Early Years Qualifications
In the survey, we will ask you about the highest Early Years or teaching qualification held by your staff.
You will need to fill in the boxes for each level, giving the number of paid staff whose highest Early Years or teaching qualification corresponds to that level. Each member of paid staff should appear in one box/next to one qualification level only. Paid staff should include ONLY senior managers and those staff who are directly involved in delivering ANY of the types of childcare and early years provision – specialist support staff such as accountants would not be included.
Below are some examples of relevant qualifications at levels 1 to 6 to help you answer our questions. You can find the full list here.
Note: Health and social care qualifications are not considered to be relevant to this study.
| Qualification Level | Example Qualifications | Number of Staff |
| Level 6 or higher | · Qualifications that lead to Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) · Qualifications that lead to Early Years Professional Status (EYPS) · Qualifications that lead to Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) · Early Years/Childcare or teaching related Honours degree | |
| Level 5 | · Level 5 Diploma in Leadership for the Children’s & Young People’s Workforce – Early Years · FdA Early Years and Education · Foundation Degree in Montessori Early Childhood Practice · Level 5 HND Diploma in Advanced Practice in Early Years Education · Level 5 Diploma for the Early Years Senior Practitioner · Foundation Degree Arts Children and Young People – Pathway Early Years with Practitioner Status · Learning and Development from Early Years to Adolescence (0-19) FdA · Early Years Lead Practitioner (Level 5) | |
| Level 4 | · Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) in Montessori Early Childhood Practice · Level 4 Diploma in Steiner Waldorf Early Childhood Studies · Level 4 Higher National Certificate in Early Childhood Education and Care · Level 4 HNC Diploma in Advanced Practice in Early Years Education | |
| Level 3 | · Level 3 Diploma in Children’s Learning and Development · Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce · Level 3 Diploma in Early Years Education and Care · Level 3 Diploma in Holistic Baby and Child Care · Level 3 Diploma For the Early Years Practitioner · Level 3 National Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development · Level 3 Diploma for the Children and Young People’s Workforce | |
| Level 2 | · Level 2 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner · Level 2 Diploma in Children’s Play, Learning and Development · BTEC Level 2 Diploma for Early Years Practitioners · Level 2 Children and Young People’s Workforce (CYPW) Intermediate Apprenticeship Framework (early years pathway) | |
| Level 1 | · Childcare related Level 1 vocational qualifications (e.g. NVQ) · BTEC Awards, Certificates and Diplomas at Level 1 | |
| Overseas qualification | Please only include staff who have overseas qualifications and no English Early Years or Teaching qualifications. (Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish qualifications count as overseas) | |
| No Early Years or Teaching qualifications | Please only include staff who have no relevant Early Years or Teaching qualifications. Do not include staff who do not work with children, such as office or catering staff. |
Other questions regarding Early Years Qualifications you may be asked during the survey:
If you have apprentices, how many are working towards the following qualifications?
| Qualification | Number of Staff |
| Early Years Apprenticeship Level 5 | |
| Early Years Apprenticeship Level 3 | |
| Early Years Apprenticeship Level 2 |
How many staff have a qualification that meets the approved Level 3 Early Years Educator criteria?
Note: The Early years qualifications achieved in England guidance details the list of qualifications gained in England that are all full and relevant and approved by DfE to work in an early years setting. It covers Level 3 qualifications started before 1 September 2014 and Level 3 qualifications started after 1 September 2014
| Status | Number of Staff |
| Approved Level 3 |
Of the staff with Level 6+ qualifications, how many hold each of the following statuses?
Some staff members may hold more than one of these Level 6 qualifications – if so, please include all the ones they hold.
| Status | Number of Staff |
| Early Years Teacher Status | |
| Qualified Teacher Status | |
| Early Years Professional Status |
How many of the following staff also have a Level 2 qualification in Maths? This would typically be a GCSE/O-level or International equivalent, to at least grade C / grade 4.
| Status | Number of Staff |
| Staff whose highest Early Years / teaching qualification = a ‘full and relevant’ level 3-5 | |
| Staff whose highest Early Years or teaching qualification = a ‘full and relevant’ Early Years Degree, with no other Level 6 qualifications alongside |
If you still have questions about completing the survey, please get in touch with IFF Research at childcareproviders@iffresearch.com or call us free on 0800 0147 352.