3232 Early education and childcare practitioners

In short

• ONS unit group 3232, in minor group 323 (Teaching and childcare associate professionals) and major group 3 (Associate professional occupations).
• Appendix Skilled Occupations (figures as at 3 August 2026, re-checked 26 October 2026): Transitional tables only: Table 1a, Table 2aa.
• Going rate as the tables print it:
  • Table 1a, Going rate (SW – options A and D): £33,400 (£17.13 per hour)
  • Table 2aa, Going rate (SW – options F and I, GBM and SCU): £25,000 (£12.82 per hour)

What the ONS says

Description

Early education and childcare practitioners lead the learning and development of and care for children from birth up to five years of age in a school, nursery, or childcare environment.

Typical entry routes

Qualified practitioners need to have achieved an early years degree qualification, such as Early Years Professional, Early Years Teacher, Early Childhood Studies Degree, Early Childhood Graduate Practitioner Competencies. A DBS check is mandatory.

Tasks

• plans children’s day and activities and leads on social, language and numerical development
• coordinates observation and assessment on children’s play, development and learning
• identifies and responds to health and safety issues
• leads on preparing children for transitions to different settings, including school.
• communicates with parents, colleagues and external professionals on children’s development and health and well-being
• supervises and supports other early education and childcare workers
• coordinates nurturing care in bathing, dressing, preparation of feeds, feeding babies, and in changing babies and toddlers clothing whenever necessary
• provides a secure and supportive environment and supervises young children at mealtimes
• promotes and leads physical activities and children’s games, play, creativity, and problem solving

Related job titles

• Childcare practitioner
• Early years practitioner
• Pre-school practitioner

What the Appendix Skilled Occupations says

The Appendix lists this code in the tables below, with the tables’ own caption and the row as printed. Read the full table, and any condition in it, on GOV.UK.

Table 1a: Additional eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes and related going rates for Skilled Worker applicants granted permission under the rules in place before 22 July 2025

SOC 2020 occupation code

3232 Early education and childcare practitioners

Examples of related job titles (non-exclusive)

• Early education and childcare practitioners

Going rate (SW – options A and D)

£33,400 (£17.13 per hour)

90% of going rate (SW – option B)

Not applicable

80% of going rate (SW – option C)

Not applicable

70% of going rate (SW – option E)

£33,400 (£17.13 per hour)

Eligible for PhD points (SW)?

No

Table 2aa: Additional eligible SOC 2020 occupation codes and related going rates for Skilled Worker applicants granted permission under the rules in place before 22 July 2025

SOC 2020 occupation code

3232 Early education and childcare practitioners

Equivalent SOC 2010 occupation code(s)

6121, 6126

Examples of related job titles (non-exclusive)

• Early education and childcare practitioners

Going rate (SW – options F and I, GBM and SCU)

£25,000 (£12.82 per hour)

90% of going rate (SW – option G)

Not applicable

80% of going rate (SW – option H)

Not applicable

70% of going rate (SW – option J, GTR)

£25,000 (£12.82 per hour)

Eligible for PhD points (SW)?

No

Other unit groups in minor group 323

• 3231 Higher level teaching assistants

Sources

Occupation text: Office for National Statistics, SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions of unit groups (file dated 27 August 2026, version V13). Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Open Government Licence v3.0. Tables: Home Office, Immigration Rules Appendix Skilled Occupations on GOV.UK, page updated 3 August 2026; re-checked against the page updated 8 October 2026 on 26 October 2026, tables unchanged.

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