Staff are arguably the most important part of your entire nursery business. The quality of your team will directly influence your Ofsted outcome, your daily operations, your safeguarding standards, and ultimately your reputation with parents.
Because of this, getting staffing right from the very beginning is essential.

This section of the course will guide you through all core aspects of employing staff, from recruitment to legal compliance, payroll, pensions, safer recruitment and on-boarding.

You will use this section not only during your initial setup, but also every time your nursery grows, restructures, or replaces team members.

We will cover everything you need to confidently hire and manage staff, including:

• Understanding your legal obligations as an employer

• How to register as an employer with HMRC

• How to set up PAYE and payroll

• Auto-enrolment and pension duties

• Planning your staffing structure based on ratios and room needs

• Recruiting high-quality practitioners

• Interview questions and safer recruitment practices

• Staff induction, training and probation periods

• Key documents every nursery must have in place

By the end of this module, you will have a clear understanding of how to legally employ staff, how to manage ongoing HR requirements, and how to recruit the right people for your nursery.

What you will learn

By the end of this session, you will be able to:

✔ Register as an employer and set up staff so you can legally pay them

This includes HMRC registration, PAYE setup, understanding tax codes, and ensuring you meet all payroll deadlines.

✔ Understand your legal obligations around staffing and recruitment

We will cover:

• DBS checks

• Right-to-work checks

• References

• Safer Recruitment guidelines

• Ofsted expectations

• Required training (first aid, safeguarding, prevent duty, food hygiene)

✔ Access all key documents needed during recruitment and onboarding

You’ll gain templates and examples for:

• Offer letters

• Employment contracts

• Job descriptions

• Interview questions

• Staff handbooks

• Induction forms

• Probation review templates

✔ Plan your staffing needs based on ratios and budget

You’ll learn how to structure your team effectively, including:

• Room leaders

• Deputy managers

• SENCO

• Apprentices

• Support staff

• Lunch cover

• Bank staff

• How to adapt staffing as your nursery grows

✔ Improve your recruitment process

Learn how to identify the right candidates, what red flags to look for, where to advertise roles, and how to build a strong long-term team.