Workforce Planning in Early Years: Building a Sustainable Team

The early years sector is growing fast…but so are its challenges.

With the expansion of funded childcare hours, nurseries and early years settings need more staff, more skills and smarter workforce planning than ever before. 

Strategic planning isn’t just about filling vacancies. It’s about ensuring every child has access to quality care from confident, well-trained professionals, while giving staff clear pathways to progress. 

The good news is that with careful planning, and the right use of apprenticeships, settings can build resilient teams, improve retention and secure the skilled workforce they need now and for the future. 

 

A Sector Under Pressure 

Recruitment and retention remain among the biggest hurdles for early years providers. Many settings have struggled to fill vacancies in the past year. At the same time, more than half of nursery staff say they’re considering leaving the profession: 

• High turnover: around 57% of nursery staff and 38% of childminders are considering leaving within the next 12 months (source: https://www.earlyeducationchildcare.org/early-years-workforce-report) 

• Recruitment difficulties: 78% of early years settings report challenges, with half limiting intake (source: https://www.nfer.ac.uk/media/4uwi4cs5/the_early_years_workforce_in_england_2025.pdf) 

• Qualification gaps: declining Level 3 enrolments reduce the pool of compliant staff (source: nesta) 

• Financial pressures: staff costs are rising faster than funding (source: NDNA). 

The result is an unpredictable staffing picture. Some nurseries are unable to take on new families, while others are relying on temporary staff just to maintain ratios. Add to that rising costs, funding pressures and competition from other sectors, and it’s clear that a long-term plan is vital. 

 

Planning Ahead 

Good workforce planning starts with understanding what your setting needs now…and what it will need a year from now. That might mean forecasting seasonal demand, reviewing staff turnover patterns, or identifying which roles are hardest to fill. 

It also means thinking beyond recruitment. How can you retain your strongest team members? How can you build skills and confidence within your existing workforce? And how can you create a sustainable pipeline of new practitioners who are ready to grow with your organisation? 

Apprenticeships integrate seamlessly into strategic planning, allowing nurseries to recruit and train staff tailored to their needs while providing development opportunities for existing employees. Furthermore, training providers like Total People can support that process with their skills-gap analysis service. 

 

Apprenticeships: A Sustainable Workforce Strategy 

Apprenticeships are one of the most effective ways to meet both immediate and long-term staffing needs. They offer a structured route for new recruits to train and gain recognised qualifications, while earning as they learn. 

For many settings, apprenticeships are not just a way to bring in new people, they’re a way to invest in the people you already have. Team members can progress from Level 2 to Level 5, developing leadership and management skills that strengthen the setting as a whole. 

Because training costs are largely funded by the government, apprenticeships can be a cost-effective way to build a skilled, ratio-compliant workforce without stretching already tight budgets. 

 

Balancing Immediate Needs with Long-Term Goals 

Many nurseries face the challenge of balancing urgent staffing gaps with long-term ambitions for quality and consistency. Apprenticeships help bridge that gap by allowing settings to train new staff in their own ethos and values from the very start. 

At the same time, upskilling existing practitioners helps improve retention. When staff feel supported to learn and progress, they’re more likely to stay and contribute to a positive team culture, something every successful early years setting depends on. 

This is where choosing the right training provider is invaluable. Involving a provider like Total People in progression planning and career mapping allows for a long-term partnership to support sustainable growth. 

 

Future-Proofing Your Team 

Planning for the future doesn’t have to happen in isolation. Total People works closely with nurseries and early years providers across the North West to build workforce plans that meet both immediate needs and long-term goals. 

Through our Recruit Connect service, nurseries can access end-to-end support, from analysing skills gaps and identifying the right apprenticeship programmes, to finding, screening and onboarding candidates. We’ll help you understand your funding options, design training around your setting’s needs, and connect you with a pool of career-ready individuals passionate about starting their journey in childcare. 

Getting started is simple. Total People can guide you through each stage of the process, from initial consultation to your apprentice’s first day, ensuring recruitment runs smoothly and your new team members are supported to succeed from the outset. 

Find out more about Early Years apprenticeships with Total People.