Careers lead to degrees… as well as the other way round

It was never too late for a specialist in early years development to top-up her career with a degree, as Pat Edmond has shown at the University of Teesside.

She brought nearly 30 years’ experience in childcare - a field that fairly recently became a degree subject - into her work for the BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies, and she found professional and personal satisfaction in doing it.

Pat, who lives in Scarborough, is an Early Years Childcare Inspector with Ofsted, and reports on childcare services throughout the North. She began as a nursery nurse and has worked for private families, voluntary organisations, the health service, a local authority, and brought up two children of her own. Resuming her studies in 1997 she gained a certificate, diploma and other credits before embarking on Teesside’s pioneering BA course. She has now graduated and won the Alan Parker Memorial Prize for her work.

She said: ‘When Ofsted decided to support staff in working towards an Early Years degree, I was first in line! Wow …a degree! The top-up route at Teesside was ideal. They accepted that my previous study and work-based learning fulfilled the entry requirements.’

Her dissertation, about public policy and practice in outdoor play and learning, drew on her experience in work and family life. It examined the various frameworks used by inspectors for reporting and making recommendations on this activity.

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Details of our BA (Hons) Early Childhood Studies