IN a special ceremony at County Hall in Truro, certificates were presented to the first trainees in Cornwall to gain early years qualified teacher status.
Among those receiving their School Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT) awards were Jackie Nurse, who trained at Troon, and Rachel Aston, Milly Matthews, Fiona Townrow and Gina Pearman, who all trained in Truro.
There is an established SCITT for those wishing to become secondary teachers but this is the first cohort of trainees in Cornwall to qualify as Early Years practitioners.
30 graduates from some 26 primary and infant schools throughout Cornwall took part in the comprehensive training package for aspirant teachers which uses the experience of staff within the schools themselves.
The success of the programme has been welcomed by Cornwall Local Education Authority, which manages the scheme. It says it is committed to encouraging the highest calibre of qualified teachers into its schools.
"This programme enables us to greatly strengthen the provision of expert teachers aged three to seven across the authority," said Nick Hart, acting director of Cornwall centre for educational development.
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