Nursery Practitioner
Permanent nursery practitioner jobs
The title most private day nurseries put on the advert. Same job as nursery nurse, same Level 3, same place in ratio.
£27,000 to £30,500 outside London
Guide band for 2026. See how we work these out.
If you are comparing adverts and wondering whether Nursery Practitioner and Nursery Nurse are different jobs, they are not. Settings choose between the two titles mostly out of habit.
What the role involves
- Key person work with a group of children, usually within one room
- Planning around children's interests rather than a fixed weekly timetable
- Development records, progress checks and handovers to parents
- Keeping the room safe, clean and set up for the age group in it
What you will need
- An approved Level 3 in early years
- Enhanced DBS, ideally on the update service
- Experience of the age group the setting needs, particularly under-twos
- Someone who wants to stay: these are permanent roles, hired for years rather than weeks
Also advertised as: Nursery Nurse, Early Years Practitioner. Settings use these titles more or less interchangeably, so search for all of them.
Where
Where we recruit this role
We place nursery practitioner roles across the UK. These are the areas we cover most closely.
Questions
About this role
What does a nursery practitioner earn?
Our 2026 guide puts this role at £27,000 to £30,500 outside London. Bands assume a 40-hour week and are built from the National Living Wage floor and the published sector median. The full method is on our salary guide.
Is this a permanent role?
Every role we place is permanent. Tiny Tots Recruitment does not run a temp desk and does not offer agency shifts.
What else is this job called?
You will also see it advertised as Nursery Nurse, Early Years Practitioner. The qualification and the ratio requirements are the same whichever title a setting uses.
Related
Other roles we recruit
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 roleEarly Years Practitioner
The professional title for the job most people call nursery nurse. Level 2 and Level 3 both count in ratio, but not for the same things.
£27,000 to £30,500 at Level 3, outside London
About this roleSenior Practitioner
The step between practitioner and room leader. More responsibility for practice, including other people's, without full room accountability.
£28,500 to £32,000 outside London
About this roleLooking for a nursery practitioner role?
Register once and we will come to you when something fits. You will know the setting, the room and the pay before you decide whether to meet them, and your CV goes nowhere without your say-so.