Nursery Teacher – teaching in early years
(by www.openanursery.co.uk)
Becoming a Nursery Teacher
Teaching in early years is very important and is an essential part of any child’s development at that age. Which is why you want to ensure that you become a great nursery teacher. Making sure you know how to teach nursery kids and getting the best early years teaching qualification is very important.
(Please note that this article refers to becoming a nursery teacher and the early years teaching qualification as opposed to being a nursery practitioner.)
How can you become a nursery teacher?
Once you know you want to be teaching in nursery, you do need to figure out the right way to become such a teacher. Generally, you need a degree and a GCSE C grade in science, math and English. Additionally, you will be required to pass a professional skills test.
In addition to that, you must complete the early years initial teacher training. This is an important early years teacher qualification. You will also need to show you meet the teacher’s standards for the early years.
Find out more about the teachers standards in early years.
Can you take a course for nursery teachers?
Yes, there are many courses designed to prepare you for teaching in nursery. An early year teaching course is actually helpful because it gives you ideas and access to all kinds of strategies you can use. It makes the process easier and simpler, while also giving you the control and benefits you need.
You still need to have a degree and the GCSE grade C or equivalent, so the early year teaching course won’t fulfill everything required to become a teacher for nursery.
It offers a great way for you to improve your skills.
Training routes for becoming a nursery teacher
- The assessment only route is self-funded, it takes around 3 months and it’s great if you have experience when it comes to working with kids up to 5 years old. If you meet the teacher’s standards but don’t want to deal with more training, this can be a great option.
- Undergraduate route is another option, but it’s going to take up to 4 years. With that in mind, it’s a good option if you want to have a degree. You can get a student loan to cover the costs if needed.
- You can also go the graduate employment based option, it’s a part time route that takes around a year. It’s ideal for those that work in the early years setting already but want to show their teacher’s standards compliance.
- School direct is a graduate entry and it helps you train with nurseries and schools. This is great because it gives that expectation you will get employed once you get to the early years teacher status.
- The graduate route will take an entire year of full study. It’s the most common option, since it gives you a degree in this field.
Should you focus on a specific early years teaching qualification?
That depends on what you want and expect from your career.
Not all nursery workers require a specific qualification. It still helps to have a qualification, so it’s extremely important to avoid any rush and just take your time.
The most important aspect when you become a teacher for nursery is to ensure that you continue learning and improving.
Getting a qualification beforehand does help, but you can also get one as you work.
Conclusion
Becoming a nursery teacher can be very fulfilling, but at the same time it also has its fair share of challenges. You need to identify the right training route and ensure that you stick with it. Not only that, but you also have specialized requirements to fulfill.
With that in mind, it’s great to be a nursery teacher, since you get to educate and prepare the next generation for their careers. It’s a very important role, albeit quite stressful as a newcomer. That’s why enrolling in a great early year teaching course or getting the right qualification can help quite a bit!
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