Early years qualifications, ratios and continuing professional development

11 February 2025

In this article, Sue Asquith, Early Childhood Consultant, explores early years childcare qualifications, staff:child ratios set out in the statutory framework for the early years foundation stage (EYFS) and ongoing continuing professional development (CPD).

What is a childcare qualification?

Childcare qualifications set out specific criteria outlining the minimum skills, knowledge and understanding that a practitioner must demonstrate to deliver the EYFS and support the learning and development of young children. Qualifications are offered by awarding bodies such as NCFE/CACHE, City and Guilds, Pearson, etc through approved centres such as my local NFCE Centre Training for people that care.

There are different levels of qualifications in England. The Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL) lists the qualifications that staff must hold to be included in the specified staff:child ratios at levels 2, 3 and 6 of the early years foundation stage (EYFS).

Post 2014 approved qualifications include:

Level 2 Early Years Practitioner

Level 3 Early Years Educator

Level 6 Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) allowing holders to work as level 6 members of staff for the purpose of the staff:child ratios.

Level 6 Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) allowing holders to work as teachers in early years settings

The Early years foundation stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers (EYFS) sets out the requirements for staff:child ratios in settings delivering the EYFS in England and the qualification levels practitioners must hold to be included within those requirements.

Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) qualifications allow holders to work as teachers in early years settings and count as level 6 members of staff for the purpose of the 1:13 staff:child ratios for children aged 3 and over. EYTS allows you to be employed as an early years teacher in a private nursery or school but not in a maintain school.

To count within the ratios at level 3, staff holding an Early Years Educator qualification must also have achieved a suitable level 2 qualification in English.

All staff who obtained a level 2 and/or level 3 qualification since 30 June 2016 must also obtain a PFA qualification within three months of starting work in order to be included in the required staff:child ratios at level 2 or level 3 in an early years setting. To continue to be included in the ratio requirement the certificate must be renewed every 3 years.

Managers appointed on or after 4 January 2024 must have already achieved a suitable level 2 qualification in maths or must do so within two years of starting in the position. International qualifications can be checked with the DfE.

Don’t worry if studying for an approved childcare qualification is not for you; it is still possible to work in the unqualified staff ratio (keep on reading for more information about ratios and non-accredited training courses),

The Early Years Qualifications List (EYQL)

The early years qualifications achieved in the United Kingdom guidance lists full and relevant qualifications that are accepted by the DfE to work within qualified ratios in an early years setting. It covers:

Qualifications started before 1 September 2014
Qualifications started after 1 September 2014
Qualifications started after 1 September 2024
Level 2 and 3 qualifications
Special educational needs and disability (SEND)
Qualifications achieved in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

There is a new Check an Early Years Qualification digital service in the pipeline due to be launched in spring to help managers to check the approval status of qualifications of existing and prospective staff.

The experience-based route

A model for an experience-based route (EBR) was proposed in the 2023 EYFS consultation. There was a further, technical consultation in 2024; DfE published the consultation response 28 January 2025.

It will be the early years providers responsibility to assess their staff’s knowledge and skills and decide whether they meet the criteria to work in ratios at level 3 after completing the experience-based route. The eligibility criteria for practitioners and providers includes:

Educators wishing to undertake the experience-based route must have some prior certificated knowledge. They must hold either a full and relevant level 2 qualification, or a level 3 or above qualification that is relevant to the care or education of children but is not full and relevant. Educators may also hold qualifications equivalent to the required level 2 or level 3 qualifications, that have been achieved outside England.
Educators wishing to undertake the experience-based route must have worked with early years children (aged from birth to 5) in an early years setting or a related sector in England, for a minimum of one year.
Applicants will need an initial assessment against and meet at least 50% of L3 Early Years Educator (EYE) in order to proceed to ensure that they can gain knowledge and skills to meet any remaining criteria/gaps through a period of supervised practice.
Early years providers must have received a good or outstanding judgement for overall effectiveness in their most recent Ofsted inspection to offer the experience-based route to their educators who meet the eligibility criteria. For state schools inspected during AY 2024/25, the school must not be judged to require significant improvement or special measures. For providers of childcare on domestic premises registered with Childminder Agencies, the Childminder Agency they are registered with must have achieved a grade of ‘effective’ or better in their most recent Ofsted inspection. There is a consultation out regarding the new Ofsted report card system for inspections so there will be further information on this as it is available.
Decision-makers, and those involved in supervising staff during the experience-based route, must hold a full and relevant qualification at level 3 or above, and must have worked in an early years setting for a minimum of two years.
The provider must keep a record of hours worked at the setting by the practitioner following the EBR alongside evidence of their assessment outcomes and decision making in relation to the practitioner, with copies to be provided to the practitioner for their own records.
Educators undertaking the experience-based route must complete between 751 and 900 hours of relevant work and supervised practice before the assessor can undertake a final assessment and decide whether they have met the criteria to work in the ratios at level 3.
Educators who have completed the experience-based route must also hold a suitable level 2 English qualification and must also hold a Paediatric First Aid qualification before they can be counted in the ratios at level 3.
No more than 50% of educators with experience-based route status will be able to count in the ratios at level 3 at any one time at a particular premises.
An educator’s experience-based route status will not be automatically transferable between early years providers.
No more than 50% of staff with experience-based route status will be able to count in the ratios at level 3 at any one time at a particular premises.

You can start to assess staff for the EBR from 3 March 2025 but they cannot be counted in L3 ratios until September 2025 when the EYFS statutory framework is updated. The EBR does not replace the full L3 EYE, decisions whether a member of staff is suitable to work in ratios at L3 would be made by an individual provider. The EBR is not a full and relevant qualification and would not be automatically transferable to a new provider should the educator change employer. Exceptions to this may include cases where educators move to a new setting within the same provider. Further details on instances where experience-based route status could be transferable will be included in the planned accompanying guidance.

The Experience-Based Route for Early Years; Non-Statutory guidance for Early Years providers, managers, and staff using the Experience-Based Route

Staff qualifications and ratios

The EYFS statutory framework sets out the requirements for staff:child ratios in settings delivering the EYFS and the qualification levels practitioners must hold to be included within those requirements. In settings on the early years register, the manager of the setting must hold an approved level 3 qualification or above and usually one member of staff within each age group/room needs a level 3 and at least half of all other staff must hold at least an approved level 2 qualification. The exact staff:child ratios are stipulated within the EYFS statutory framework as follows:

‘For children under two years:

There must be at least one member of staff for every three children.
At least one member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification and be suitably experienced in working with children under two.
At least half of all other staff must hold an approved level 2 qualification.
At least half of all staff must have received training that specifically addresses the care of babies.
Where there is a room for under two-year-olds, the member of staff in charge of that room must, in the judgement of the provider, have suitable experience of working with under twos.

For children aged two:

There must be at least one member of staff for every five children.
At least one member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification.
At least half of all other staff must hold an approved level 2 qualification.

For children aged three and over in registered early years provision, at any time where a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status, Early Years Teacher Status is working directly with children:

There must be at least one member of staff for every 13 children.
At least one other member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification.

For children aged three and over in registered early years provision where a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status, Early Years Teacher Status is not working directly with children:

There must be at least one member of staff for every eight children.
At least one other member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification.
At least half of all other staff must hold an approved level 2 qualification’.

Non-Accredited Training/Continuing Professional Development (CPD)

Once you have achieved an approved childcare qualification, it is essential to stay informed and up to date. Regardless of whether they are working within qualified or unqualified ratios, staff need training to understand their role and responsibilities as well as opportunities to further their professional development.

The EYFS statutory framework says ‘what practitioners know, plan for, and do matters for children’s learning, development, safety, and happiness in settings. Providers must ensure that all staff receive induction training to help them understand their roles and responsibilities. Induction training must include information about emergency evacuation procedures, safeguarding, child protection, and health and safety issues. Providers must support staff to undertake appropriate training and professional development opportunities to ensure they offer quality learning and development experiences for children that continually improves’.

CPD often involves accessing training courses. These can be in person courses with your colleagues or joining a group of other early years professionals. There are also lots of on-line training options too. For example, I deliver live on-line webinars and you can also access pay to view sessions (pre-recorded webinars that can be accessed on-demand at your convenience). Please visit my website for more information CPD I Childcare Courses I Sue Asquith – Early Childhood Consultant and email me info@earlyyearstrainingconsultant.co.uk if you are planning your staff training days.

You can catch a recording of my Safeguarding Reforms webinar as a pay to view session for just £5.50pp to help you plan ahead and prepare for the EYFS changes that will take affect from September 2025.

My Safeguarding and Child Protection training for all staff already meets what will be Annex C of the EYFS 2025. I can arrange staff to have access to a recording of my safeguarding training or deliver the training live on-line or in person to staff.

Reading blogs, journals, membership magazines and carrying out research are all forms of CPD too. You can access free blogs and content via my website My Blog Posts | Sue Asquith – Early Childhood Consultant. You might be interested to know that two of these blogs (Self-Regulation and Curriculum Planning) have been signed off by the DfE to be included on the Foundation Years website!

Career progression

Childcare qualifications can serve as stepping stones to advanced studies and career opportunities. For example, an opportunity to become a senior early years practitioner/room leader or deputy manager. In turn this may lead to becoming a manager of a childcare setting or even opening your own childcare setting.

There are also childcare qualifications and awards to help you to pursue a specific interest such as becoming a SENCo or to learn more about Speech, Language and Communication.

Ofsted’s research document Best Start in Life part 1: setting the scene refers to research suggesting staff having higher qualifications leading to better outcomes for children.

Lifelong Learning

There is always something new to learn and research shows that lifelong learning is associated with positive mental well-being.

Continuing professional development can help with improved confidence, self-worth and self-esteem leading to a greater sense of purpose.

Continuing professional development can challenge and extend our knowledge and perspectives of the world. It can help with open-mindedness and curiosity as well as improving reasoning, problem solving and communication skills. You could extend your child development knowledge or start a new hobby!