing the EBR able to count in the staff:child ratios at level 3 from September 2025, subject to parliamentary approval.

Conclusion

The introduction of the Experience-Based Route represents a significant step forward in recognising the skills and experience of early years practitioners.

By providing an alternative pathway to qualification, the government aims to support the sector in addressing workforce challenges while maintaining high standards of early years education and care.

The DfE will continue to work with stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of the EBR, with a focus on supporting providers and educators throughout the process.

For more information, you can access the full consultation response on the Department for Education’s website: Experience-based route for early years staff – GOV.UK 

Kathy
Leatherbarrow
Early Years Consultant
Kathy Leatherbarrow is an experienced early years consultant with over 25 years in the field. She excels in improving childcare quality, mentoring staff, and exceeding Ofsted standards. Kathy is committed to providing every child with the best start in life.