Early Years Practitioner – L2

An early years practitioner is a professional who works in the childcare industry, providing care and education to children aged 0-5. They may work in a variety of settings, including nurseries, preschools, and childminding services.

A good early years practitioner should be passionate about working with children, patient, and able to communicate effectively with both children and parents. They should also have a good understanding of child development, be able to create engaging and stimulating learning environments, and be committed to providing high-quality care and support.

The average salary for an early years practitioner in the UK is around £18,000 - £20,000 per year. However, this can vary depending on factors such as experience, qualifications, and location. The more qualifications you have, the more early years practitioner jobs will be available to you.

One of the key skills of an early years practitioner is a deep understanding of child development, including physical, emotional, and educational development. They should be able to create engaging and stimulating learning environments that promote holistic development and be committed to providing high-quality care and support.

As mentioned, a good early years practitioner must be patient and able to communicate effectively with both children and parents. They should also be passionate about working with children and have the required childcare qualifications and numeracy qualifications as well as a relevant level of education. Additionally, they should be aware of the statutory requirements and legal requirements such as the staff to child ratio and the educational programmes which best suit the children’s age and learning levels.

To keep up with the professional development opportunities, reflective practice is essential, which includes the core development requirements for children such as language development, and brain development. Advancing in the career path from nursery nurse to nursery managers and preschool assistant also requires continuous learning and acquiring such new skills. You can read more on this below.

At Eden Training Solutions, we offer a range of courses to help you advance your career in childcare. 

After completing our Early Years Practitioner Level 2 course, you may want to consider studying towards the level 3 early years practitioner, or Early Years Educator Level 3 course, which will provide you with a deeper understanding of child development and prepare you for a leadership role in a childcare setting.

Alternatively, our Teaching Assistant Level 3 course is designed for those who wish to work in a school environment, supporting teachers and helping children to reach their full potential. 

For those looking to further advance their career in childcare, our course for level 5 early years lead practitioners, called the Advanced Childcare

Practitioner Level 5 course will equip you with the skills and knowledge required to work at a managerial level.