Experience-based route for early years staff
How early years providers can implement the experience-based route for staff who do not hold full and relevant qualifications.
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The experience-based route and this guidance do not yet represent the law, until the related statutory instrument has been made and comes into force, expected on 3 March 2025.
We have published this guidance at this point in time to give providers and practitioners time to familiarise themselves with the process.
This guidance outlines the recommended approach for early years providers who are interested in carrying out the experience-based route for staff in their setting.
This route allows for suitable and experienced staff, who do not hold full and relevant qualifications, to be included in the staff:child ratios at level 3 following a period of supervised practice.
This guidance is for:
- registered early years providers required to comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework for group and school-based providers
- early years provider and premises managers
- early years staff
- school leaders, school staff and governing bodies in schools providing early years provision
The experience-based route: initial and final check form and record can be used:
- as a template when making assessments of staff proceeding with this route
- to record evidence of decision-making
This route is only available to providers and staff that meet the requirements set out in the Early years qualification requirements and standards document.
The experience-based route and this guidance are subject to parliamentary procedure until the relevant statutory instrument has been laid on 10 February 2025 and it comes into force on 3 March 2025.
We have published this guidance to give providers and practitioners time to familiarise themselves with the process.