Education and early years
Early years educator
Highly trained professionals who play a key role in ensuring that young children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe.
Summary
This occupation is found in a range of maintained and private, voluntary, and independent settings such as full day care, children's centres, pre-schools, reception classes, playgroups, nursery schools, home based provision, hospitals, social care settings, out of school environments, and local authority provision.
The broad purpose of the occupation is to provide high quality early education and care to children. Through an evidence based approach, they provide opportunities and learning experiences for all children, including those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Early years educators follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements set by government for the learning, development, and care of children from birth to 5 in both indoor and outdoor environments.
In their daily work, an employee in this occupation interacts with children, parents, carers, colleagues, and wider multi agency professionals such as health visitors, early help services, social workers, and speech and language therapists. This includes supporting children with SEND.
An employee in this occupation will be responsible for ensuring a safe and secure environment for children's learning. They ensure that the learning environment and provision is inclusive and supports all children, and demonstrate a clear understand of equality, diversity, and inclusion. Early years educator's teach and facilitate children's learning play. They apply the observation, assessment, and planning cycle to support progress and children's development. An early years educator will act as the key person for one or more children within their setting. They may play a leadership role within the setting or may act under the supervision of a manager.
Typical job titles include
- Childminder assistant | Early years educator | Early years worker | Nursery educator | Nursery nurse | Nursery worker
Knowledge, skills and behaviours (KSBs)
K1:
The importance of equality, diversity, and inclusion, and respecting children’s social and cultural context.
K2:
Safeguarding policies and procedures for children and colleagues, including child protection and wellbeing.
K3:
Types of abuse including domestic, neglect, physical, emotional and sexual, and know how to act to protect children and colleagues.
K4:
The legal requirements and guidance on health and safety, security, confidentiality of information, and safeguarding.
K5:
The principles of risk assessment and management, and how to balance risks and benefits of activities for children.
K6:
The statutory and non-statutory frameworks and guidance for provision in early years including SEND.
K7:
The legal rights of each individual child according to their current and future needs.
K8:
The role of colleagues and multi-agency working to support the child.
K9:
The role and responsibilities of the early years educator, including providing supervision to staff.
K10:
The role and responsibilities of the key person.
K11:
Theories and significance of attachment.
K12:
The importance of professional relationships and collaboration with parents, families, or carers.
K13:
The importance of professional relationships with colleagues, other organisations, and agencies.
K14:
The influence of all key individuals in children's lives on children's learning and development.
K15:
The development of social skills and maintaining relationships.
K16:
How children learn and develop from conception to age 7; physiologically, neurologically, biologically, psychologically, cognitively, emotionally, and socially. Including the interaction and impact of biological and environmental factors.
K17:
The elements and characteristics of a wide range of enabling environments.
K18:
How the design, resourcing, and use of the indoor and outdoor physical environment supports children’s learning and development.
K19:
How the design of the day and expectations adapts to support and reflect all children’s current needs (for example, those children with SEND, EAL, communication difficulties, and the most able).
K20:
How the organisations approach and values underpin the environment.
K21:
How children experience change, transition, and significant events.
K22:
The theories of play and its fundamental role in learning and development.
K23:
How children develop characteristics for effective learning.
K24:
How, when, and why to conduct observation and assessment.
K25:
How the observation, assessment, and planning cycle is used to analyse and respond to children’s learning, development, and interests.
K26:
How to create experiences and opportunities for children informed by the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
K27:
Methods of reflective practice, including supervision, and opportunities for continuous professional development.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0135: Early years educator (Level 3) Approved for delivery
- TL0008a: Education and early years - Early years educator (Level 3)
Technical education progression
- TQL3C11072RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Specialist in Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators in Early Years Settings (Award) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11068RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11069RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11075RN5133: Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Early Years Educator (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0135
- Status:
Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,119 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6111 Early education and childcare assistants
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6111/00 Early education and childcare assistants
S1:
Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
S2:
Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
S3:
Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
S4:
Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
S5:
Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
S6:
Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
S7:
Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
S8:
Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
S9:
Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
S10:
Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
S11:
Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
S12:
Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
S13:
Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
S14:
Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
S15:
Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
S16:
Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
S17:
Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
S18:
Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
S19:
Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
S20:
Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
S21:
Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0135: Early years educator (Level 3) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- TL0008a: Education and early years - Early years educator (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11072RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Specialist in Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators in Early Years Settings (Award) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11068RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11069RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11075RN5133: Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Early Years Educator (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0135
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,119 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6111 Early education and childcare assistants
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6111/00 Early education and childcare assistants
B1:
Confident to have difficult conversations.
B2:
Child-centred and empathetic, valuing equality, diversity, and inclusion and the uniqueness of each child.
B3:
Vigilant and act with professional curiosity.
B4:
Caring, compassionate and sensitive.
B5:
Honest, open, respectful, and a role model.
B6:
Self-motivated, using initiative and proactive.
B7:
Playful and creative.
B8:
Reflective and reflexive and committed to CPD.
Technical Educational Products
- ST0135: Early years educator (Level 3) Approved for delivery Technical education progression
- TL0008a: Education and early years - Early years educator (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11072RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Specialist in Special Educational Needs Co-ordinators in Early Years Settings (Award) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11068RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for the Early Years Workforce (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11069RN5156: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry in Montessori Pedagogy - Birth to Seven (Early Years Educator) (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- TQL3C11075RN5133: Pearson BTEC Level 3 Technical Occupational Entry for Early Years Educator (Diploma) (Level 3) Technical education progression
- Reference:
- OCC0135
- Status:
- Approved occupation
- Average (median) salary:
- £21,119 per year
- SOC 2020 code:
- 6111 Early education and childcare assistants
- SOC 2020 sub unit groups:
- 6111/00 Early education and childcare assistants