Issue 17: June 2025
- Matthew K, Northall
- Jun 23
- 5 min read
Newsletter
Issue 17 - June 2025
Dear all,
Thank you to those who came along to the Professionalisation and Workforce (PAWs) drop at the start of the month. It was lovely to see so many people there, a true sign that we are all committed to delivering the best degrees possible, even at the end (or near end) of a long academic year!
Thank you to colleagues at Anglia Ruskin for presenting how they incorporate the Graduate Practitioner Competences (GPCs) and for opening up a discussion of how GPCs and placements more broadly are incorporated into our degrees. It was great to have such an engaging conversation and the PAWs group will be taking that forward into their review of the GPCs next academic year.
Just a reminder that there are case studies on the PAWs webpage: Professionalism and Workforce... | ECSDN of how others are embedding the GPCs. Over the summer we will be working with the other subgroups to also get some examples of graduates onto the pages.
All the best
Sam and Verity
The First Curious Minds Blog By The Graduands of Liverpool Hope University
Congratulations go out to the Graduands of Liverpool Hope University as they are the first students to post to Curious Minds.
To view the blog on the ECSDN website, please click on the link below;
ECSDN and DfE Discuss Level 5 And 6 Qualifications
On 29th May Tanya met with the DfE to discuss level 5 and 6 qualifications.
It was a very useful meeting and allowed us, as a network, to voice our concerns around the future of the graduate workforce and offer support with their future thinking. All of the DfE team are fairly new to post so it was a good opportunity to tell them all about the Graduate Practitioner Competencies, although it was pleasing to hear that they had heard of them and knew something about them.
They encouraged us, as a network, to continue to lobby them and they are very keen to keep the lines of communication open so that we can discuss future direction. They stated that something was in the pipeline and they would be able to talk to us more about that in the forthcoming months.
We will keep you posted.
Volunteers Needed for the ECSDN Awards
A big 'Thankyou' to those Members who have already contacted us about volunteering for the upcoming ECSDN Awards which are being held on Friday 23rd January 2026. We are still actively looking to recruit a few more of you to be on the Working Party and/or join the Judging Panel.
If you are interested in helping with this celebration of the very best early childhood research, pedagogy and practice available please complete the google form below, further details will be sent to you at a later date.
Awards Volunteers Jan 2026 - Google Forms
If you are unable to access the form, please email Jo at josteele@ecsdn.org
Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network: Student Publishing Opportunity - 14th Call for Student Papers
Deadline for submission: Thursday 3rd July at 4pm. No papers will be accepted after this time.
Please note: We ask the student’s tutor to act as first reviewer by reviewing and selecting only one suitable paper per institution. All papers to be submitted by tutor with student copied in.
The requirements for the student publications are as follows:
· Level 4 Reflection on aspect of practice/ role of the student practitioner: Word limit 1000-1500
· Level 5 View or commentary on a contemporary issue: Word limit 2000 – 2500
· Level 6 Report on leading practice underpinned by research or a reflection on the author’s own research: Word limit 3000 – 3500
· Level 7 Report on author’s recent or current research findings: Word limit 4000 - 4500
Criteria for selection:
· Relevance of topic or theme in the context of Early Childhood Studies
· Use of appropriate sources from literature
· Satisfactory quality of academic writing.
· For Master’s level submission the work must be based on a small piece of original research (documentary evidence or original data). The submission must include a brief justification of research methodology used.
· Tutors must confirm with the selection committee that they have approved the submission by signing the application and sending the submission from their university email account.
Guidance for submitting papers
Please visit the following page for guidance on submitting paper and to access our digital application form:
The Graduate Practitioner Competencies Evidence /Excellence Framework
The piece of work around auditing the competencies is well underway, and this will involve members wishing to deliver the Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies (ECGPC) signing up to a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), as well as engaging in the quality assurance process.
There are 3 elements to the process.
· First of all, any HEI delivering the competencies will be sent the MoU to confirm their participation and agreement to engage in the quality assurance process.
· The next step is for HEIs to complete the Quality Monitoring self-assessment form.
· Finally, make a date for presenting your evidence to the nominated reviewer.
The purpose of the MoU is to confirm that the institution agrees to meet and the maintain the ECGPC standards as set out by the ECSDN (Competencies – The Early Childhood Studies Degrees Network (www.ecsdn.org). HEIs are free to meet the relevant expectations effectively through their own management and organisational processes, taking account of the unique needs, traditions, culture and decision-making processes of their organisation.
The purpose of the Quality Monitoring Self-Assessment Audit is to give your faculty and the University, an overview of the ECSDN Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies (ECGPC). The document reflects the Memorandum of Understanding and demonstrates how well the provider is meeting the relevant ECGPC expectations effectively through their own management and organisational processes.
QA reviews will take place every 3 years evaluate the overall quality and maintain standards of provision in line with the principles and requirements of the ECSDN.
This is a supportive process; the self-assessment tool is available to centres to enable you to evaluate your offer and to prepare in good time for the QA review.
Vacancy: External Examiner, University of Gloucestershire
We are seeking to appoint an external examiner for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies course at the University of Gloucestershire to start from September 2025 for a term of four years. Our ECS course is a three-year course, which also offers a Level 6 Entry route. Graduate Practitioner Status is offered as a separate award, but the competencies are fully integrated throughout our degree programme.
Examining duties include moderation of coursework samples, attendance at biannual exam boards (February/June) and the completion of an annual report.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please send an expression of interest together with your CV to Dr Michelle Ward, Co-Course Leader at michelleward@glos.ac.uk
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