Are you looking into a teaching career which involves working with children who are of nursery age or even younger? United Educators provides job opportunities for teaching professionals with qualifications of all levels. We are ready to support you to take the next steps in your teaching career.
Working in the nursery and early years sector is very rewarding if you want to work with young children who are at the very start of their education journey and you aspire to nurture their developing minds.
There are several different roles within this sector which all require varied qualifications. As a jobseeker it is important that you are informed about which role you want to gain qualifications for or if you want to know which role is the right fit based on qualifications you already have. You may find yourself working in independent day care nurseries or school nurseries depending on the kind of job role you are interested in applying for.
When browsing for jobs, you will need to know exactly what each job title means, what the expectations of each role is and what qualifications are required to apply.
A teaching career in the nursery and early years sector offers the following job opportunities:
Nursery Assistant/ Nursery Practitioner
You will be expected to help take care of the children in a nursery as well as maintain a safe and clean learning environment and help to run activities for them. The qualifications expected of this role can vary, as some nurseries will take on unqualified members, and others will require you to have a level 2 qualification. Other nurseries will also allow level 2 apprentices to apply who will be working and earning their qualification while on the job.
Early Years Practitioner/ Early Years Senior Practitioner
Similar to the nursery practitioner role, you will perform some of the same duties. However, there will be an added leadership aspect to the role which involves supervising other staff in the nursery as well as being more responsible for monitoring and developing the progress of the nursery children. You will need to have both a level 2 and level 3 qualification for this kind of a role in order to stand the best chance of being considered.
Nursery Manager
This role is another leadership role, however it involves you having to oversee the nursery’s management as well as be informed about the development of the children there. You will be responsible for recruiting nursery staff who all fit a high standard, manage the budget and safety protocols, as well as make sure that parents are aware of their child’s development and that a stimulating learning environment exists in the nursery.
Early Years Teacher
You will be responsible for creating all the lesson plans and leading the main activities on a daily basis. You will be supporting other members of the nursery, as well as working closely with and monitoring the progress of the children. You will also be the main point of contact for parents and communicate any issues that arise and update them about their progress. This role will require you to have Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS), either through having completed an undergraduate degree in Early Years or the relevant postgraduate training if you already hold a degree in a different subject.
If you are interested in a career in nursery and early years and would like to find out more, visit our Contact Us page to register your interest. Our team will get in touch and guide you towards being placed in the right nursery job for you.
