Nursery Qualifications UK: Complete Guide | Love Childcare
I get some version of this question most weeks, from school leavers weighing up options, career changers wondering if childcare is right for them, and practitioners already in the sector who aren't sure what their next qualification should be or what qualification would set them up best for their preferred career development.
Level 2, Level 3, EYTS, QTS, apprenticeships, degree routes, the experience-based route, there are a lot of options and it can cause confusion!
This guide breaks it down as simply as I can. It also covers something we get asked about constantly and that rarely gets a straight answer: what English and maths qualifications you need if you want to move into management.
Why Qualifications Matter in Nursery Work
Working in early years isn't just a job, it's a highly regulated profession and doesn’t always receive the respect and recognition it deserves. The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets out staff-to-child ratios and your qualification level determines where you sit within those ratios and what you're allowed to do unsupervised.
The higher your qualification, the more autonomy you have, the greater your responsibility, and, generally, the better your pay. A few things worth knowing from the outset:
- Anyone gaining a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification since 30 June 2016 must also achieve a Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate within three months of starting, renewed every three years, to count in ratio
- Since September 2014, Level 3 staff need a suitable Level 2 English qualification to count as Level 3 in ratio
- Managers appointed on or after 4 January 2024 must hold, or achieve within two years of starting, a Level 2 maths qualification. More on this below…
Level 2: Your Starting Point
A Level 2 qualification in childcare, such as the Level 2 Certificate or Diploma in Childcare and Education, is where most practitioners begin. It qualifies you to work directly with children in a supervised capacity, typically as a nursery assistant.
To count in ratio, your qualification needs to be on the DfE's Early Years Qualifications List as full and relevant. Most accredited Level 2 childcare courses meet this, but it's worth checking on the government's Check an Early Years Qualification service before you enrol, especially with a provider you don't recognise.
- Typical roles: Nursery Assistant, Playworker, Childcare Apprentice
- Typical salary: £22,000-£26,000, depending on your age, region, and setting
- Where can you do it? Some theory units can be completed remotely, but you'll need supervised practical placement hours in a setting to complete
Level 3: The Qualification That Opens Most Doors
Level 3 is where things open up. A Level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) qualification, NVQ Level 3, or CACHE Level 3, is the standard required to work unsupervised with children and count in ratios within an Early Years role. You'll also need a suitable GCSE English or Level 2 English qualification alongside it, so it's worth getting this sorted early if you don't already have it.
Most roles require Level 3 as a minimum, so if you're serious about a long-term career in early years, Level 3 is an absolute most.
- Typical roles: Early Years Educator, Senior Practitioner, Room Leader
- Typical salary: £24,000-£28,000 for entry-level roles, with £28,000-£35,000 for experienced practitioner and room leader roles, depending on your region and setting
- Routes to Level 3: college courses, apprenticeships, distance learning providers, in-work training, or the experience-based route below
WARNING: Check Before You Enrol - Is Your Qualification Actually 'Full and Relevant'?
I need to flag this because I've had the conversation more times than I'd like, usually after the fact rather than before. Someone completes a course, sometimes a year or more of study, assumes it counts them at Level 2 or Level 3 in ratio, only to find out upon completion - often when checked during screening or onboarding - that it isn't approved. It is a truly awful position to be in and it can be avoidable.
'Full and relevant' isn't a quality judgement, it's a specific Department for Education (DfE) status. It means the qualification has been formally assessed against the DfE's early years qualifications criteria and appears on the Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL). A course can be well taught and genuinely useful and still not be full and relevant, either because it never went through DfE approval, or because it was approved under criteria that later changed. The Level 3 criteria was updated in September 2024, for example, and older courses weren't automatically carried over.
This isn't rare and it isn't always obvious. Providers advertise childcare qualifications that sound right, that assessors will happily take your money for, but simply aren't on the list.
Before you enrol in anything:
- Check the qualification against the DfE's Early Years Qualifications List, or use the Check an Early Years Qualification digital service, rather than relying on the training provider's word that it's approved
- Ask the provider directly for their DfE approval reference and the date it was assessed, then verify that reference yourself
- If you're taking a Level 3 or above, check it's approved under the current criteria (post-September 2024), not an older version that may no longer count
- If you already hold a qualification and you're not sure about it, ask your current or prospective employer to check it, most nursery teams will do this for you and it's a completely normal thing to ask
- If your qualification was achieved outside of the UK, you’ll need to check equivalency separately and will likely have to apply for a Statement of Comparability through ENIC, as these don't automatically convert.
Apprenticeships: Earning While You Learn
Apprenticeships remain one of the most popular routes into nursery work. You can earn a wage, gain hands-on experience, and come out the other side with a recognised qualification. There are three main routes worth knowing about:
- Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship - for those starting out with no prior childcare qualifications
- Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship - for those with Level 2 who want to progress
- Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship (EYTDA) - a three-year, degree-level programme for Level 3-qualified practitioners with the right GCSEs, leading to a degree and EYTS
One genuinely useful change: since 11 February 2025, apprentices aged 19 and over are no longer required to pass separate Level 2 English and maths qualifications to complete their apprenticeship. Competency is now assessed as part of the apprenticeship itself. This has removed a real barrier for experienced practitioners who struggled with formal exams.
It's worth being clear, though - this is a change to apprenticeship completion rules, not to EYFS ratio requirements. You'll still need a suitable Level 2 English qualification to count as Level 3 in ratio, and managers still need Level 2 maths (see below), and apprentices aged 16–18 still need to pass Level 2 functional skills to complete their apprenticeship.
EYTS: The Graduate Route into Early Years Teaching
Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) is a Level 6 qualification that lets you work as an early years teacher in private nurseries, academy nursery classes, and independent schools. It's the nursery equivalent of Qualified Teacher Status (QTS), though it doesn't let you teach reception classes in maintained schools, where QTS is required.
EYTS holders count as Level 6 staff in the 1:13 ratio for children aged three and over, the same as QTS holders, which makes them valuable to any setting.
- Typical roles: Early Years Teacher, Senior Room Leader, SENCO, Nursery Deputy Manager
- Typical salary: £28,000-£36,000, widely varied due to types of roles and dependent on setting and location
- Routes to EYTS: School Direct (Early Years), PGCE Early Years, Early Years Teacher Degree Apprenticeship
QTS and the Degree Route
QTS is the standard required to teach in maintained (state) schools, including reception classes. If you want to work specifically in a primary school setting with Foundation Stage children, QTS is the route to pursue, typically via a Bachelor of Education (BEd) or a PGCE following an undergraduate degree.
QTS holders also count as Level 6 staff in private nursery settings, so this route keeps every door open, though it's a longer and more expensive path than the vocational routes above.
English and Maths Qualifications for Management Roles
If you're appointed to a nursery manager role on or after 4 January 2024, you must hold an approved Level 2 maths qualification (GCSE grade 4/C, Key Skills, O-Level, or equivalent) - or achieve this within two years of starting the role. This only applies to new appointments and promotions, so if you were already a manager before that date and haven't moved roles since, you're not affected.
It sits alongside the Level 2 English requirement that should already be in place from your Level 3 EYE qualification, so by the time most people reach management they've already cleared the English bar. Maths is often the one still outstanding, particularly for practitioners who came through vocational routes some years ago.
A few practical points worth knowing:
- The maths requirement applies to the manager role specifically, not to deputy managers, though many providers now expect deputies to have it too, given they're the natural next step into management
- The February 2025 apprenticeship funding change (above) does not remove this requirement - it only affects how apprentices demonstrate English and maths to complete their apprenticeship, not what EYFS requires for the manager role or for Level 3 ratios
- If you're eyeing up a manager role and don't yet have Level 2 maths, start now rather than waiting for an offer. Most providers will want to see it in progress at application stage, even with the two-year grace period.
Which Route is Right for You?
- School leaver with no qualifications: Level 2 apprenticeship or college course, then Level 3
- Career changer from another sector: Level 3 course (college or distance learning). If your financial situation allows, you could also consider an apprenticeship
- Experienced practitioner without a full and relevant Level 3: look at the experience-based route, or a recognised Level 3 EYE qualification
- Practitioner wanting to progress to management: Level 3 is essential! Get your Level 2 English and maths sorted early, then Level 4/5 management qualifications
- Ambitious practitioner wanting a graduate-level career: EYTS via EYTDA or PGCE, or QTS for maintained school settings
What does each qualification mean for your pay?
- Level 2 Nursery Assistant: £22,000-£26,000
- Level 3 Early Years Educator: £24,000-£32,000
- Room Leader: £28,000-£35,000
- Deputy Nursery Manager: £28,000-£34,000
- Nursery Manager: £30,000-£36,000 nationally, £36,000-£42,000 in London, £45,000+ in large group or commercial settings
- Area Manager / Regional Operations: £45,000–£55,000+, up to £65,000+ for larger portfolios
These are guides rather than guarantees. As with most things in this sector, pay is heavily influenced by setting size, occupancy, location, and the scope of responsibility that comes with the role.
Ready to take the next step?
Browse our current early years roles or get in touch with our team! We work with nursery employers across the UK every day and we're always happy to talk through where you are now and where you could get to.
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Steve Brennan, Recruitment Director, Love Childcare Recruitment
