Quick answer: A nursery nurse is a qualified early years practitioner who holds a Level 3 full and relevant childcare qualification and can be counted at Level 3 in EYFS staff-to-child ratios. To become one you need that Level 3, an enhanced DBS check and, in most settings, paediatric first aid. You can earn it while working or volunteering in a nursery through the Level 3 Early Years Educator course online from Lift College, a TQUK diploma on the Ofqual register, studied with a named UK tutor and assessed by portfolio with no exams.
What is a nursery nurse?
"Nursery nurse" is the traditional job title for a qualified practitioner who plans and leads activities for babies and children under five, keeps the daily records that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires, and acts as a key person for a small group of children. The title comes from the old NNEB diploma, and many nurseries still advertise for "nursery nurses" even though the qualification behind the job is now the Level 3 Early Years Educator.
In practice a nursery nurse does the same work as an early years educator or a Level 3 nursery practitioner. The difference between the titles is the nursery's naming habit, not the qualification. What matters to the employer and to Ofsted is whether you hold a full and relevant Level 3, because that decides whether you count at Level 3 in the room's ratio.
If you are not yet qualified, the entry role is nursery assistant. Our guide to the nursery assistant role, qualifications and pay covers that first step.
What qualifications do you need to be a nursery nurse?
You need three things:
- A full and relevant Level 3 early years qualification. The Department for Education publishes the list of qualifications that count. The current Level 3 title is the Level 3 Diploma for Working in the Early Years Sector (Early Years Educator). Older titles such as the NNEB, the CACHE Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education and the NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development also count if they are on the list. Check any certificate you already hold with our early years qualification checker.
- An enhanced DBS check with a children's barred list check. The nursery applies for this once it offers you a role or placement.
- Paediatric first aid. The EYFS requires at least one person with a current paediatric first aid certificate to be present whenever children are on site, and most nurseries ask every Level 3 member of staff to hold it.
You also need a suitable Level 2 English qualification (GCSE grade 4 or C, or Functional Skills English Level 2) to be counted at Level 3. The maths requirement no longer applies to practitioners and sits with managers instead: a setting manager appointed on or after 4 January 2024 needs a Level 2 maths qualification, or must get one within two years of starting. If you do not have the English yet, Lift College's Functional Skills English Level 2 can be taken alongside the diploma. Settings can set their own entry rules above the legal minimum, so always read the job advert.
For a role-by-role breakdown, see what qualifications you need to work in a nursery.
Nursery nurse, nursery practitioner, early years educator: what is the difference?
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| Title | Usual qualification level | Counts in EYFS ratios | Typical duties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nursery assistant | None or Level 2 | Level 2 only, if qualified | Supports the room, supervised |
| Nursery nurse | Level 3 full and relevant | Yes, at Level 3 | Key person, planning, observations, parent contact |
| Nursery practitioner | Level 2 or Level 3 | At the level held | As above, depends on level |
| Early years educator | Level 3 full and relevant | Yes, at Level 3 | Same job as nursery nurse |
| Room leader | Level 3, often with experience | Yes, at Level 3 | Runs a room, supervises assistants |
| Senior practitioner or deputy | Level 3 or Level 5 | Yes | Leads practice across rooms |
The pattern is simple: any title with Level 3 behind it is the same qualification, and the Level 3 is the door to every role from nursery nurse upwards.
How to become a nursery nurse: step by step
- Get into a setting. Apply for a nursery assistant or apprentice role, or volunteer in a nursery or preschool. You need an Ofsted registered setting that follows the EYFS, because the Level 3 is assessed on real practice.
- Start the Level 3 Early Years Educator. Study the theory online with a tutor while you build at least 300 placement hours in your setting.
- Build your portfolio. Observations of your practice, written assignments and witness statements from your setting replace exams.
- Complete your DBS and paediatric first aid. The nursery normally arranges both.
- Apply for nursery nurse roles. Once the certificate is issued, and with a suitable Level 2 English qualification and paediatric first aid, you count at Level 3 and can take key person responsibilities.
Working and studying at the same time is the normal route. The qualification was designed around people already in post, which is why the placement hours are part of the course rather than a hurdle before it.
How much does a nursery nurse earn?
Nursery nurse pay sits above unqualified assistant pay and below room leader and deputy manager pay, and it varies by region, by setting type and by whether the nursery is private, voluntary or school-based. Level 3 holders are also the practitioners nurseries find hardest to recruit, which keeps demand steady. For current figures by role and region, read our early years and nursery pay guide, which is reviewed as pay settlements change.
Nursery nurse apprenticeship or online course?
Both routes lead to the same full and relevant Level 3. The difference is the contract.
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| Level 3 apprenticeship | Level 3 Early Years Educator online (Lift College) | |
|---|---|---|
| How you are employed | Apprentice contract, apprentice wage rules | Your existing job or volunteer placement, your normal pay |
| Who chooses the provider | Usually the employer | You |
| Study pattern | Set release days plus end-point assessment | Online at your own pace, portfolio, no exams |
| Typical time | 18 to 24 months | 12 to 18 months |
| Cost to you | Free, funded through the employer | Monthly or yearly subscription after a 7-day free trial (see the course page for current prices) |
| Can you switch employer mid-course | Difficult | Yes, as long as you keep a placement |
If you are 16 to 18 and want to be paid to train, an apprenticeship is a good fit. If you are already working in a nursery, changing career, or want to pick your own pace and provider, the online diploma is faster to start and does not tie you to one employer. We compare the routes in detail in childcare apprenticeships explained.
Which course do you need?
- You already hold a Level 3 on the DfE list: you are already qualified to work as a nursery nurse. Use the checker if the title is old or unusual.
- You hold a Level 2 or nothing, and you work or volunteer in a nursery: take the Level 3 Early Years Educator. This is the qualification nursery nurse adverts ask for.
- You are not in a setting yet: apply for an assistant or volunteer role first, then enrol. You can start the course and the placement in the same month.
- You want a Level 5 for senior roles: finish the Level 3 first. Level 5 is for practitioners who already count at Level 3.
Lift College's Level 3 Diploma for Working in the Early Years Sector (Early Years Educator) (RQF) is awarded by Training Qualifications UK, is on the Ofqual register, starts with a 7-day free trial with nothing charged until day 8, and comes with a 14-day money back guarantee on every payment. Browse all options on the childcare courses hub.
References
- Department for Education, Statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (gov.uk)
- Department for Education, Early years qualifications list and full and relevant criteria (gov.uk)
- Ofsted, Early years inspection handbook (gov.uk)
- Training Qualifications UK, Level 3 Diploma for Working in the Early Years Sector (Early Years Educator) (RQF), Ofqual 610/3598/1