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Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) and Early Years and Childcare (3605)

Last Updated: 15 Jul 2024

The following qualifications will be closed from 1 September 2019:
•3605-32 601/7440/7 City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Extended Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (1080)
•3605-31 601/7439/0 City & Guilds Level 3 Advanced Technical Diploma in Early Years and Childcare

The City & Guilds qualification for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work-based) is mapped to the criteria for Early Years Educator qualifications, published by the National College for Teaching and Leadership.  On completion learners will be able to work as Early Years Educators in England.

The requirement for Level 3 Early Years Educators to hold an approved English and mathematics qualification has been broadened to include other suitable level 2 qualifications, including Functional Skills. This will take effect from 3rd of April 2017. This means that GCSEs are not the only qualifications which will be recognised as meeting the Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) requirement to count in staff:child ratios and be recognised as Early Years Educators in the workplace. The revised Early Years Foundation Stage Framework (EYFS) will come in to force from the 3rd of April 2017 and is available at

2020 DfE Performance Tables: 
UCAS Tariff calculator: 
UCAS City & Guilds tariff tables: UCAS tariff tables

The Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work Based) is ideal for learners who are 18+ or apprentices, as it is part of the current Early Years Educator apprenticeship (9062).
Available to deliver in the following:
  • England

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form

General Information

What Is Involved In Studying This Course?
Learners interested in the Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work Based) will be required to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of early years education and care, including that they can support and promote children's early education and development, plan and provide effective care, teaching and learning that enables children to progress and prepares them for school, make accurate and productive use of assessment, develop effective and informed practice, safeguard and promote the health, safety and welfare of children, work in partnership with the key person, colleagues, parents and/or carers or other professionals.

Compulsory topics include:
• child development
• professional development
• safeguarding children
• diversity, equality and inclusion
• positive behaviour and transitions
• working in partnership
• promoting children’s speech, language and communication
• theories underpinning practice
• supporting children’s activities.

For more information, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.
What Careers Can This Lead To?
The Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work Based) is the recognised qualification for candidates wanting to work as Early Years Educators in England.

The content in the mandatory units fully meets the qualification criteria for qualifications for Early Years Educators set by the National College for Teaching and Leadership (NCTL). The NCTL is responsible for defining the full and relevant qualifications that staff included in the specified ratios must hold.

These qualification criteria set out the minimum requirements for what an Early Years Educator should know, understand and be able to do, to be considered qualified to support young children from 0 to 5 years old.
What Is Involved With Delivering This Course?
To deliver these qualifications, centres/colleges will need to provide their learners with a suitable learning environment and the resources they need to complete the practical and theoretical aspects of the qualification.

To find all the resource requirements, download the qualification handbook from the centre documents section.

Level 3

Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work-based) (3605-03)
Last Registration Date: 31 Aug 2025 Supportive services: SmartScreen Learning Assistant

Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Practitioner (Early Years Educator) (Work-based)

  • Accreditation No: 601/3118/4 This is a reference number related to UK accreditation framework
  • Type: Credit based qualification This is categorisation to help define qualification attributes e.g. type of assessment
  • Credits: 64 Credits are a measure of the size of the qualification
  • Guided Learning Hours: 356 - 356 This is the average contact time a centre would typically commit
  • Total Qualification Time: 640 The total time for the qualification
  • Key Stage: Data unavailable This shows the equivalent Key Stage level.
  • Last Certification: 31/08/2027 This is the last date that a certificate can be issued
  • Qualification fees in the UK: £168.00 Our typical price is the one that is most often paid by a centre for a completed learner. Some prices are made up of multiple charging points so action like taking difference units or specialisms to complete and resitting assessments may mean the cost for some learners differs.

Additional information for centres

Smart Screen

SMARTSCREEN IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

SmartScreen is our online portal for tutor, assessors and learners that provides unit-specific support materials and tutor forums to complement the delivery and learning experience

Learning Assistant

LEARNING ASSISTANT IS AVAILABLE FOR THIS QUALIFICATION

Learning Assistant is an innovative and cost effective e-portfolio solution that allows colleges and training providers to dramatically improve the delivery of their vocational qualifications.

Learn more about Learning Assistant >

Here you can find all documents related to this suite of qualifications.

By clicking on the section headings below, you can access a variety of documents such as the qualification handbooks and assessment materials, Statements of Purpose, and recognition letters from industry and employers.

Some documents may be password protected. Passwords can be retrieved by logging in to  and visiting the Administration section of the relevant qualification catalogue page.

Interested in delivering this qualification?

Find out more about how to become an approved City & Guilds centre or fill out our online customer application form

3605 Level 3

Assessment Documents

3605-31 32