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• teaching all areas of the foundation stage;

• helping children achieve early learning goals;

• interacting with and supporting children to foster enthusiasm for learning;

• planning the indoor and outdoor environment in order to provide a positive context for learning and teaching;

• planning challenging but achievable experiences and activities;

• devising and producing visual aids and teaching resources;

• working with others to plan and co-ordinate work;

• meeting requirements for the observation, assessment and recording of children's development;

• sharing knowledge gained with other practitioners and parents;

• organising learning materials and resources;

• using creative and practical skills to prepare learning materials;

• attending in-service training;

• getting involved in school or centre activities, such as special projects;

• arranging short visits to the nursery from outside organisations, for example the fire service;

• ensuring the health and safety of children and staff is maintained during all activities, both inside and outside the nursery;

• keeping up to date with changes in the curriculum and developments in best practice.



Some nursery teachers will make home visits prior to a child starting nursery and, where appropriate, might also visit providers of pre-school care, such as day nurseries

To be a nursery teacher in a state school, you'll have to gain Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) by doing Initial Teacher Training (ITT). There are four types of ITT:

Undergraduate

Postgraduate

School-Centered Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)

Work-based

Before you begin this, you'll need to have GCSEs (A-C) in English, maths and science or equivalent qualifications - check with course providers for their requirements. You'd also need to pass tests in numeracy, literacy and ICT (information and communications technology) and gain CRB (Criminal Records Bureau) clearance.

Having experience of working with children in a relevant age group, such as at a local school, would be an advantage whether it's paid or voluntary.

You can choose from the four types of ITT, depending on whether you already have higher education qualifications.

Undergraduate route

If you do not already have a degree you can gain QTS alongside your degree by doing one of the following types of course:

BA (Hons) or BSc (Hons) with QTS

Bachelor of Education (BEd) degree course (at a few universities).

Some of these courses would give you the opportunity to concentrate on the three to five age group (Early Years). The courses last for three or four years full-time.

To take this qualification, you'd need at least two A levels (one of which should be in a National Curriculum subject), and at least five GCSEs (A-C).

Universities may accept other qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education course. Check with course providers for their exact requirements.

Postgraduate routes

If you have a degree or an equal qualification in a subject relevant to the primary National Curriculum, you can get QTS by doing a Postgraduate Certificate of Education (PGCE) course. Courses can be one year full-time, two years part-time or flexible by distance learning. You can search for PGCE courses and apply on-line on Graduate Teacher Training Registry (GTTR)

School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)

SCITT is classroom-based training which takes one year and leads to QTS. You would need to have a degree for this course.

Employment-based routes

You can gain QTS whilst working in a school on a trainee salary on one of the following programmes

Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP) - you must already have a degree

Registered Teacher Programme (RTP) - you must have completed two years of higher education (for example, a BTEC HND, foundation degree or two years of a degree)

Overseas Trained Teacher Programme (OTTP) - you must have an overseas (outside the EU) teaching qualification that is equivalent to a UK degree.

The number of places on employment-based programmes is limited and competition is strong.

Training

To become fully qualified after you've completed your ITT course, you would need to finish a probationary period of three terms in employment. During this time you'd have a reduced teaching timetable and would be supported by a mentor.

Throughout your teaching career, you'd need to keep up to date with new methods and ideas in education by doing in-service training. This could be done by attending training days in school or at local authority training centres.

Annual income

As a Nursery/Pre-school Teacher, your main salary would tend to range from £20,627 to £30,148 a year (£25,000 to £34,768 in inner London).

If you wish to apply for assessment to move on to the upper pay scale, you'd need to have reached to top of the main salary. This would range from £32,660 to £35,121 (£39,114 to £42,419 in inner London).

Salary scales are reviewed each year. See details of the full pay scales on the Training and Development Agency for Schools website.

Correct as of Aug 2010

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