Thinking of starting an out of school club in the UK? Here is our quick guide to the qualification requirements for out of school club staff in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.
England
Apart from a few exceptions, most out of school clubs in England are required to be registered with Ofsted on at least one of the following childcare registers:
- Childcare Register, compulsory part
- Childcare Register, voluntary part
- Early Years Register (if you accept children of reception-age or above)
- Early Years Register (if you offer places to children younger than reception-age)
The qualification/training requirements would vary slightly depending on which register your club is on.
Childcare Register, compulsory part
It is no longer a statutory requirement for out of school club staff in England to hold a formal qualification in childcare. However, not having qualified staff could pose a problem when you apply for childcare insurance for your setting. As many insurers would require at least the manager/supervisor to hold a formal qualification, it is advisable to ensure at least the lead practitioner is qualified to Level 3 or equivalent (BA in childcare).
Training requirements
Ofsted has specific regulations about the training requirements for the staff present at each session. Here is a look at the training stipulated for different staff members:
- 12 Hour Paediatric Care First Aid qualification for at least one member of staff
- Safeguarding policy and procedures training for all staff and ensure they can recognise signs of abuse and neglect
- Training in food handling for all staff involved in food preparation
- Training in recognising the signs of radicalisation for all staff, and knowledge on how to respond to concerns
- Child protection: One member of staff with a Child Protection Level 1 Basic qualification. They and who has undergone a formal Child Protection Designated Person training course and should be able to hold the responsibility of the Designated Child Protection Person.
Voluntary Childcare Register
For settings registered on the voluntary part of Ofsted’s childcare register, the statutory training requirements for staff at each session include:
- 12 Hour Paediatric Care First Aid qualification for at least one member of staff
- Training in recognising the signs of radicalisation for all staff and knowledge on how to respond to concerns
- Training in food handling for all staff involved in food preparation
Level 2 qualification in a relevant area/training in core skills for at least one member of staff
Early years Register – Reception and older
If you accept children who are of reception age or older at your club, you should have the following trained personnel in your team in addition to those stipulated in the compulsory register.
- A designated SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator)
- A designated ENCO (Equalities Named Co-ordinator). This is mostly a local authority regulation and not a statutory requirement
Early Years Register – For children who haven't started Reception
If you have children younger than reception-age at your setting, you will need to meet the statutory staffing requirement as per the EYFS (for those children). It’s statutory to have staff with the following training requirement, in addition to those set out in the compulsory register:
- The session supervisor/setting manager with a relevant Level 3 qualification
- 50% of the remaining staff looking after the pre-school children to hold at least a full and relevant Level 2 qualification
- A designated SENCO (Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator)
- A designated ENCO (Equalities Named Co-ordinator).
- Child protection: One member of staff with a Child Protection Level 1 Basic qualification. The person should also have undergone a formal training course for the 'Child Protection Designated Person'.
Although not mandatory, it is also advisable to have a designated fire safety lead to take responsibility for fire drills, and record-keeping, irrespective of the register your setting is on.
Scotland
As opposed to the requirements in England, staff working in out of school care in Scotland are legally bound to register with the Scottish Social Services Council. All staff members are expected to have a designated qualification appropriate for the job level. If your staff are not sufficiently qualified at the time of starting their job, you can get them registered on the condition that they will achieve the qualification within five years.
Club Manager/Lead Practitioner
Level 9 Qualification in Childhood Practice/ BA Degree in Childhood Practice or equivalent qualification.
Practitioners
SCQF Level 7 or equivalent
Support Worker
SVQ Level 2 qualification or equivalent
Wales
Similar to Scotland, staff working in out of school clubs in Wales and Northern Ireland are required to have the following statutory qualifications as set by the Care and Social Services Inspectorate Wales (CSSIW):
Club Manager/Lead Practitioner
As the owner/club manager, you should have at least two years’ experience of working in a childcare setting and have a recognised Level 3 qualification on the Care Council for Wales' current list of Accepted Qualifications for the Early Years and Childcare Workforce in Wales or equivalent
Staff
50% of the remaining staff should at least have a level 2 qualification from the Care Council for Wales' current list of Accepted Qualifications for the Early Years and Childcare Workforce in Wales or equivalent, while the remaining staff should be working towards their qualification.
Northern Ireland
The qualification requirement for out of school staff in Northern Ireland are as follows:
Club Manager
The club manager should have a Level 5 Diploma in Playwork (NVQ) or equivalent and direct experience of working with children for a minimum of two years.
Staff
Half of the staff should hold at least a relevant Level 2 or Level 3 (for supervisors) NVQ diploma while the remaining staff should be working towards achieving their qualification.
For further information on qualification and training, here is a list of the government agencies and membership bodies for each region:
Ofsted and Out of School Alliance (England)
Scottish Social Services Council and Scottish Out of School Care Network (Scotland)
CCISW and Clybiau Plant Cymru Kids’ Clubs (Wales)
NI Direct and Playboard NI (Northern Ireland)
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