Guidance

Qualifications that do not count towards the early years EYFS staff:child ratios

Published 10 February 2022

Applies to England

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-qualifications-that-do-not-meet-the-criteria/qualifications-that-do-not-count-towards-the-early-yearseyfsstaffchild-ratios

Background

A person must have a qualification that meets the full and relevant criteria for early years qualifications to count towards the early years EYFS staff:child ratios.

Nursing qualifications

Nurses registered before 1 September 2014 count towards the EYFS staff:child ratios at level 3 if they are designated as follows on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register for nurses, midwives and specialist community public health nurses:

Nurses register - sub part 1:

  • RN8: children’s nurse, level 1
  • RNC: children’s nurse, level 1
  • RN1: registered adult nurse, level 1

Nurses register - sub part 2:

  • RN7: general nurse, level 2

Midwives register:

  • RM: midwife

Specialist community public health nursing register:

  • RHV: health visitor
  • HV: health visitor
  • RSN: school nurse
  • SN: school nurse
  • SPC: specialist practitioner
  • children’s nursing
  • SPCC: specialist practitioner: community children’s nursing

The Department for Education (DfE) considers that it would not be practical for an individual to maintain their registration if they no longer practice as a nurse. If it can be evidenced that a nurse has been on the register before 1 September 2014, then they continue to be full and relevant.

Nursing qualifications for nurses registered on or after 1 September 2014 do not meet the full and relevant criteria for early years qualifications and do not count in the EYFS staff:child ratios.

Changes to NCFE CACHE and Pearson early years educator (EYE) and early years practitioner (EYP) qualifications certificates

When employing a member of staff, you will need to check NCFE CACHE and Pearson qualification certificates to establish whether the learner has achieved a ‘knowledge only pathway’ early years educator (EYE) or early years practitioner (EYP) qualification.

For NCFE CACHE, where the achievement of the qualification is ‘knowledge only pathway’, the holder cannot be counted in the staffing ratios. The ‘knowledge only pathway’ EYE or EYP qualification allows the learner to progress to further education or higher education.

For Pearson, a ‘knowledge only pathway’ has been developed for EYP and the EYE status has been removed from EYE qualifications to allow the learners to progress to further or higher education.

You can:

Health and social care qualifications do not meet the full and relevant criteria.

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