Childcare Qualifications - info needed please?

[KBear]

Anyone know what qualifications are needed to be able to work in a pre-school/nursery?

Ofsted require that majority of staff (not sure what the up to date percentage of staff is) are qualified to level of NVQ 3 which is equivalent to NNEB or what is now known as Diploma in childcare and Education.

You'll find that most nurseries/pre-schools try to keep 100 % qualified staff nowadays, or at least offer training to unqualified staff to get them up to the right level.

If pre-schools have the budget, some will employ "assistants" who are not included in staff-child ratio, and who don't have the qualifications - hence cheaper salary to pay as an extra pair of hands.

The one thing you definitely need is obviously the criminal record check.

HTH

Thanks for the info Fran1 - looks like I have to get in touch with my local college and make a start in my quest for a career change. I have had a CRB check already so that's the easy part over with!!

Good luck and hope you enjoy the course!

I did the advanced diploma distance learning over two years so i could keep a fulltime job at the same time.

I don't know whether there maybe colleges that do nvq 3's or equivalent distance learning. I know that you will still need time to do the practical, but i dont see why the theory couldn't be done distance learning.

I think (from what I just read on my local college website) that you have to be employed in a childcare environment to gain NVQ3. Am dense with regard to NVQs and how they work (I took O'levels that's how old I am and this is all new to me) but presumably you do a NVQ1 then 2 etc. Or I may be wrong. I have ideas flying round my head tonight after a conversation with someone today about working with children - I suddenly realised that I HAVE to change my career to something I would love - I am miserable in current office job and I have to work towards the future even if it takes a couple of years.

Do you work in childcare now?

I've worked in a nursery - and yes if you are working towards an NVQ3, you do need to be working in a placement as there are plenty of practical assignments/observations etc.

Am currently working towards becoming a TA in school - am studying on an OU course which finishes in January, am dithering where to go next either continue with OU or do the BTEC Teaching Assistant course. Also working 2 morns/2 afternoons in the school.

Sorry i'm brain dead nowadays after having dd. You're absolutely right nvq's are work based qualifications so yes you have to be employed. it could be an option for you though if you could find an employer willing to put you through it, at least then you would get some kind of salary.

No i have changed my career since having dd, didn't want to be leaving my dd to look after other peoples children. I used to manage a fulltime day nursery so hours were long and wouldn't have worked out. I now work p/t still in health and social care but with adults.

There are still other options of qualifications the dce and there used to be a btec, i think it still runs but could be wrong. And you don't have to be employed but you would be put on placement to gain work experience in nurseries.

Hi KBear. I'm the opposite of you; I've just left childcare after 15 years and gone into office work! As regards NVQs, there are various ways of going about it. One of my colleagues took NVQ2 through the local college, attending college one afternoon a week and working at pre-school 2 mornings a week. Another is doing NVQ2 by distnace learning via the internet, though of course she still has to be assessed in the workplace by an NVQ assessor. You don't necessarily need NVQ3 to work in a pre-school if you don't intend having an unsupervised role. NVQ2 is sufficient for an assistant, if that's what you want to be. However, if you can do it, I'd recommend you go for level 3 anyway, as it'll open more doors for you and can also possibly lead on to further qualifications in the future. Have a look at this for information on all the currently acceptable qualifications. Good luck!

I haven't studied anything apart from a first aid course for 18 years so am nervous about whether I could manage a course with two small children, one husband, a part-time stressful job and keeping the house running in the pristine order it is at the moment (collapses with laughter at this point!). Seriously though I don't know if I'm up to it but nothing ventured....

Thanks for your info though!

NVQ's are really about occupational competence and although there is some assignment work the emphasis is on skills developed in the workplace, the academic part should be relatively straightforward. In manya areas there are schemes supported by grant funding to get people into childcare work, offering placements etc. I think there is a dedicated website, check with your local authority Early Years Partnership office, I'm sure they will have the information you need.

BOOP

Thanks so much for your help!