What is the work like?
As a nursery nurse, you would work with children from birth to
around seven years of age, helping them to develop and learn. You
would work in settings such as local authority or privately owned
nurseries,
Sure
Start Children's Centres and nursery or infant schools. In
some jobs you could be known as a nursery practitioner.
Your day-to-day tasks would include:
- planning and supervising activities such arts and crafts,
music and cooking
- helping children to learn number skills through activities
like counting games
- reading stories and providing other activities to develop
language skills
- taking children on outings
- helping children to learn skills such as dressing and using
cutlery
- feeding, bathing and changing babies
- observing children and writing reports on their progress
- being aware of health and safety and making sure children are
safe
- sharing information on childrens' development with their
parents
- reporting any concerns such as signs of abuse.
You could specialise in working with children with physical
disabilities, learning difficulties or mental health problems.
What qualifications and experience will employers look for?
You do not always need academic qualifications to start training
as a nursery nurse. However, course providers and employers may
prefer you to have a good general standard of education, possibly
including three or four GCSEs (A-C) or similar qualifications.
Before you can begin working with children you will need
CRB (Criminal
Records Bureau) clearance. See the
Independent Safeguarding
Authority (ISA) website for information on the new Vetting and
Barring Scheme, which will be phased in over a five year period
from July 2010.
Nursery Assistant
You could begin your career by working under supervision as a
nursery assistant. Courses and qualifications that can help you
prepare for work as a nursery assistant include:
- CACHE Level 2 Certificate in Child Care and
Education
- City & Guilds, CACHE or BTEC Certificate in
Children's Care, Learning and Development
- NVQ Level 2 in Children's Care, Learning and Development
– you may need to arrange a relevant work placement.
Nursery Nurse
To begin work as a nursery nurse, you will need a level 3
qualification such as:
- CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Child Care and Education
- BTEC National Diploma in Children's Care, Learning and
Development
- NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development
– you may need to arrange a relevant work placement.
Courses are available both full- and part-time. Entry
requirements can vary, so you should check with colleges for exact
details.
You may be able to find work in a nursery as a trainee and
attend college part-time to work towards NVQs in Children's
Care, Learning and Development.
You may also be able to get into nursery work through an
Apprenticeship scheme. The range of Apprenticeships available in
your area will depend on the local jobs market and the types of
skills employers need from their workers. For more information on
Apprenticeships, visit
www.apprenticeships.org.uk.
What further training and development can I do?
Once you are working as a nursery nurse you can develop your
career by completing further qualifications, including:
- CACHE Level 3 Certificate of Professional Development (CPD)
in Work with Children and Young People
- BTEC HNC/HND in subjects such as Advanced Practice in Work
with Children and Families, or Early Childhood Studies
- a degree or foundation degree in, for example, Early Years or
Early Childhood Studies.
If you have a level 3 qualification and want to transfer your
skills to playwork, you can complete the Level 3 Award in Playwork
for Early Years and Childcare Workers. This is known as a
'transitional qualification' and is awarded by CACHE, City
& Guilds and Edexcel.
If you have management or supervisory responsibilities, you can
work towards qualifications like NVQ Level 4 in Children's
Care, Learning and Development or the Open University Level 4
Certificate in Early Years Practice.
Early Years Professional Status (EYPS)
The government aims to have early years
professionals in all children's daycare centres in the private,
voluntary and independent sectors by 2010. With experience,
qualifications and support from your employer (or local training
provider) you may be able to work towards EYP status.
There are four pathways to achieving EYPS. The route available
to you will depend on your qualifications and the amount of
experience you have of working with children up to the age of 5.
With EYPS, you would support and mentor other practitioners to help
improve the quality of early years practice. For more information,
see the
Children's
Workforce Development Council website.
Where can I go for more information?
http://www.edexcel.com
Tel: 020 7294 2800
http://www.cityandguilds.com
http://www.ndna.org.uk
Beaufort House
Grosvenor Road
St. Albans
Hertfordshire
AL1 3AW
Tel: 0845 347 2123
http://www.cache.org.uk
3rd Floor
Friends Provident House
13-14 South Parade
Leeds
LS1 5QS
Tel: 0113 244 6311
http://www.cwdcouncil.org.uk
If you would like to discuss your career options with a learning
adviser, call
0800 100 900 or
use our online
enquiry form
Alternatively, you can visit our website at:
www.direct.gov.uk/careersadvice
What salary and other benefits can I expect?
- The starting salary for junior or trainee nursery nurses can
be between £9,000 and £11,500 a year, depending on
age.
- Qualified and experienced nursery nurses can earn between
£14,000 and £18,000, depending on
responsibilities.
- Nursery managers can earn between £25,000 and
£38,000.
Figures are intended as a guideline only.
What are the hours and working conditions?
Your working hours would usually include shifts covering early
starts and late finishes to meet the needs of parents.
Working in a nursery can be physically demanding and noisy.
What skills and knowledge will I need?
- a warm, caring and patient nature
- good communication skills
- a sense of responsibility
- a consistent and fair approach
- a sense of humour
- creativity
- an awareness of safety and hygiene
- the ability to work in a team.
What opportunities are there?
Vacancies are advertised in the national and local press,
through specialist agencies' websites, and in publications such
as
Nursery
World.
You could also choose to work as a nanny or maternity nanny.
As an experienced nursery nurse you could progress to room
leader/senior nursery nurse, nursery officer or manager.
You could also become a community nursery nurse, or complete
further training to move into related areas of work, such as
nursing, teaching or social work.
