Working in a nursery
Working in a nursery
If you would like to work with children aged from birth to 5 years, a career in a nursery could be the right choice.
There are lots of different opportunities available working with babies, toddlers and pre-school, watching them grow, supporting them in their learnings and providing an exciting and stimulating environment.
Nurseries can range in size and generally operate between 8.00am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, and are open all year round. Most have separate rooms or areas for groups of babies, toddlers and pre-school children. They may be operating as a private business, a voluntary or community organisation or be a nursery school or linked to a school.
Children attend nurseries for a variety of reasons including:
- to gain educational experiences with the emphasis on learning through play
- to develop skills and confidence prior to starting school
- to have opportunities to socialise and make friends
Working in a nursery provides you with the opportunity to:
- contribute to a child’s learning and development
- provide a valuable service for your local community
- develop new knowledge and skills
As an entry point into the Early Years Workforce, you could work as a Trainee or Apprentice Nursery Assistant without having a childcare qualification. However, you'll need to have the desire and academic ability to undertake on the job training to achieve a minimum level 2 qualification.
There are good opportunities for promotion, and with further qualifications and training you can progress to being a level 3 Early Years Educator, Room Leader, Deputy Manager or Manager.
