The Department for Education announced in February 2026 a new early years teacher degree apprenticeship designed to upskill existing nursery and early years staff. The programme will support up to 400 staff to train while remaining in paid roles, with the stated purpose of improving the quality of provision during the years that matter most.
To finance delivery, DfE has created a £3.2 million employer support grant. The department will contribute £9,000 per apprentice each year towards training costs and a further £8,000 per apprentice to help settings meet backfill, training time and National Insurance costs. DfE states the package is intended to ensure providers are not left out of pocket.
Funding will be routed to training providers, which must pass the £8,000 support directly to the early years settings employing the apprentice. Employers and staff will access the degree apprenticeship through approved providers, with up to 400 places available across England.
On completion, apprentices gain the skills and status to lead learning, rather than solely support it. In practice this enables graduate‑led staffing models and allows settings to operate within the higher staff‑to‑child ratios permitted under the Early Years Foundation Stage when led by suitably qualified teachers.
DfE cites research linking graduate‑level staff to better child outcomes. For every 10 percent increase in settings employing a graduate, the proportion of children reaching a good level of development rises by around 1.2 percentage points, indicating a measurable quality effect.
Pay progression underpins the workforce case. Departmental data indicate those with degree‑level early years qualifications typically earn about £5.50 more per hour than staff trained to A‑level standard. The apprenticeship is presented as a route to better‑paid, senior roles and as a retention tool for experienced practitioners.
Operationally, the £8,000 support allows employers to manage cover while apprentices undertake training and assessment, including the associated on‑costs. The separate £9,000 yearly training contribution is intended to meet provider fees for the degree apprenticeship, reducing the direct financial burden on settings.
The initiative forms part of the government’s Best Start in Life strategy and its long‑term ambition to place an Early Years Teacher in every setting. DfE frames the measure as addressing a shortfall of graduate‑level practitioners and supporting a more attractive, clearly defined career pathway.
It also sits alongside the previously announced £9.5 billion package to expand funded childcare. Ministers say parents can save up to £7,500 a year through expanded funded hours, with local authority funding rates to providers increasing above inflation to help maintain quality as access grows.
During National Apprenticeship Week, ministers highlighted wider steps to expand training. Construction firms on school building projects will be required to demonstrate opportunities for apprenticeships and T Level students, with government expecting around 13,000 placements. DfE analysis also estimates apprentices will contribute £25 billion to England’s economy over their working lives, and pilots will match ‘near‑miss’ applicants to alternative roles alongside a new online platform setting out apprenticeship options and outcomes.
For providers, immediate considerations include identifying suitable candidates, engaging early with approved training providers on course design and timelines, and planning workforce cover so service levels are maintained while staff undertake degree‑level study.
For practitioners, the route offers a paid pathway to a recognised degree‑level role with leadership responsibilities. DfE argues the approach strengthens quality, supports progression and pay, and enables staff to build careers without stepping away from frontline work.