Can a Teaching Assistant Work in a Nursery?

Can a Teaching Assistant Work in a Nursery? The answer is yes. Many nurseries hire TAs as Nursery Assistants or Early Years Practitioners, particularly if you know the basics of EYFS. Moreover, these roles can be a great fit if you enjoy working with children under five. In these jobs, you’ll help with play, meals, and daily routines while watching how children grow and learn. 

Additionally, this guide looks at the qualifications and checks you need, the skills that help, pay, and ways to move forward in your early years career.

Can a Teaching Assistant Work in a Nursery? Daily Duties Explained

A nursery teaching assistant helps children learn, play, and get daily care. Here’s what the role usually involves:

• Support Play-Based Learning: Help children explore, play, and learn new things.
• Set Up Activities: Get games, crafts, and other fun learning activities ready.
• Observe and Record Progress: Watch how children are doing and share notes with the lead staff.
• Help with Care Routines: Assist with snacks, drinks and toileting if allowed, keeping children safe.
• Read Stories: Read or tell stories to spark imagination and improve listening.
• Supervise Outdoor Play: Watch children outside, making sure they play safely and have fun.
• Talk with Parents: Chat at drop-off or pick-up and share simple updates about the day.
• Support Lead Staff: Help the lead staff organise the classroom and keep things running smoothly.

You help children learn and grow while keeping the nursery safe, happy, and organised.

Is a Nursery Assistant the Same as a Teaching Assistant?

It’s easy to get confused because both roles help children learn, but some differences exist. For starters, a Nursery Assistant or Early Years Practitioner mainly works with little ones aged 0–5, following the EYFS. They spend most of their time helping with play, daily routines, and making sure there are enough staff for the children.

Meanwhile, a school TA usually works with Reception up to KS2. They help with lessons, classroom routines, and more structured learning. Job titles can change depending on the school or nursery, but the main focus of each role is quite different.

What Qualifications Do You Need to Work in a Nursery?

Questioning what you need to get started in a nursery? For most roles, a Level 2 course like Supporting Teaching & Learning or Early Years is enough to get your foot in the door. However, if you want more responsibility, a Level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) is preferred and can count towards staff-to-child ratios. On top of that, having safeguarding training and a Paediatric First Aid certificate that follows EYFS rules is a big plus. These show nurseries you can keep children safe, support their learning, and manage daily routines with confidence.

Can You Work in a Nursery Without Experience?

You don’t need any experience to start in a nursery. In fact, there are lots of ways to get involved and learn as you go. Here’s how you can get started:

• Volunteer: Help in a nursery to get a feel for daily routines. You’ll also see how staff run activities, care for children, and deal with different situations.
• Bank or relief shifts: Take occasional shifts to get hands-on experience. This way, you can try different roles and build confidence without committing full-time.
• Lunchtime or after-school clubs: Help with activities and look after children. It’s a relaxed way to gain practical experience.
• Observation sessions: Ask to watch how the nursery works. Even a few hours can teach you loads about managing groups and following EYFS routines.
• Build references: Collect recommendations from placements, volunteering, or short shifts. These help show future employers that you’re reliable and keen to learn.
• Take a short intro course. This will help you stand out and show that you’re serious. It will also give you confidence and cover basics like safeguarding and child development.

By combining these steps, you can gain experience, build your skills, and move into a nursery role even with no prior experience.

What Skills Help Teaching Assistants Succeed in Early Years Settings?

To do well in a nursery, you need a mix of practical and people skills. Here are the key ones:

• Warm communication: Talk kindly and clearly with children, parents and colleagues. This helps everyone feel understood.
• Patience: Kids take time to learn and settle. So, staying calm really matters.
• Playful creativity: Use games, stories, and fun activities to make learning enjoyable.
• Observation & note-taking: Watch children carefully, jot down progress, and share with the lead staff.
• Safeguarding awareness: Spot any risks and follow nursery rules to keep children safe.
• Positive behaviour strategies: Encourage good behaviour and gently guide children when needed.
• Teamwork: Work closely with the room lead or manager to keep the day running smoothly.

Altogether, these skills help you support children, assist staff and make the nursery a happy place to learn.

How Much Do Nursery Teaching Assistants Earn?

Curious about how much you can earn as a nursery teaching assistant? Well, it really depends on a few things. Your role level—Level 2, Level 3, or Early Years Educator (EYE)—can also make a difference, where you work matters, with London jobs usually paying more. Hours and contract type matter too, since some roles are term-time only, while others are full-year, part-time, or full-time. For example:

• Starting out: around £16,000–£18,000 per year
• With experience: about £19,000–£24,000 per year
• In London: roughly £24,420 per year
• Hourly rates: £13.69–£15.87 depending on experience

So, always check the job advert for hours and pay details to know exactly what to expect.

What Checks and Certificates Do You Need (DBS, Safeguarding, etc.)?

Thinking about what you need to start working in a nursery? First of all, you’ll need an enhanced DBS check, including the children’s barred list, to make sure you’re safe to work with little ones. Next, nurseries usually ask for right-to-work ID and references from any previous jobs or volunteering. In addition, staff often complete a safeguarding induction that follows KCSIE and EYFS rules. Finally, having a Paediatric First Aid certificate and sometimes food hygiene training can help you stand out and be ready for anything.

Can You Move from a Nursery Assistant to a School Teaching Assistant?

Yes, you can definitely move from a nursery assistant to a school teaching assistant. Here’s how:

• Use your EYFS experience: Your time with nursery kids works well in Reception and KS1 classes.
• Level 3 or EYE qualification: Also, getting a Level 3 or Early Years Educator certificate can make your CV stronger.
• Phonics and communication courses: Plus, doing extra training in phonics or communication shows schools you’re serious.
• Show evidence of impact: On top of that, include observations and small-group work to prove your skills and experience.

All in all, these steps make it easier to move smoothly from nursery to school classrooms.

FAQs

• What does a teaching assistant do in a nursery?
  They help children with play and learning, assist with meals and routines, observe progress, support activities, and work closely with the room lead.

• What jobs can I do with a teaching assistant qualification?
  You can work as a nursery assistant, classroom TA, Early Years Practitioner, or move up to Level 3 roles like HLTA or higher responsibility positions.

• Can I work in a nursery without qualifications?
  Yes, you can start by volunteering, doing bank shifts, or taking a short introduction course to gain experience.

• Can a TA legally teach a class?
  No, teaching assistants support the teacher but cannot take full responsibility for delivering lessons.

• What should a TA not do?
  They shouldn’t handle discipline alone, plan entire lessons, or cover a class without a teacher present.

• Why are schools getting rid of TAs?
  Some schools reduce TA numbers due to budget cuts or focus on teachers leading all learning.

• Can you work in a nursery with a level 2 teaching assistant qualification?
  Yes, Level 2 is enough for most nursery assistant roles, but Level 3 allows more responsibility and counts in staff-to-child ratios.

Final Thoughts: Starting Your Career in Early Years Education

So now you know the answer to the question, Can a teaching assistant work in a nursery? Yes, they absolutely can. If you’re ready to get started, a great first step is to visit a local nursery, try a taster or volunteer session, or sign up for a Level 2 or Level 3 course. 

By doing this, you’ll get a real feel for the job and learn while gaining experience. If you enjoy playing, being patient, and helping kids grow, becoming a nursery assistant is a fantastic way to begin. And later, it can open doors to school TA roles or even HLTA positions, giving you a clear path in early years education.

Take the next step in your career! Enrol in the Teaching Assistant Course at Unified Course today and gain the skills, confidence, and qualifications you need to succeed in early years education.