Early years foundation degrees: improving social mobility and promoting children’s outcomes through the professionalism of the workforce or a tokenistic substitute for proper education

ABSTRACT

The foundation degree was introduced by David Blunkett in England in the year 2000 to widen participation and raise the skill level of the labour market. Foundation degrees have had some successes in widening participation as they are usually vocation based and appeal to the non-typical student. However, the outlook for the foundation degree is uncertain as student numbers on foundation degrees are at their lowest whilst the number of students in higher education is at its highest; thus, demonstrating that the foundation degree’s appeal is reducing. The foundation degree had an additional aim in the early years sector to contribute to the professionalisation of the early years workforce. Nonetheless, recent policy development has diluted earlier aspirations for a professionalised early years workforce with failures to recognise the senior practitioner role or provide appropriate levels of funding. This has resulted in a significant pay disparity for students who complete foundation degrees in the early years when compared to typical graduate salaries. This paper presents findings about the differences in pay for participants from one cohort of students who have recently completed a foundation degree. This study contributes to the literature that is available as it presents findings that identify why this higher education impacts on pay in the early years sector for some students, which mostly relates to changes in professional roles and responsibilities opposed to recognition of the qualification in the sector.

KEYWORDS:

• Early years foundation degree
• senior early years practitioner
• widening participation
• social mobility
• pay
• early years sector

Acknowledgments

The author would like to thank the participants for taking the time to participate in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amanda Vardy

Amanda Vardy is a lecturer in the School of Health, Children and Care Professions at the University Centre at Stockport College and across the Trafford College Group. She is interested in education inequalities from the early years to higher education. Recent research has focused heavily on the Widening Participation Agenda and the Impact that this has on social mobility. Her previous profession was in the Early Years Sector where she worked primarily with children accessing funded early learning and children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Her qualifications include an Early Years FdA, a BA (hons) Childhood Studies and an MA in Educational Practice. In addition, Amanda is a doctoral student and her research is focused on how much of a child’s future, in relation to learning and social mobility, is determined at birth