Mandatory Training for Nursery Staff: What Training Is Required?

By Dr. Aisha Patel ·

What training is mandatory for nursery staff? Our 2026 guide explains EYFS requirements, safeguarding, paediatric first aid and managing early years staff training.

Mandatory Training for Nursery Staff: What Training Is Required?

Nurseries and childcare providers have significant responsibilities for keeping children safe, supporting their development and ensuring staff are competent to carry out their roles.

But what training is actually mandatory for nursery staff?

There isn't one universal course list that every nursery employee must complete. Instead, requirements come from the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), wider legislation, safeguarding requirements and the particular responsibilities of individual staff members.

This guide explains the key training requirements for nursery and early years staff in England in 2026.

What mandatory training do nursery staff need?

All Ofsted-registered early years providers in England must follow the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) statutory framework.

The EYFS sets standards for children's learning, development and care from birth to age five and includes specific requirements relating to staff qualifications, safeguarding, paediatric first aid and staff development.

Depending on an employee's role, common areas of nursery staff training may include:

However, providers should determine the appropriate training for individual employees rather than treating this as a universal mandatory checklist.

For organisations looking to manage their early years training centrally, visit our Staff Training for Nurseries and Childcare Providers page.

Is safeguarding training mandatory for nursery staff?

Safeguarding is a fundamental requirement within early years provision.

Under the current EYFS requirements, providers must ensure that practitioners are trained to understand their safeguarding responsibilities.

The 2026 requirements include safeguarding training criteria for early years educators, with additional expectations for designated safeguarding leads (DSLs).

Providers must also ensure staff receive regular safeguarding training and refresher training where necessary, and that this learning is understood and applied in practice.

The Department for Education provides safeguarding training resources, although providers are not required to use the DfE's own course to meet the training requirements.

Is paediatric first aid mandatory in nurseries?

There are specific paediatric first aid requirements within the EYFS.

At least one person with a current Paediatric First Aid (PFA) certificate must be available on the premises whenever children are present and must accompany children on outings.

There are also qualification-related PFA requirements for certain staff to be counted within staff-to-child ratios.

Paediatric first aid certificates must be renewed every three years.

Importantly, PFA shouldn't be treated as a simple online awareness course. The EYFS criteria include practical training and assessment requirements, with the emergency PFA elements required to be delivered face-to-face.

Do nursery staff need safeguarding refresher training?

Yes.

The current Department for Education guidance states that early years providers must ensure staff receive regular safeguarding training, including refresher training where necessary.

This doesn't mean that every type of nursery training automatically needs to be repeated annually.

Providers should establish appropriate refresher periods based on the subject, legislation and guidance, employee responsibilities, identified risks and their own policies.

What qualifications do nursery staff need?

Training courses and early years qualifications shouldn't be confused.

The EYFS includes requirements around staff-to-child ratios and the qualifications staff must hold to count at particular qualification levels.

The Department for Education maintains specific Early Years Qualification Requirements and Standards, which were updated from 1 September 2026.

Providers should check whether an employee's qualification meets the applicable DfE criteria rather than assuming that completing general online training makes someone a qualified early years practitioner.

What changed in the EYFS in September 2026?

Updated EYFS frameworks came into force on 1 September 2026.

The latest changes include strengthened and clarified safeguarding requirements, including provisions relating to:

These follow wider safeguarding changes introduced previously, making it particularly important for providers to ensure that policies and staff knowledge remain current.

What other training might nursery staff need?

Beyond specific EYFS requirements, nurseries also have wider responsibilities as employers and organisations caring for children.

Depending on the setting and individual role, training may therefore cover areas such as:

The appropriate training should reflect the setting, individual role and risks involved.

You can learn more about wider workplace requirements in our Mandatory Staff Training and Health and Safety Training for Employees guides.

How should nurseries track staff training?

Training records can quickly become difficult to manage when a nursery has multiple employees, different roles and courses with different renewal requirements.

Providers should have an effective system for monitoring areas such as:

An Employee Training Platform and LMS can help centralise online courses, certificates, completion records and renewal dates.

This gives nursery managers greater visibility of staff training and makes it easier to identify gaps.

Manage nursery staff training with MoreCPD

MoreCPD provides Online Staff Training covering a range of compliance, health and safety and professional development subjects.

Our learning platform allows managers to assign courses, monitor progress, track certificates and manage employee training records from one place.

For early years organisations, explore our dedicated Staff Training for Nurseries and Childcare Providers options.

Explore Staff Training for Nurseries & Childcare →

Frequently Asked Questions

What training is mandatory for nursery staff?

There isn't one universal course list for every nursery employee. Providers must meet the requirements of the EYFS and wider legislation while ensuring staff receive training appropriate to their roles and responsibilities.

Do all nursery staff need safeguarding training?

Early years providers must ensure practitioners understand their safeguarding responsibilities and receive appropriate safeguarding training. The current EYFS framework includes safeguarding training criteria, with additional requirements applying to designated safeguarding leads.

Does every nursery worker need paediatric first aid?

Not every employee is necessarily required to hold the same PFA qualification, but the EYFS contains specific requirements regarding PFA coverage and which qualified staff can be counted within staff-to-child ratios. At least one person with a current PFA certificate must be available whenever children are present and accompany children on outings.

How often does paediatric first aid need renewing?

Paediatric first aid certificates must be renewed every three years.

Does all nursery mandatory training need renewing annually?

No. There isn't one annual renewal requirement covering every training subject. Providers should determine refresher requirements according to the subject, current guidance, risks and employee responsibilities.

Can nursery staff complete mandatory training online?

Many knowledge-based subjects can be delivered through online learning. However, some requirements involve practical skills or competency assessment. Paediatric first aid, for example, has specific practical and face-to-face requirements.