Early years recruitment, permanent only
Permanent nursery staff who lift the whole room
We place permanent early years staff only, and we place them to stay. Nursery nurses, room leaders, deputies and managers who add something to your setting and to the days of the children in it. No temp desk, no agency shifts, and no reason to want your vacancy left open.
The market
Why every nursery is short-staffed
The numbers behind the vacancy you cannot fill.
Why settings use us
Why settings use us
Permanent only
No temp desk. An agency selling cover profits for as long as your vacancy stays open, so it is in no hurry to close it. We have nothing to sell you but the appointment itself.
Early years only
Most agencies that cover nurseries also cover warehouses and offices. We recruit in one sector, so we know what counts in ratio, what an approved Level 3 actually is, and why the baby room is the hardest room to fill.
A shortlist, not a stack of CVs
People we have spoken to about your setting specifically, with a note on why we think each one fits it. Your own vetting and safer recruitment checks then run as normal.
Two ways to pay, you choose
A flat fee upfront at a reduced rate, or contingent with nothing payable until your chosen candidate signs. Terms in writing before we begin, and no registration fee.
Roles
Roles we recruit year round
Nursery assistant to nursery manager, and every one a permanent appointment. Each role has its own page: what the job actually involves, what it takes to get it, and the 2026 salary band.
Nursery Nurse
The Level 3 role at the heart of every nursery. Key person to a group of children, responsible for their day, their development records and their families.
£27,000 to £30,500 outside London
About this roleRoom Leader
Running a room: the children in it, the staff in it, the ratio, the planning and the parents. The first genuinely managerial job in a nursery.
£29,000 to £33,500 outside London
About this roleDeputy Nursery Manager
Second in command, and usually the person who runs the floor while the manager runs the business.
£30,000 to £37,000 outside London
About this roleNursery Manager
Full accountability: the children, the staff, the occupancy, the budget and the inspection.
£34,000 to £46,000 outside London, by setting size
About this roleEarly Years SENCo
The person responsible for how a setting identifies and supports children with additional needs. Usually a lead role held alongside practice.
£29,000 to £35,000 outside London, often as an allowance on practitioner pay
About this roleNursery Assistant
The way into the sector. Level 2 or unqualified, working alongside practitioners, with most settings willing to fund your Level 3.
£26,400 to £28,000 outside London
About this roleWhere we work
Where we recruit
We recruit permanently across the whole of the UK. These are the areas we know best.
Nursery jobs in Birmingham
Birmingham is where we work from, and the city we know best. The West Midlands is one of the three regions worst affected by the early years staffing...
See this areaNursery jobs in London
The largest nursery market in the country by a wide margin, and the one with the highest salary expectations. London bands run several thousand...
See this areaNursery jobs in Manchester
A strong nursery market in a region where 39% of providers are group-based, and one of the few cities where specialist agencies actively compete for...
See this areaNursery jobs in Newcastle upon Tyne
The North East is named among the three regions worst affected by the staffing shortfall, and we already recruit Level 3 practitioners...
See this areaNursery jobs in Sheffield
Consistently one of the highest-volume nursery job markets outside London, and noticeably under-served by early years...
See this areaNursery jobs in Bristol
The South West has the highest proportion of group-based providers in England at 43%, and is named among the regions worst hit by the staffing...
See this areaWhat clients say
A permanent Level 3, after months of trying
We engaged Tiny Tots Recruitment to help source a Level 3 Childcare Practitioner after several months of trying, due to our rural location and the national issue within the sector. This was our first experience using a recruitment agency for permanent staff, so we were slightly apprehensive. Throughout the process, Tayler communicated well with us and gave everyone she was liaising with the full confidence that a successful placement would be sourced within the timeframe. We now not only have a Level 3 qualified practitioner but the bonus of them having SENCo experience. Given that we are of charity status, Tayler did everything she could to help keep costs to a minimum for us. We would recommend Tayler and her resourcing team without hesitation.
Common questions
What settings ask us first
Do you place temporary nursery staff?
No. Tiny Tots Recruitment places permanent staff only. We have no temp desk and no bank of cover staff. If you need somebody for tomorrow morning we will say so rather than take the brief.
What areas of the UK do you cover?
The whole of the UK. We are based in Birmingham and know the West Midlands best, but we recruit permanently across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
What qualification do nursery staff need to count in ratio?
An approved Level 3 lets a practitioner be counted at Level 3, which is what most ratio requirements hinge on. Level 2 counts at Level 2. In England every room needs at least one approved Level 3, and at least half the remaining staff at Level 2.
What are the staff to child ratios in England?
Under twos are 1:3, two year olds are 1:5, and over threes are 1:8, or 1:13 where a qualified teacher or Level 6 is working directly with the children. Scotland and Wales operate separate frameworks.
What does a nursery recruitment agency cost?
We offer two structures. A flat fee agreed and invoiced upfront, which is the lower of the two because you are sharing the risk with us rather than leaving it all on our side. Or contingent, where nothing is payable until your chosen candidate signs. Both are agreed in writing before we begin and there is no registration fee. Tell us the role and we will give you both figures straight away.
Hiring, or thinking about it?
Tell us the room, the age group and when you need somebody. We will tell you within a day whether we can help.