Government launches new paid degree apprenticeships to help early years staff upskill and improve nursery education across England

The government has unveiled a new package of support aimed at strengthening the early years workforce and improving outcomes for children right from the start.

This initiative comes as part of National Apprenticeship Week and focuses on giving staff the tools, qualifications, and recognition they need to excel in nurseries and early years settings.

Paid Degree Apprenticeships for Early Years Staff

At the heart of the programme is the early years teacher degree apprenticeship, which will allow 400 staff members to earn while they learn.

Participants will gain full teacher-level skills, enabling them to work confidently in nurseries, pre-schools, and other early years settings.

By providing a clear route to higher pay and professional recognition, the programme aims to make early years education a more attractive and sustainable career.

Staff can progress into senior roles, lead learning initiatives, and operate in higher staff-to-child ratios, all while continuing to support children’s development.

Investing in Quality and Outcomes

Evidence shows that children benefit most when early years staff are well-trained.

Research indicates that for every 10% increase in settings employing graduate-level staff, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development rises by around 1.2%.

To support this, the government is backing the programme with £3.2 million for employers, contributing £9,000 per apprentice each year for training costs.

An additional £8,000 per apprentice will cover backfill, training, and National Insurance, ensuring providers are not out of pocket.

Department for Education data highlights that early years staff with degree-level qualifications earn around £5.50 more per hour than those with only A-level equivalent training, demonstrating that higher qualifications lead to better pay and workforce retention.

Minister Highlights Importance of Early Years Investment

Minister for Early Education, Olivia Bailey, emphasised the transformative power of high-quality early education:

“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.

High-quality early education can change the course of a child’s life.”

The minister highlighted that the programme benefits children, families, and the workforce alike, ensuring a stronger, more capable early years sector.

Support from Providers and the Sector

Sophie Hayter, Qualification Lead at Kido Nurseries and Pre-Schools, welcomed the funding and professional development opportunities:

“This is a significant and welcome step forward for our sector.

Investing directly in practitioners ensures more children can benefit from graduate-level expertise during the most critical stage of their development.”

The £8,000 support grant will be paid to training providers and passed directly to settings employing apprentices, removing financial barriers to participation.

Part of a Broader Strategy

The new degree apprenticeship programme is part of the government’s Best Start in Life strategy, which aims to have an Early Years Teacher in every setting.

It also follows the record £9.5 billion investment in affordable, high-quality childcare, allowing working parents to save up to £7,500 a year through expanded funded hours.

Other initiatives announced during National Apprenticeship Week include:

• A requirement for construction firms working on school projects to provide apprenticeship and T Level opportunities, creating around 13,000 new positions.

• Pilots to match “near miss” apprenticeship applicants with similar opportunities in their area.

• An online platform offering clearer information about apprenticeships and career outcomes for young people.

What’s Next?

The focus now shifts to rolling out the degree apprenticeships across early years settings and monitoring their impact on quality and workforce retention.

Early years providers will begin recruiting apprentices and integrating the new funding into staffing plans.

Longer term, the government hopes these initiatives will raise the standard of early education nationwide, ensure more children benefit from highly trained educators, and make the sector a more sustainable and rewarding career path.

Summary

The government has launched a new paid degree apprenticeship programme to upskill 400 early years staff, allowing them to teach while continuing their vital work with children.

Backed by £3.2 million in grants and additional employer support, the programme aims to improve early education quality, increase staff pay, and create clearer career progression routes.

This initiative forms part of the Best Start in Life strategy and complements broader investment in childcare, apprenticeships, and workforce development across England.