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Teacher (nursery/pre-school)

Nursery/pre-school teachers help to nurture and develop the knowledge, abilities and social skills of children between the ages of three and five years and help to prepare them for primary school education.

Work experience with children can be gained through direct approaches to schools, employment as a classroom assistant, voluntary work, job shadowing, or by helping at summer camps, playgroups or playschemes.

Nursery/pre-school teacher job description: Typical employers | Qualifications and training | Key skills | Useful links | Find jobs and courses

Typical responsibilities of the job include:

developing and implementing lessons/work schemes
providing a safe and stimulating environment that facilitates learning
organising and supervising play and work activities (for example reading, cooking, music, dancing etc)
liaising with parents/carers and professionals such as speech therapists and health visitors
maintaining records
monitoring and recording progress.

The job requires an enthusiastic, imaginative and energetic individual capable of gaining the full potential from each child.

Typical employers of nursery teachers

Nursery teachers are employed within state-maintained, voluntary-aided or controlled and private (independent) nursery, infant and primary schools.

Teaching vacancies are advertised online, in newspapers, local authority jobs lists and in publications such as Appointments for Teachers, The Times Educational Supplement and Nursery World.

Directories such as The Primary Education Directory, Education Year Book and The Education Authorities Directory can be helpful for speculative applications. You can also pick up a copy of TARGETjobs Teaching from your careers service.

Qualifications and training required

Anyone wishing to teach in the state-maintained sector must gain qualified teacher status (QTS) either by taking a teaching degree, a degree followed by a PGCE (postgraduate certificate in education), or a school-based training scheme such as school-centred initial teacher training (SCITT), the graduate teacher programme (GTP) or the registered teacher programme (RTP).

All candidates must possess GCSEs (at least grade C) or equivalent in English and maths. Early applications for PGCE places are advisable during the first term of your final year. Qualifications related to childcare can also be beneficial. A science or technology background can be helpful, as can extra skills such as music, arts and crafts. Previous experience of working with children is usually essential.