CPD courses for Nursery Practitioners

A guide to CPD for Nursery Practitioners

Nursery staff have many different responsibilities when looking after young children. They need to have appropriate knowledge and skills to ensure that children are supported and kept safe whilst they are in the care of the nursery. Staff also need to learn new strategies and techniques to know how to deal with any challenging situations. Being a nursery worker can be demanding and, at times, stressful.

In a rapidly changing world, legislation, technology and childcare standards are constantly being updated, and new learning approaches introduced. Therefore, nursery staff need to keep abreast with the latest developments and legislation to ensure their knowledge and skills are current to provide high-quality childcare.

Nursery staff must be competent to carry out their roles and responsibilities effectively. Competence means having a combination of relevant training, knowledge, skills and experience. Regular CPD training is a vital part of achieving competency in early years childcare.

There are professional bodies and member institutions that may make CPD a mandatory requirement for members. Some professional bodies, such as PACEY, require members to undertake a certain number of CPD hours annually. Employers may also require nursery staff to undertake CPD as part of their role.

If you are not already aware of the CPD training required for your role and responsibilities, you should ask your employer and check current professional development standards for nursery staff. You can also think about where the gaps are in your knowledge and skills and which areas you could improve. For example, you may find dealing with challenging behaviour in children difficult and taking a relevant course may help you overcome this.

It doesn’t matter the type or size of the nursery or what your role entails, our e-learning courses will help you with your CPD.

CPD courses

Many things count towards your CPD, and they should be relevant to you and your goals as a nursery worker. For example, you can attend seminars/lectures/webinars, read books/journals, start mentoring, observe others and undertake work-based learning. You can also complete e-learning, which will also count as part of your CPD.

Our e-learning courses are CPD certified and accredited under the CPD Certification Service. When you complete your course, you will gain an accredited qualification and CPD points (hours). The more training courses you undertake, the more knowledge and CPD points you will achieve.

We have different levels of courses for some areas, e.g. safeguarding children levels 2 and 3. If you are looking for more in-depth knowledge on a topic, then a level 3 course would probably be more suited to your needs.

To make the most out of your learning, you should adopt a structured and consistent approach to your CPD by undertaking training that meets your personal development objectives as a nursery worker.

CPD certificates

Once logged in, you can work through your course in a few hours (depending on the type), and there is no time limit for completion. You can work through at your own pace at a location of your choice. Very rarely do students need help, but if you do, our staff are here to assist.

After completion of your course, including passing the quiz, you can download your PDF certificate immediately. Our professional-looking certificates are fully CPD regulated. They can provide evidence of training to enforcement authorities (e.g. Ofsted and local authorities), professional bodies and prospective employers.

You can log onto your account at any time and download your certificates. You can keep them on file or email them through to your manager. It is also easy to print off a hard copy of your certificate and keep it with your other qualifications and awards in your CPD portfolio. You will also receive a copy of your certificate in the post.

Logging CPD hours

Every course that is CPD accredited will have a number of points assigned to it. One CPD point is equal to one hour of active learning, which means that you will get one point for every hour you spend on a CPD activity.

The number of points you will earn on completion of the course is in the course description, along with an estimated time to complete. This will give you your CPD hours.

You can keep a log of your CPD hours for the year and make a record of whether you have met your learning objectives. It is important to maintain an accurate CPD record as part of your CPD portfolio and personal development plan.

Logging CPD hours and keeping training records will have a positive impact on your overall career in early years. Also, knowing more about the issues that can affect young children will help you provide better childcare.

Keeping evidence

Your certificates and any other documentation relating to your CPD should be retained as evidence. Some professional bodies require CPD records to be kept for a period of five years, and employers may want you to keep them for longer. You will need to check any requirements for CPD documentation retention times specific to your role.

There is not a prescribed format when recording your CPD. Although, you may be required to use a specific format by an employer or professional body.

Your CPD record may be audited by your employer or by an external party, such as enforcement authorities and professional bodies. This is another reason why keeping evidence of your CPD is important.

Renewing CPD certificates

It is recommended that you renew your CPD certificate every two years. However, your employer may want you to complete a refresher every year. This will depend on the rules within your nursery setting.

Refresher training also counts towards your CPD. Therefore, you can log CPD hours for every course you undertake, including those taken as a refresher.