Nursery worker

Nursery workers take care of children in their early years. You could be working with children between the ages of six weeks to five years old, before they start school.

Also known as:

Childcare worker
Nursery assistant
Nursery nurse
Playgroup assistant
Pre-school assistant

Work activities

The word “nursery” covers a wide range of group settings for early years childcare. There are differences between settings, in terms of the services they provide, but all nursery settings offer professional, registered childcare for children under 5. You might be working with children in:

A nursery school – a maintained nursery or pre-school. You will be working with children aged between 3 and 5, offering early education in the couple of years before they begin primary school. The nursery may be housed within a primary school or may be a purpose-built smaller unit.
A playgroup that offers care and education to children aged 2 to 5 years, with sessions lasting from two to four hours during the morning or afternoon. Playgroups are usually term-time only.
A day nursery that provides childcare for children from the ages of six weeks to 5 years while their parents are at work. Day nurseries tend to be organised around the ages of children and will often be split into rooms for children of different ages. Each room will have a lead staff member, and the staff team will tend to remain with the same children.

Nursery schools and day nurseries can be run by private businesses, local authorities, voluntary or community groups, schools, colleges or employers. They vary in size from just 15 or so children in the nursery to larger establishments with up to 150 children.

Nursery workers will:

Feed and change babies.
Plan and supervise activities like arts and crafts, music and cooking.
Help children to learn numeracy and language skills through games.
Take part in singing and storytelling.
Take children on outings.
Make sure children are safe and well.

Your daily routine will vary depending on where you are working but might include:

Greeting parents and welcoming children into the nursery and helping them to settle.
Organising, leading and taking part in activities.
Clearing away after activities and meals.
Ensuring that children play safely.
Providing meals and snacks and helping children to eat.
Helping children to wash and go to the toilet.
Completing reports and paperwork.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Personal qualities and skills

You'll need:

A sense of fun.
Energy.
Imagination.
Empathy, sensitivity and understanding.
Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations.
To be flexible and open to change.

You will need to be:

An active listener and a good communicator.
Transparent and trustworthy.
Observant.
Inclusive.
Committed and motivated, professional.
Able to work as part of a team.

One thing you need to consider is that each child is unique and so you will be dealing with different kinds of behaviours, needs, and wants. A huge amount of patience and understanding is required for someone who wishes to enter the early years as a career.

Pay and opportunities

Pay rates for vary throughout the country. However, pay tends to start at £14,500 and rise to around £23,000. Your salary will depend on the exact nature of the role. You may also earn an hourly wage.

Where are vacancies advertised?

Vacancies are advertised in local newspapers, on job boards, on the Government’s Find a Job and Find an Apprenticeship services. Job boards, such as Childcare Jobs, also list relevant job vacancies.

Entry routes and training

You might start out as a student or nursery assistant whilst you work towards your qualification. Many nurseries offer the opportunity to complete a level 2 (intermediate) apprenticeship in the role of early years practitioner and this can be a great first step.

When you start work at a nursery your training will include information about emergency procedures, safeguarding, child protection, the nursery's equal opportunities policy, and health and safety issues.

Qualifications

There is no formal academic entry requirement, although you will usually be expected to work towards a relevant qualification. Each nursery setting must have a certain proportion of qualified staff. You might study for qualifications from the Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE) for example:

CACHE diploma in childcare and education.
BTEC National diploma in children’s play, learning and development.

Entry requirements for these courses vary from college to college. Most prefer 5 GCSEs including English and maths at grades 9-4. Some colleges also set a written entrance test.

If you wish to enter this career through an intermediate apprenticeship, you will need GCSEs in English and maths, although you may be able to complete these alongside your programme.

Adult opportunities

Age limits: It is illegal for any organisation to set age limits for entry to employment, education or training, unless they can show there is a real need to have these limits.

Skills and abilities gained in childcare are an advantage and can enable you to complete a recognised training course in less than the usual time. Colleges usually consider adult candidates who don’t have the regular entry requirements. Check the admissions policy of the college that runs the course you’re interested in. Some diploma courses are organised on a flexible basis at local colleges. Others are available on a part-time basis. The Council for Awards in Care, Health and Education (CACHE) offers a suite of relevant childcare courses, which can be studied on a full-time, part-time, weekend, work-based or open learning basis. A list of training providers is available from the CACHE website. Edexcel offers relevant BTEC qualifications, available at some colleges by part-time study.

Related careers

Care assistant – children
Childminder
Early years teacher
Nurse - children
Parents’ help
Playworker
Primary teacher
Teaching assistant