Hope this is the right place to post

[LucyJones]

I'd like to get a job in a playgroup, preschool or nursery and study to get a childcare nvq
any good places to look?
I've looked at nursery websites and they all seem to advertise for nursery nurses rather than nursery assistants
is it easy to get placements?

If you are quite young (in your teens/early 20's) then it may be worth you doing a full-time course at college. As part of the course you will get placements in various childcare types (playgroup, nursery, reception class at school, with a childminder)
Aim to get on a Cache Diploma - Level 3 course, so skipping Level 2.

To get an unpaid job in a playgroup, just ask the playgroup leader/management committee. Community groups are often after help.

Sadly i'm not young, I'm 35 with two kids
so it's hard to get a paid job at a preschool, playgroup then? Or nursery without the qualufaication?

Pay for unqualified will be very low, if there is a job available.

Some nurseries may like the idea of having someone older... though many staff in a training position are likely to be 17/18years old.

Have you tried talking with your local Early Years Team at your county/borough council? They may be able to help give you an idea of what courses you could do, what funding may be available, and what childcare settings are looking for trainees.

I live in Surrey... if you by chance also live in Surrey, then there is further information here about working with children.

Hi Lucy. If you use the Job Seekers direct website to search for jobs in your area as a trainee nursery nurse. This is the time of year when Nurseries are looking for people wishing to train as a nursery nurse. The pay is very low and it's like being an apprentice on the job.
Other than that, maybe apply for some jobs local to you an say you have raised your own children and are looking to retrain into nursery work. Some may accept you as you have ample experience. Not all people working in a nursery are qualified, though a percentage must be.
Good luck. xx

I must be being thick because I've searched trainee nursery nurses in Kent and all I come up with is nursery nurses wanted with previous experience and at least an nvq3!!
Thanks though !

Shame you aren't in Norfolk I have a near perfect job going atm

Ponders moving to Norfolk

I'd happily do lunch time cover or breakfast club or whatecver

I'm wondering if these things are only advertised inhouse

like school jobs - I'm sure most of the support staff are parents

8-1 4 mornings a week
Free lunch, free school age childcare, subsidised Early Years childcare

so where do you advertise your vacancies?

Job centre, council website, po windows

Sigh

It's very hard work recruiting - my least favourite task ever

Lucy - I had this problem. Every nursery I approached would only have trainees under 24 because of funding.

I did have one playgroup say that I could volunteer and after 6mths they might train me, but I needed to be earning money.

There are supposed to be adult apprenticeships available now, but they are very few and far between. I never found one, and I looked for ages.

Have got a job on a children's ward now, so i'm hoping that will lead to some sort of training.

Good luck.

I on the other hand, would rather someone with a bit of life experience

An understanding that:
~work is every day not just when you feel 'up to it'
~a shift is the length it is for a reason - you can't 'just' start late or finish 'early'
~you need to want to work with children - they can tell if you are bored
~sometimes you have to do stuff that wasn't on the job description

Actually I don't think I want to be a boss anymore

There have certainly been positions available in the very recent past in Kent...

Found this:

Job Title: Playworker
Area of Kent: Dartford
Job Description: Playworker to join established after school team to work with children aged 4-11 years. To start September 2010.
Hours Mon-Fri 2:45pm until 6:15pm Term Time
Salary Dependent on experience / qualification.
Desired Qualifications: Playwork or Early Years Childcare Qualification desirable but not essential as training will be given. Experience of working with children essential.
Acorns Early Years Centre, Franklin Road, Dartford
Closing Date 20/08/2010

This was from the vacancies list on Kent CIS

I would suggest you have a talk with Kent CIS. See what the funding situation is (it may be that funding isn't available for training due to your age). Contact local colleges and find out about courses - I initially started on an Evening course (bit of a nightmare working and studying, so ended up doing a 2 year full-time day course instead and working evenings and weekends).

This course at North West Kent College may be suitable. As you are over 25, there are fees involved... £650 a year plus CACHE registration (£70 I think) plus exam fees (£unknown).

Try posting in Parents to see if anyone can give any guidance as to getting funding... and also how they juggled doing a course with bringing up their children and working some of the time.

That last link again... Student Parents

Thanks nannynick

and mrsmorgan well done on your job in the childrens ward, how are you finding it?

I honestly had no idea I'd be over the hill at 35

this thread is a real eye opener for me

You aren't over the hill yet...

When I did my NNEB a fellow mature student on the course was a mum whose children had left-the-nest. So you can certainly do the training when you are older... just tends to mean you have to self-fund it.

Have you got a degree?

because if you have, even in an unrelated subject, you may be eligible to study for the Early years Professional status, which is a level 6 qualification.- originally meant to be equivalent to QTS but not quite qorking out that way so far.

I did mine a few years ago. it took a year to complete and I received a £5000 bursary.

I've not stated yet Lucy , hopefully will find out my start date on Tuesday.
It is only as a housekeeper, but the job description covers a very wide variety of things, and training in as many different things as you like seems to be encouraged.

I am hoping to do an nvq in care and some admin training.

Good luck to you both & if you hear of anyone looking for work in Norfolk.......

Did you get your start date mrsmorgan ?