Childcare CV Example
Updated 26 June 2026
A strong childcare CV proves you meet the non-negotiables (Enhanced DBS, Paediatric First Aid, a recognised qualification) and then shows how you apply EYFS, safeguarding and key-person skills in practice. This guide walks you through the childcare CV template that gets shortlisted in 2026, with real examples at entry, mid and senior level.
Childcare CV examples
Entry-Level Childcare Practitioner
entryLeads with DBS, first aid and Level 3 qualification, then uses placement hours and volunteering to demonstrate EYFS and key-person experience despite no paid nursery role yet.
Nursery Practitioner
midShows progression from room assistant to key person, quantifies key-group size and EYFS planning, and demonstrates SENCO collaboration and parent partnership work.
Senior Nursery Practitioner / Room Leader
seniorDemonstrates leadership across multiple age groups, mentoring junior staff, leading EYFS moderation, and driving measurable improvements in Ofsted outcomes and staff retention.
How to write a childcare CV
Format and length
One or two pages, reverse-chronological. Nursery managers screen dozens of CVs when hiring to cover ratios, so clarity wins. Put your DBS status, first-aid expiry date and childcare qualification level in the top third of page one.
Section order
- Personal statement (2-3 sentences): qualification level, DBS and first aid status, age groups and setting types you have worked in, availability.
- Contact details: location, mobile, email, LinkedIn (optional).
- Key skills: EYFS, safeguarding, first aid, observation tools (Tapestry / Famly), SEN support, behaviour management.
- Work experience: reverse-chronological. For each role, state the setting type (day nursery, preschool, wraparound), the age group and ratio you worked to, and 3-4 achievement bullets with numbers.
- Education and qualifications: your childcare qualification (Level 2 / 3 / T Level), GCSEs, any A-Levels.
- Certifications: DBS, Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding (as distinct entries with expiry dates and issuing bodies).
- Additional information: languages, PACEY / Early Education membership, notice period.
What to include per section
| Section | Entry-level | Mid-level | Senior |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Qualification, DBS, first aid, placement hours, age groups | Years of experience, key-person track record, EYFS and SEN skills | Leadership, team size, Ofsted outcomes, mentoring |
| Experience | Placement + volunteering (450+ hours) | 2-3 nursery roles, key-person responsibilities | Room leadership, staff supervision, SEN coordination |
| Skills | EYFS, safeguarding, first aid, observation, play-based learning | + SEN support, Tapestry, parent partnership | + EYFS moderation, policy development, Ofsted prep |
| Certifications | DBS, first aid, Safeguarding Level 2 | + Safeguarding Level 3, Makaton Level 1 | + DSL training, SENCO award (in progress or complete) |
Breaking in with no paid experience
If you have completed a Level 2 or Level 3 course, you have placement hours. Treat your placement as a real job entry: name the setting, the age group and ratio, your key-person responsibilities, and the number of observations or activities you planned. Add any volunteering (toddler groups, breakfast clubs, holiday schemes) and your PACEY or Early Education membership to show sector commitment. A skills-based CV that foregrounds safeguarding, first aid and EYFS planning beats an empty work-history section every time.
Personal statement examples
Level 3 qualified Early Years Educator with current Enhanced DBS and Paediatric First Aid, seeking a nursery role to apply EYFS planning and key-person skills developed across 450 placement hours. Confident supporting children aged 0-5 and committed to safeguarding and play-based learning. Available immediately.
Hard-working and passionate childcare worker looking for a role in a nursery to gain experience and develop my skills. I love working with children and am a reliable team player who is eager to learn.
Writing your experience
The result-plus-metric pattern
Childcare impact is not just "looked after children". Show the number of children in your key group, the ratio you maintained, the EYFS areas you planned for, and any measured improvements in participation, school readiness or developmental milestones.
Weak: Responsible for planning activities and observing children in the preschool room.
Strong: Key person for 8 children aged 3-5, completing weekly observations on Tapestry and termly progress summaries shared with parents, achieving 95% positive feedback on parent surveys.
Weak: Supported children with special educational needs.
Strong: Supported 2 children with EHCPs (autism and speech delay), working closely with the SENCO and external speech therapist to implement individual support plans and visual timetables, achieving a 30% increase in verbal participation over 8 weeks.
Weak: Helped with daily routines and kept the room tidy.
Strong: Maintained 1:3 staff-to-child ratio in baby room, completing daily care routines (nappy changing, bottle feeding, nap supervision) and ensuring compliance with safeguarding and infection-control protocols at all times.
Action verbs for childcare
Supported, planned, delivered, observed, recorded, maintained (ratios / safeguarding compliance), liaised (with parents / SENCO / external agencies), adapted (activities for SEN), achieved, increased (participation / school readiness), completed (observations / progress summaries / incident reports), mentored (junior staff / apprentices), led (EYFS planning / moderation meetings / room team).
Call out key-person and EYFS work
The key-person role is the core professional task of a nursery practitioner. State the size of your key group, how often you completed observations, the tool you used (Tapestry, Famly, paper-based), and how you shared progress with parents. Reference the EYFS areas of learning you planned for (Communication and Language, Physical Development, Personal Social and Emotional Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Understanding the World, Expressive Arts and Design). This separates a trained practitioner from a babysitter in the recruiter's eyes.
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Childcare qualifications
Name your qualification by level and awarding body. The distinction between Level 2 and Level 3 maps directly onto what a setting can deploy you for and the staff-to-child ratios you count towards.
- Level 2 Certificate in Childcare and Education (CACHE, NCFE, Pearson): entry-level, often completed at school or college. You can work as a nursery assistant but do not count in ratio as a qualified practitioner in all settings.
- Level 3 Diploma in Childcare and Education / Early Years Educator (CACHE, NCFE, Pearson): the standard qualification for a nursery practitioner. You count in ratio and can be a key person.
- T Level in Education and Childcare: a newer two-year qualification equivalent to Level 3, with a substantial industry placement.
- NVQ Level 3 in Children's Care, Learning and Development: work-based qualification, often completed while employed in a setting.
If you hold a degree in Early Childhood Studies or a related field, list it, but still state your Level 3 status and whether you have Early Years Teacher Status (EYTS) or Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Many nurseries prefer or require a Level 3 for practitioner roles and reserve graduate roles for room leaders or SENCOs.
Non-negotiable certifications
- Enhanced DBS Check: state whether it is current and whether you are registered with the DBS Update Service (this lets employers check your status online and saves time).
- Paediatric First Aid: must be a 12-hour course that meets EYFS requirements. State the expiry date and issuing body (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, etc.). Nurseries will not interview without current first aid or a commitment to complete it before starting.
- Safeguarding and Child Protection: state the level (Level 2 for practitioners, Level 3 for senior staff, DSL training for designated safeguarding leads). List this as a separate certification, not folded into general training.
Additional certifications that stand out
- Makaton Level 1 or 2: signing to support communication, especially valued for SEN-inclusive settings.
- Food Hygiene Level 2: required if you prepare or serve food.
- SENCO Award: National Award for SEN Coordination, required for the SENCO role in group settings.
- Forest School Leader Level 3: outdoor learning qualification, increasingly popular.
List certifications with the issuing body and expiry date where applicable. If a certification is in progress, state the expected completion date.
Common mistakes to avoid
Listing duties instead of impact (e.g. 'responsible for planning activities and observing children').
Show outcomes with numbers: 'Key person for 8 children aged 3-5, completing weekly observations on Tapestry and achieving 95% positive feedback from parents on termly progress summaries.'
Burying your DBS and first aid status in a generic skills list or leaving expiry dates off.
Create a dedicated Certifications section with Enhanced DBS (current, update service registered), Paediatric First Aid (expires March 2027, St John Ambulance), and Safeguarding Level 2 or 3 as distinct entries. Reference them again in your personal statement.
Writing 'worked with children aged 0-5' without specifying the age band and setting type for each role.
State the room and ratio for every role: 'Baby room (0-2 years), 1:3 ratio' or 'Preschool room (3-5 years), 1:8 ratio'. Childcare experience is not fungible, and recruiters need to see whether you have the specific age-group experience they are hiring for.
Saying 'passionate about working with children' or 'love helping children learn' without evidence.
Show it through your EYFS planning, key-person responsibilities, and measured outcomes. Replace generic enthusiasm with concrete examples: 'Planned play-based activities across all 7 EYFS areas, increasing school-readiness outcomes by 22%.'
Omitting your notice period or availability, forcing the recruiter to ask.
State it explicitly in the Additional Information section: 'Available immediately' or 'Four weeks notice required'. Childcare settings often hire urgently to cover ratios, and immediate availability is a genuine advantage.
Folding safeguarding into a general 'training' bullet or leaving it off entirely.
List Safeguarding and Child Protection as a standalone certification with the level (2 or 3) and issuing body. Childcare recruiters treat current safeguarding awareness as a screening requirement, not a nice-to-have.
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with Level 3 qualification, DBS, first aid and placement hours. References age groups worked with and availability. | Leads with years of experience, room leadership, team size, Ofsted outcomes and mentoring track record. States career goal (deputy, SENCO). |
| Key-person experience | Key person for 6 children during placement, completing weekly observations and next-steps planning. | Key person for 8+ children across multiple years, leading EYFS moderation, standardising observation quality, and achieving measurable school-readiness improvements. |
| SEN support | Supported one child with an EHCP during placement, adapting activities under supervision. | Coordinated SEN support for 6 children with EHCPs, liaising with external agencies (speech therapy, OT, educational psychologists) and leading annual reviews. |
| Certifications | Enhanced DBS, Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding Level 2. Possibly Makaton Level 1 or Food Hygiene Level 2. | Enhanced DBS, Paediatric First Aid, Safeguarding Level 3 (DSL trained), Makaton Level 2, SENCO Award (in progress or complete). |
| Leadership and mentoring | None, or informal peer support during placement. | Mentors Level 2 apprentices and newly qualified Level 3 staff, delivers monthly supervision sessions, and reduces staff turnover through effective support. |
| Metrics | Placement hours (450+), number of children in key group (6), engagement percentages (85% participation in activities). | Team size (4 practitioners), room capacity (32 places), Ofsted grade (Outstanding), staff retention improvement (40% reduction in turnover), school-readiness outcomes (28% improvement). |