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Paid childcare

Discuss everything related to paid childcare here, including childminders, nannies, nurseries and au pairs.

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Original poster

Nanny Education

66 replies

nannynick · 31/01/2009 22:29

This is a question for parents really, rather than nannies themselves - though of course you can all chip in your views

When choosing a nanny, do you look at what educational achievements the nanny has?
For example, do you look at what grades a nanny got when they were 16 - so in my day those exams were called GSCEs. Do you look at what A-Levels/Higher Education courses they may have done? Do you consider what school they went to - some nannies may be private school educated.

What are your thoughts... do you take any of those things into account when selecting a nanny?

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nannyL · 31/01/2009 22:33

well all of my bosses seem to like my 12 GCSE's 4 A Levels and a degree!

tankie · 31/01/2009 22:41

I've only had it brought up at interviews a couple of times - parents saying "your A Levels are rather good for someone who wants to be a nanny, I suppose you're not intending to do this as a career..."

Original poster

nannynick · 31/01/2009 22:44

I've had that Tankie... though I didn't do A-Levels... did an HND instead (not a childcare subject).

OP posts:

nannyL · 31/01/2009 22:45

I have had that too!

in fact all of my employers havementioned it at interview!

Shelley33 · 31/01/2009 23:14

In most of my interviews, (and have been nannying since 1993) I have more questions about my nannying experience than my academic achievements. Although I suspect if they hadn't been respectable, then I may well have been past over as being a bit dense!

Tavvy · 01/02/2009 00:06

Following this thread with interest.
I've had so much conflicting things said.
Have been told I'm too academic, too many qualifications then told I'm not eligible because I don't hold a level 3 in childcare. I hold a level 4 and did try pointing out a level 4 is higher than a level 3 but obv that did not get me very far.
Then told because I'm doing my degree (OU) in childhood, psychology and education that this is innapropriate for a nanny!!!

tankie · 01/02/2009 00:08

It's tough isn't it? I think you're degree sounds very appropriate for a nanny

Some parents want an educated nanny, but not one who is better educated than them!

Original poster

nannynick · 01/02/2009 00:13

Tavvy, that's an interesting point about being over-qualified for the job, in the view of some parents.
Think tankie has hit the nail on the head... some parents while wanting an educated nanny, may not be wanting one who is better educated than they are. Not an issue for me, as I've not been to Uni.

OP posts:

Tavvy · 01/02/2009 00:16

I know education isn't everything and I tend to use my qualifications to bolster my lack of experience (am only young) but it does seem a bit rich sometimes. I really do get the impression I'm expected to be bright as a nanny but never to use my brain or have an opinion on anything.

nannyL · 01/02/2009 00:16

i dont think i have ever been more qualified than my bosses!

Tavvy · 01/02/2009 00:19

Just out of interest again in terms of what schooling nannies had - I didn't.
I taught myself (got bullied at school and didn't go and taught myself my GCSE's and A levels which I got at high grades)
Am aware that automatically makes parents think I'm an uncooperative nightmare (not true honestly) but I can't put any educational establishments down. Does that matter?

giraffescantdancethetango · 01/02/2009 00:22

I trained as a primary teacher and potential employers are always a bit when they hear this. They love it in some ways but have been told they worry that I will be bored. Am definetly not though!

Original poster

nannynick · 01/02/2009 10:00

Tavvy - on my CV I list dates and course. I don't actually mention which schools/colleges I attended. With a CV you can be as creative as you like... it needs to be accurate but if you don't want to mention something, you don't include it.
Application forms are another matter. Luckily most nanny jobs don't have an application form, unlike jobs for councils / government.

Giraffe - Initially after leaving school I trained as a computer programmer. Comes in handy every now and then, as children learn about computers at such a young age these days.

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BoffinMum · 01/02/2009 10:08

I would be looking for 5 GCSEs A-C including Maths and English, and a suitable NNEB/BTech, plus current First Aid. If someone had A Levels that would be a bit of a bonus (as this overlaps with BTech) and if someone had an EY degree I would be delighted.

Blondeshavemorefun · 01/02/2009 10:17

dont think any employers/interviews have ever mentioned my gcse's - got 10 (i think - was 20years ago)

they are on my cv saying passed and what subjects they were

they were more interested in my NNEB PASS

Original poster

nannynick · 01/02/2009 10:34

BoffinMum - would you want those A-Levels/BTECH to be in a childcare related subject? Or is it more the point that the person has done some higher education?

Have to say, so far all the nannies who have posted seem to have quite high levels of education. I wonder if that is typical of nannies generally, or just typical of nannies who post on Mumsnet!

OP posts:

BoffinMum · 01/02/2009 10:39

I think I'd be after something on the childcare/EY/nursery nursing/psychology/teaching spectrum. It's one situation where vocational qualifications really count for a lot IMO, because that will have meant placements and hands-on experience outside college.

BoffinMum · 01/02/2009 10:41

Put it this way, if someone turned up with a PhD in physics to do the job, and no education or childcare qualification, I would be nervous, unless they were an accomplished parent themselves or something like that. But I would still prefer someone who had been to a local FE college most probably, because they would have better nanny networks and so on.

BoffinMum · 01/02/2009 10:43

Similarly if one turned up with a couple of indifferent GCSEs in non-academic subjects and not much else, I would be very unimpressed because that would not show much stickability, and nannying is a tough job IMO.

BoffinMum · 01/02/2009 10:50

Final post I promise (should have done this in one big go, but I keep having thoughts!)

Ideal Nanny:

5 GCSEs A-C including Maths, English and hopefully even a Science if I was lucky.
Childcare BTech from a good local FE college with good reference from tutor.
Has had placements in a nursery and a home-based setting.
One or two extra skills that show native intelligence and motivation, eg couple of reasonable A'Levels, plays an instrument, in a sports team, speaks another language a bit, charity work, that kind of thing.
Mutterings about doing Foundation Stage EY degree of some kind in the future.

Original poster

nannynick · 01/02/2009 10:52

NannyL, Tankie, Tavvy and any other nannies with A-Levels... are your A-Levels childcare related?

My BTEC HND in Computing isn't childcare related. I didn't intend when leaving school to be a nanny (well, my parents didn't want me to work in childcare).

Formal childcare training came later - CACHE Diploma in Nursery Nursing (NNEB), once I'd left home!

OP posts:

SAMS73 · 01/02/2009 10:54

As a mum what is more important is not the academic achievements - they should have the min requirements to be a nanny. What is more important is how they are going to be with your children, and whether they will be sensible and fun to be for the children. If the children look forward for the arrival of their nanny and go to them happily and are happy at the end of the day when you return- that is what you are looking for in an nanny.I would never hire a nanny just based on their qualifications.

tankie · 01/02/2009 10:57

No, I'm very similar to you nick - I have some good academic A Levels and actually left school wanting to become a psychologist, started a degree in politics (what was I thinking? ), realised I'd made a mistake so dropped out after a year, dithered about a bit and kind of fell into nannnying... It's a good few years on now and I am halfway through a degree in Early Childhood.

Supernanny19 · 01/02/2009 10:57

Do you actually see the real certificate or is it what she/he has told you?

Original poster

nannynick · 01/02/2009 10:58

5 GCSEs A-C including Maths, English and hopefully even a Science if I was lucky.

Check, got that.

Childcare BTech from a good local FE college with good reference from tutor.

Check, got that... apart from the reference from the tutor - they didn't do written references 10+ years ago. Though thinking about it they probably did do something when I applied for my first job after finishing the course - but I didn't get a copy to keep on file.

Has had placements in a nursery and a home-based setting.
Check, got that.
It's part of the childcare course - my placements were in Pre-School/Nursery, Infant School, and with Childminders.

One or two extra skills that show native intelligence and motivation, eg couple of reasonable A'Levels, plays an instrument, in a sports team, speaks another language a bit, charity work, that kind of thing.

Check, got that I think.
Musical, helped at Cubs/Beavers for several years, no good at sports or languages though.

Mutterings about doing Foundation Stage EY degree of some kind in the future.
Check, got that... if you count...
how much? Are they joking? Why do I have to do work in nursery to do the course? Type mutterings!

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