Government commits £3.2m to train early years teachers
Government commits £3.2m to train early years teachers
The Government has announced £3.2 million in funding to support employers whose staff train as early years teachers while continuing to work. The investment backs a new early years degree apprenticeship programme open to 400 practitioners, enabling them to qualify as early years teachers without stepping away from the settings they serve.
Nurseries and early years settings will receive £8,000 per apprentice to help cover backfill, training and National Insurance costs, with funding paid through training providers and passed directly to employers. The Government will also contribute £9,000 per apprentice each year towards training costs. Practitioners will count as Level 3 in staff-to-child ratios from the end of their first year, rising to Level 6 upon completion when they gain Early Years Teacher Status.
The programme forms part of the Department for Education's Best Start in Life early years strategy, which committed to offering financial support for the degree apprenticeship and pledged to more than double the number of funded early years initial teacher training (EYITT) places by 2028. To be eligible, practitioners must hold a Level 3 qualification and GCSEs in English, maths and science at grade C/4 or above.
Olivia Bailey MP, Minister for Early Education said:
"These degree apprenticeships give early years staff the chance to build skilled, well-paid and rewarding careers while continuing to do the vital work they do every day for children and families. Backing progression and better pay in early years is good for families, good for the workforce and good for our country."
The Government hopes the programme will help make early years a more attractive profession, supporting recruitment and retention by creating clearer routes to higher pay. Department for Education data shows that those with degree-level qualifications in early years typically earn around £5.50 more per hour than those trained to A-Level standard.
The Early Years Alliance has welcomed the apprenticeship scheme but stressed that much more investment, recognition and defined career progression will be needed to build the stable, high-quality workforce that children truly deserve.
Sophie Hayter, qualification lead at Kido Nurseries and Pre-Schools, described the announcement as "a significant and welcome step forward," adding that the funding recognises the vital importance of highly skilled educators in shaping children's earliest experiences.
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