Early years initial teaching training is to be inspected for the first time by Ofsted from April.
Organisations that provide training for those working with children up to five years of age will come under scrutiny in a bid to help raise standards in nurseries and early years settings.
Ofsted already inspects initial teacher training in the primary, secondary, and further education phases, and now early years will be as well.
Inspectors will check on the quality of training and the trainees teaching in the summer term before returning in the autumn to see how well early years teachers were prepared by their training in the workplace.
Ofsted’s National Director for Initial Teacher Education, Jo Morgan, said: “Early years teachers have a very important role.
“They help to create a culture in which young children can learn through play, and begin to get used to a structured day. This means they will be more ready to learn when they begin primary school.
“As Ofsted’s early years annual report identified, young children’s progress depends on the quality of early education and childcare they receive.
“It is crucial then that early years teacher training is of the highest quality possible. I am confident that these inspections will help to enhance the quality of training for early years teachers. In turn this will help ensure young children get the best start in life.”
Early years teacher status was created in September 2013 and teachers are graduates who provide leadership in nurseries and a range of other early years settings.
They have to meet the same entry requirements as those applying to become primary school teachers.
There are about 40 accredited providers of qualified teacher status providing early years initial teacher training.
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