Early Years Practitioner CV Example
Updated 10 July 2026
An early years practitioner CV must prove you can deliver the EYFS framework, meet statutory requirements, and support children's development from birth to five. Recruiters scan for your Level 3 qualification, current Paediatric First Aid, DBS status, and evidence of key-person practice within seconds. This guide shows you how to write a CV that gets you shortlisted for nursery, pre-school, and childminding roles in 2026.
Early Years Practitioner CV examples
Entry-Level Early Years Practitioner
entryLeads with fresh Level 3 qualification, placement experience, and current PFA certificate to show immediate deployability.
Experienced Early Years Practitioner
midDemonstrates progression from room assistant to key-person lead, with quantified EYFS outcomes, SEND experience, and Ofsted-readiness.
Senior Early Years Practitioner / Room Leader
seniorShows leadership across multiple rooms, mentoring junior staff, driving Ofsted outcomes, and owning EYFS assessment cycles at setting level.
How to write an early years practitioner CV
Format and length
Two sides of A4, reverse-chronological order. No photo, no date of birth. Lead with a personal statement, then experience, skills, education, and certifications. Use bullet points for achievements, not duties.
What to include in each section
| Section | What to include |
|---|---|
| Personal statement | Age range (birth to five or 0-5), Level 3 status, EYFS knowledge, one or two specialisms (PFA, safeguarding, key-person practice). 3-5 lines. |
| Experience | Job title, employer, dates, location. 3-4 bullets per role showing outcomes: progress made by key children, inspection results, parent satisfaction. |
| Skills | 8-12 role-relevant skills: EYFS areas, observation tools, safeguarding, PFA, learning-journal platforms, SEND/EAL. |
| Education | Level 3 qualification with full title for your UK nation, GCSEs (English and Maths grades), any relevant A-Levels or degrees. |
| Certifications | Paediatric First Aid (awarding body, expiry date), safeguarding training (date), SEND/EAL courses. |
| Additional info | DBS status (enhanced, Update Service), languages (including Makaton if relevant). Skip hobbies unless directly relevant. |
Personal statement
Open with your Level 3 status, years of experience, and age range. Follow with EYFS framework knowledge and one or two specialisms. Close with a current certificate or DBS status. Tailor to the setting (nursery, pre-school, childminding).
Experience
Lead with your most recent role. Show outcomes, not duties. Quantify where possible: number of key children, progress made, inspection results, parent satisfaction. Reference EYFS areas, observation tools, and statutory requirements (two-year check, EYFS Profile).
Skills
List 8-12 skills relevant to the role. Include EYFS areas of learning, observation and planning tools, safeguarding, PFA, learning-journal platforms (Tapestry, Famly), SEND and EAL experience. Avoid one-word labels like 'safeguarding' without context.
Education and certifications
List your Level 3 qualification with the full title, awarding body, and dates. Include GCSEs (English and Maths grades are often required). Add Paediatric First Aid with awarding body and expiry date, safeguarding training with date, and any SEND/EAL courses.
DBS and deployability
State your DBS status explicitly: enhanced DBS on the Update Service (with issue date) or willingness to undergo one. Settings need you to start quickly, and a current DBS makes you immediately deployable.
Personal statement examples
Level 3 qualified Early Years Practitioner with 4 years' experience supporting children from birth to five across nursery and pre-school settings. Skilled in the observation-assessment-planning cycle, key-person practice, and partnership with parents. Proven track record in SEND inclusion, safeguarding, and contributing to Outstanding Ofsted outcomes. Current Paediatric First Aid and enhanced DBS on the Update Service.
Hard-working and reliable childcare worker looking for a role in a nursery to use my skills and grow. Passionate about working with children and a good team player. I have experience in childcare and am willing to learn.
Writing your experience
Show outcomes, not duties
Every bullet should answer: what did the children (or setting) gain? Lead with an action verb, add context, close with a metric or result.
Before (duty-focused):
- Responsible for planning activities for children.
- Carried out observations and assessments.
- Worked with parents to share information.
After (outcome-focused):
- Planned and delivered activities supporting all seven EYFS areas of learning, achieving 85% of key children meeting age-expected milestones by their third birthday.
- Maintained GDPR-compliant learning journals on Tapestry for a key group of 8 children, uploading 5-7 observations per child per week and contributing to a Good Ofsted outcome.
- Partnered with parents via daily handovers and termly parents' evenings, achieving 4.8 out of 5 parent satisfaction scores.
Action verbs for early years practitioners
Use verbs that show you deliver the EYFS framework and support children's development: planned, delivered, supported, maintained, built, conducted, implemented, adapted, tracked, contributed, partnered, scaffolded, signposted, escalated.
Reference EYFS application, not labels
Don't just list 'EYFS' as a skill. Show how you applied it: 'Planned and delivered activities supporting all seven areas of learning within the EYFS framework, with a focus on the three prime areas (communication and language, physical development, personal/social/emotional).' Reference the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning (playing and exploring, active learning, creating and thinking critically) when describing how you support learning.
Quantify key-person practice
Key-person experience is a statutory EYFS role, not generic childcare. Describe building secure attachments with a key group, settling-in/induction of new children, daily handovers with parents, owning that group's observations and next-steps planning, and supporting transitions. Quantify the key-group size (e.g. 'key person for 8 children aged 2-3').
| Weak | Strong |
|---|---|
| Responsible for key children. | Key person for 8 children aged 2-3, building secure attachments and conducting daily handovers with parents to share progress and next steps. |
| Carried out observations. | Maintained GDPR-compliant learning journals on Famly for key group, uploading 5-7 observations per child per week and tracking progress against Development Matters. |
| Worked with parents. | Partnered with parents via Tapestry learning journals and termly parents' evenings, signposting 4 families to external support services (speech and language therapy, health visiting). |
Key skills & ATS keywords
Hard skills
Soft skills
ATS keywords
Education & certifications
Level 3 qualification
Your Level 3 is the gateway to counting in staff:child ratios. Name the exact qualification for your UK nation:
- England: NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce or NCFE CACHE Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
- Scotland: SVQ Level 3 Social Services (Children and Young People)
- Wales: Level 3 Diploma in Children's Care, Play, Learning and Development
- Northern Ireland: QCF Level 3 Children's Care, Learning and Development
Include the awarding body, dates, and any distinctions or top marks in relevant units (safeguarding, SEND, observation and planning).
GCSEs and other qualifications
Many settings require GCSE English and Maths at Grade 4/C or above. State the grades explicitly. If you have A-Levels or a degree in a relevant field (psychology, sociology, education), include them.
Paediatric First Aid
The full 12-hour Paediatric First Aid certificate (not just the emergency 6-hour) is required for EYFS ratios. It expires after 3 years. List the awarding body (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, etc.), completion date, and expiry date. If your certificate is current, you are immediately deployable.
Example:
- Paediatric First Aid (12-hour certificate), valid until June 2027, St John Ambulance
Safeguarding and child protection
Level 2 Safeguarding and Child Protection training is expected. Include the awarding body (NSPCC Learning, local authority, etc.) and completion date. If you have DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) training, list it separately.
SEND and EAL courses
If you have completed short courses in SEND inclusion, EAL support, or Makaton, list them. Settings with diverse cohorts treat this as a strong differentiator.
Example:
- SEND Inclusion in Early Years short course, completed September 2024, Early Years Alliance
- Makaton Level 1, completed March 2025, The Makaton Charity
Common mistakes to avoid
Listing 'EYFS' as a one-word skill without showing application.
Show how you applied the EYFS framework: 'Planned and delivered activities supporting all seven areas of learning within the EYFS framework, with a focus on the three prime areas (communication and language, physical development, personal/social/emotional).'
Writing 'responsible for key children' without quantifying the group size or describing the key-person role.
Quantify and describe: 'Key person for 8 children aged 2-3, building secure attachments and conducting daily handovers with parents to share progress and next steps.'
Listing 'Paediatric First Aid' without the awarding body, completion date, or expiry date.
Include full details: 'Paediatric First Aid (12-hour certificate), valid until June 2027, St John Ambulance.' This proves you are immediately deployable.
Not stating DBS status explicitly.
State your DBS status: 'Enhanced DBS check on the Update Service, issued January 2025.' If you do not have one, write 'Willing to undergo enhanced DBS check.'
Using generic childcare language ('looked after children', 'helped with activities') instead of EYFS-specific terminology.
Use EYFS language: 'Supported children's learning and development across all seven areas of the EYFS framework, with a focus on the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning (playing and exploring, active learning, creating and thinking critically).'
Blurring the role into 'nanny' or 'babysitter' language, which does not reflect the structured curriculum and statutory framework of an EYFS practitioner.
Emphasise the EYFS framework, observation-assessment-planning cycle, and statutory requirements: 'Maintained GDPR-compliant learning journals for a key group, contributing to a Good Ofsted outcome.'
Junior vs senior: what changes
| Aspect | Junior | Senior |
|---|---|---|
| Personal statement | Leads with Level 3 qualification, placement experience, and current PFA certificate to show immediate deployability. | Leads with years of experience, room leadership, mentoring staff, and driving Ofsted outcomes. |
| Key-person practice | Key person for 6 children, building secure attachments and conducting daily handovers with parents. | Key person for 8 children, owning the observation-assessment-planning cycle and completing EYFS Profiles for 16 children over two academic years. |
| EYFS application | Planned and delivered activities supporting all seven areas of learning, with a focus on the three prime areas. | Planned and delivered a play-based curriculum across all seven EYFS areas of learning, embedding the Characteristics of Effective Teaching and Learning and achieving Outstanding for Quality of Education in Ofsted inspection. |
| SEND and EAL | Supported the SENCO with one child on an individual support plan, adapting sensory-play activities to meet their developmental needs. | Supported 5 children with SEND and 6 EAL learners, working closely with the SENCO, speech and language therapists, and families to implement individual support plans, resulting in measurable progress for 100% of the cohort. |
| Safeguarding | Completed Level 2 Safeguarding and Child Protection training, with knowledge of referral procedures and recording concerns. | Acted as Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead, recording and escalating 3 safeguarding concerns to the DSL and local authority in line with statutory procedures. |
| Leadership and mentoring | No leadership responsibilities; focus is on building competence in key-person practice and EYFS delivery. | Lead a team of 4 practitioners, managing rotas, supervisions, and appraisals, and mentoring 2 Level 2 apprentices to successful qualification. |