Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what assessment her Department has made of the potential impact of Level 2 and Level 3 apprenticeship requirements on staffing flexibility in early years settings.

The department offers a variety of qualification pathways to support individuals to gain the vital skills they need to work in an early years setting, including apprenticeships at levels 2, 3, 5 and 6. Additional flexibilities were introduced in 2024 to give early years providers more flexibility in deploying apprentices.

Providers may now count apprentices (aged 16 or over) in ratios at the level below their level of study, if the provider is satisfied they are suitable, competent and responsible, and they hold a valid and current paediatric first aid qualification. This supports staffing flexibility in early years settings.

The government also introduced flexibilities around the English and mathematics requirements for apprentices in response to significant feedback, allowing thousands more apprentices to qualify each year, including in key sectors such as early years.

The department keeps all early years qualification requirements under review to ensure we are striking the appropriate balance between equipping educators with the right skills, without putting up unnecessary barriers. We will continue to ensure apprentices have a high-quality experience and increase the number of completions.