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Becoming a Nursery Nurse/Pre-school/Playgroup Assistant

Nursery nurses, pre-school and playgroup assistants usually work with babies and children up to the age of five. Nurseries are usually open all year round, pre-schools/playgroups or maintained (school) nurseries are open term time only. There are all kinds of nurseries/playgroups - some run privately, others by the local authority, voluntary or community groups, schools, colleges or employers. Some pre-schools also offer lunch clubs.

Qualifications for both roles for Nursery and Preschool/playgroup staff will need to train at college or through work based training to become a nursery nurse/preschool assistant.

There are several routes you can follow (e.g. NVQ, GNVQ and BTEC qualifications) but the main qualification in England, Wales and Northern Ireland is the National Nursery Examination Board (NNEB) Diploma in Nursery Nursing (which is a two-year course if you do it full time, or three or four years part time).

Volunteering in a childcare setting is a great way to gain experience & confidence if you are unqualified. If you wish to make contact, a full list of local childcare providers can be obtained by calling the FIS team on 01375 652801.

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