Nursery Career FAQs

You may be able to work in a nursery without a specific Early Years qualification if you have previous childcare experience, but most daycare facilities will require you to have at least a relevant Level 2 or Level 3 qualification. At Seymour House nurseries we require a Level 3 for all qualified roles.

If you don’t have a childcare qualification, another option is a nursery apprenticeship. Apprenticeships allow you to work in a nursery while studying and receiving training to gain either a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner or Level 3 Early Years Education qualification. Again, at Seymour House, all our nursery apprentices receive a Level 3 qualification.

A childcare nursery will have several different job roles and each position will have specific responsibilities and requirements. At Seymour House, each of our nurseries is managed by a Nursery Manager and a Head of Early Years Practice. The team they work with is made up of Early Years Educators and Apprentices, a Nursery Food Champion and Nursery Housekeepers.

For details, read more about our nursery jobs or search our latest vacancies.

Whilst a nursery practitioner plays a crucial role in the early stages of learning for children aged 0-5, they do not usually have Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), which is the requirement to be a teacher. The focus of a nursery practitioner covers a broader range of areas including a child’s physical care, social and cognitive development and overall wellbeing.

At Seymour House delivering outstanding early education is a big part of what we do. Consequently, we call our team members Early Years Educators. We offer Early Years Initial Teacher Training, so team members with a relevant degree can take this one-year course to achieve Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS).

Working under the supervision of a qualified nursery nurse or nursery teacher, a nursery assistant plays a crucial role in laying the foundation for young children’s development and well-being. They help with basic childcare needs, supervising play and promoting wellbeing, as well as assisting with specific learning activities and encouraging development.

A nursery assistant job is an excellent way to begin a career in childcare.

There are no mandatory qualifications to become a nursery assistant in the UK, so the actual requirements will depend on the employer. Some may accept candidates with a Level 2 qualification in childcare whilst others may require a Level 3 qualification, equivalent to A-levels.

A nursery assistant at Seymour House is an apprenticeship opportunity, so candidates need GCSEs in English and Maths to work for us whilst working towards their Level 3 qualification.

There are many soft skills that also help with becoming a nursery assistant. These include a genuine passion to work with young children, the ability to work well in a team, good communication and interpersonal skills, patience, empathy and a caring nature. Previous experience working with young children is always a bonus.

You will find that the job titles used for working in a nursery will vary across different work places. At Seymour House a nursery assistant is an Apprentice Early Years Educator and a nursery nurse is an Early Years Educator.

All childcare job roles are important in caring for young children, but due to the formal training and experience that an Early Years Educator has, the job usually involves a broader scope of responsibilities. A nursery assistant, or apprentice, will often support and be supervised by the nursery nurse or Early Years Educator.

In a nursery school environment, a teaching assistant will have additional responsibilities that go beyond the routine care and supervision of children under 5.

A nursery teaching assistant will help with delivering early years education in line with the nursery’s own curriculum. Providing education is part of daily life at Seymour House nurseries and is part of the job for all our Early Years Educators. For those with a relevant degree, there is also the opportunity to achieve Early Years Teacher Status through postgraduate training.

Yes, a childcare and education qualification will be required to work in a nursery teaching job. The actual qualifications needed will depend on the requirements of the nursery and the responsibilities of the position. At Seymour House nurseries our team members are called Early Years Educators. In this role you not only nurture and care for the children, you are also involved in teaching our exciting 5Cs curriculum, ensuring each child at our nursery has the skills needed ready to start primary school. For this nursery job you need a minimum Level 3 qualification in Childcare and Education.

Read more about starting your early years career.

For graduates we also have opportunities for Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT). Through this programme you can achieve Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) whilst working full time in one of our nurseries.

Find out more about our Early Years Initial Teacher Training (EYITT) jobs.

How much a nursery pays its staff will depend on a number of factors. These can include the type of nursery (ie. private or public), the job role and responsibilities, your level of experience, and the location.

When looking at salaries, it is also important to consider the additional support and career development opportunities that an employer may provide.

Yes, nursery workers are currently in high demand, particularly qualified nursery staff. This is due to a number of factors, including rising birth rates resulting in more children needing daycare places and recent government incentives encouraging families to send their children to nursery.

Working in childcare and early education can be an extremely rewarding career.

As an Early Years Educator at Seymour House you get to work with young children in an exciting environment where you will receive encouragement and support as well as opportunities for ongoing career development and training.