Professional qualifications

Qualifications criteria

The Department for Education sets the Early Years Practitioner (Level 2) Qualifications Criteria - this is the criteria for the minimum qualification content of Level 2 qualifications to enable a practitioner to count as Level 2 in the ratios.

The Department for Education sets the Early Years Educator (Level 3) Criteria - this is the criteria for the minimum qualification content of Level 3 qualifications to enable a practitioner to count as Level 3 in the ratios.

These criteria’s can be found in the Early Years Qualification Requirements and Standards for group and school based providers.

The date a qualification was started may affect if the qualification is full and relevant now for working in the EYFS. The DfE defines the qualifications that meet the full and relevant criteria. Download the document to check if a person’s qualifications meet the approved full and relevant criteria and confirm if a person can count in the EYFS staff to child ratio: Check early years qualifications (GOV.UK).

For qualifications started before 1 September 2014 refer to the Early Years qualifications list (GOV.UK), the following information relates to qualifications started after this date.

Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications can be delivered as a stand-alone qualification such as a certificate or diploma or as part on an apprenticeship. Qualifications undertaken as part of an apprenticeship are heavily subsidised by the government, whereas qualifications undertaken without the apprenticeship element will be at a substantial cost to the learner who would typically take out an Advanced Learner Loan (GOV.UK).

Working at Level 3 - Early Years Educator (EYE)

In order to count as a Level 3 in EYFS staff:child ratio staff must hold a full and relevant Level 3, 4, 5, 6+ qualification and a suitable Level 2 English qualification such as GCSE English graded A-C/4+ or Functional Skills Literacy at Level 2; for a full list refer to the Early Years Qualification Requirements and Standards.

Working at Level 2 - Early Years Practitioner (EYP)

In order to count as a Level 2 in the EYFS staff:child ratio staff must hold a full and relevant Level 2, 3, 4, 5, 6+; or a qualification at Level 3, 4, 5, 6+ that is not full and relevant but is related to early years (0 to 5 years) and is appropriate to early years practice that was started between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2019.  

For Level 2 qualifications started between 1 September 2014 and 31 August 2019 to be full and relevant they must be related to early years and appropriate to early years practice; and Ofqual-approved and included on Ofqual’s list of regulated qualifications.

All Level 2 qualifications started from 1 September 2019 must meet the ‘Early Years Practitioner’ criteria.

Anyone who completed a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification on or after 30 June 2016 can only count in the EYFS Level 2 or Level 3 ratios if they also hold either a full or emergency Paediatric First Aid Certificate (PFA). To continue to be included in the ratio the certificate must be renewed every 3 years. Full and valid paediatric First Aid courses are available from Leicestershire County Council.

Apprenticeship training

Any ‘employed’ practitioner of any age can achieve a full and relevant Level 2 or Level 3 or Level 5 Qualification via the apprenticeship route supported by government funding.

If your employer or your business has an annual wage bill of £3million or more you will be paying into the Apprenticeship Levy, which will support you or your staff to undertake qualifications via the apprenticeship route.

If, like most early years businesses, your setting is not eligible to pay into the Apprenticeship Levy the setting will contribute 5% of the cost of the apprenticeship training, and the government will fund the rest. The setting or business will pay the 5% contribution in monthly instalments during the duration of the apprenticeship e.g. for a Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship this works out at less than £17 per month.

The new Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard will typically take 12 months to complete and includes:

• The Level 2 apprenticeship standard ‘Early Years Practitioner’
• A full and relevant Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification
• English and Maths at Level 1 if they don’t already hold them and attempt Level 2

The new Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard will typically take 18 months to complete and includes:

• The Level 3 apprenticeship standard ‘Early Years Educator’
• A full and relevant Paediatric First Aid Award
• English and Maths at Level 2 if they don’t already hold them

If the apprentice is already employed their current contract of employment and salary or rate of pay will continue and will not change.

Depending on the age of the apprentice/practitioner the cost of the apprenticeship training to the employer can range from £0.00 up to around £17 per month for the length of the apprenticeship.

Some training providers deliver the training in your setting and some deliver the training in a group classroom environment at a specific venue. Some will deliver a mixture of both. Most training providers deliver a 'rolling programme' which means that you can start at any time during the year.

Find early years apprenticeship training

You should also check with your local college or training provider to see if and when they are delivering the new Early Years Educator Apprenticeship, because the apprenticeship website is not always up to date.

Certificates and Diplomas

Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications can be delivered as a stand-alone qualification (without apprenticeship) such as a certificate or diploma, typically at a cost to the learner. The expected cost of a Level 3 Early Years Educator Qualification is between £2,000 and £6,000. The learner would normally take out an Advanced Learner Loan.

Some training providers are not able to deliver qualifications using the government funding and will therefore encourage learners to access the Advanced Learner Loan – please remember this is an option not a necessity; anyone can access the qualifications via the apprenticeship route with a training provider who can deliver the government funding.

Playwork and Transition to Playwork

A qualification in Playwork will enable you to have a greater awareness of the play needs of the older children in your care. Playwork is a highly skilled profession that enriches and enhances children's play. It takes place where adults support children's play but it is not driven by prescribed education or care outcomes.

If you already hold a full and relevant level 3 you could 'top this up' with Transition to Playwork. Currently playwork qualifications do not meet the criteria for Early Years Educator. However, providers only delivering Out of School care are not obligated to meet the same EYFS requirements with regard to qualifications; a Playwork qualification could therefore be a more suitable alternative to Early Years Educator.

If you choose to go with a training provider who does not appear on this list, please email EYTraining@leics.gov.uk to double check this trainer and qualification. Sadly, there are many training companies who claim to offer Level 3 qualifications which are in fact NOT full and relevant in terms of delivering the EYFS and they WILL NOT count as a Level 3 in terms of ratios.

Please also take a look at the Key questions checklist PDF to support you in selecting a training provider. If you require any support or assistance, please contact EYTraining@leics.gov.uk