UK childcare ratios · Updated October 2026
Nursery staff ratio calculator (UK)
Enter how many children you have in each age group and see the minimum number of staff you need under the rules for England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
These are statutory minimums. Your registration conditions, risk assessments and children’s needs may require more staff.
How to use the nursery ratio calculator
Our nursery staff ratio calculator works out the minimum number of staff you need from the ages of the children in your care. It follows the statutory staff to child ratios for each UK nation, so you can plan rotas, check a room before opening, or test whether you can take another child.
- 1Choose your nationPick England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Each has its own childcare regulator and its own ratios.
- 2Choose your setting typeSelect nursery or pre-school for group day care, or childminder for home-based care.
- 3Enter children by ageAdd the number of children in each age group. Count every child present, including sleeping children and staff’s own children.
- 4Set how children are groupedChoose one mixed-age room if staff time is shared, or separate rooms if each age group is staffed on its own.
- 5Add your staff on dutyEnter the staff working directly with children right now. The calculator shows whether you are in ratio and how many more children you could take.
UK nursery staff to child ratios at a glance
These are the minimum adult to child ratios for group day care, including nurseries, pre-schools and crèches, in each part of the UK as of October 2026.
| Age group | England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Under 2 | 1:3 | 1:3 | 1:3 | 1:3 |
| Aged 2 | 1:5 | 1:5 | 1:4 | 1:5 |
| Aged 3 | 1:8 (1:13 graduate-led) | 1:8 (1:10 under 4 hrs) | 1:8 | 1:8 |
| Aged 4 and over | 1:8 (1:13 graduate-led) | 1:8 (1:10 under 4 hrs) | 1:8 (aged 3–7) | 1:10 (aged 4–12) |
| Aged 8 to 12 | – | – | 1:10 | 1:10 |
| Minimum on duty | – | – | 2 staff | 2 per room |
Factors that change the right nursery ratio
Statutory ratios are a minimum, not a target. The right staffing level for your nursery depends on several things.
Age of the children
Younger children need more adults. Under 2s are always 1:3, and the ratio relaxes as children get older.
Where your setting is
England (EYFS), Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set different ratios, most notably for 2-year-olds (1:5 or 1:4).
Staff qualifications
In England, a graduate-led group of 3- and 4-year-olds can run at 1:13 rather than 1:8. Each ratio also has minimum Level 2 and Level 3 requirements.
Time of day
The 1:13 ratio in England applies only between 8am and 4pm. Early and late sessions return to 1:8.
Session length
In Scotland, children aged 3+ attending less than 4 hours a day can be cared for at 1:10 rather than 1:8.
Mixed-age rooms
When ages share a room, add up the staff time each age group needs and round up to whole people.
Children’s individual needs
Children with SEND, medical needs or who are new and settling in may need more staff than the legal minimum.
Outings and activities
Trips, water play, cooking and transport all need a risk assessment, which will often call for higher staffing than the minimum.
Breaks, handovers and absence
Staff on breaks, in meetings or doing admin are not in ratio. Plan cover so rooms never fall short.
Who counts in the staff ratio in a nursery?
Only adults who are available to care for children at that moment count towards your nursery ratio. Under the EYFS in England:
Counts in ratio
- Staff aged 17 or over who are working directly with children.
- Apprentices aged 16 or over and students on long-term placements, if the manager is satisfied they are competent and responsible.
- Volunteers aged 17 or over who are competent and responsible. In Wales, regular volunteers can be counted in normal staffing ratios.
- Managers, deputies and room leaders, but only while they are actually caring for children.
- Bank and agency staff who have been suitably checked and are working with the children.
Does not count in ratio
- Anyone on a break, at lunch or off the floor.
- Cooks, cleaners and administrative staff while doing those roles.
- Managers working in the office or meeting parents.
- Staff aged under 17 who do not meet the apprentice or student conditions. They must be supervised at all times.
- Parents and visitors.
Qualification requirements for EYFS ratios
In England, meeting the numbers is only half of the ratio rule. The EYFS also sets minimum qualification levels for each age group.
- Under 2s (1:3): at least one member of staff with a full and relevant Level 3, at least half of all other staff with Level 2, and at least half of staff trained specifically in caring for babies.
- 2-year-olds (1:5): at least one member of staff with Level 3, and at least half of all other staff with Level 2.
- 3 and over (1:8): at least one member of staff with Level 3, and at least half of all other staff with Level 2.
- 3 and over (1:13): a graduate (QTS, EYTS, EYPS or approved Level 6) working directly with the children, at least one other member of staff with Level 3, and at least half of all other staff with Level 2.
- The manager must hold at least a full and relevant Level 3 qualification.
Childminder ratios in the UK
Childminders work to maximum numbers rather than a single ratio, and those numbers include their own children.
- England: up to 6 children under 8, no more than 3 young children, and normally only 1 under 1.
- Scotland: up to 6 children under 16, no more than 3 not yet at school, and only 1 under 12 months.
- Wales: up to 10 children under 12, no more than 6 under 8, 4 under 5 and 3 under 2.
- Northern Ireland: up to 6 children under 12 with 3 under school age, rising to 8 under 12 from 9 November 2026.
Recent changes to nursery ratios
September 2023, England
The ratio for 2-year-olds changed from 1:4 to 1:5. Childminders gained more flexibility to care for siblings.
September 2024, England
Updated EYFS rules confirmed that competent apprentices and students can count in ratios at the level below the qualification they are studying for.
May 2026, Northern Ireland
Day care ratios brought in during 2021 were made permanent: 1:5 for 2-year-olds and 1:10 for children aged 4 to 12.
November 2026, Northern Ireland
New childminder ratios begin on 9 November 2026: up to 8 children under 12, and up to 2 under 18 months.
Frequently asked questions about nursery ratios
What is the staff to child ratio in a nursery in the UK?
For babies under 2 the ratio is 1:3 across the UK. For 2-year-olds it is 1:5 in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, and 1:4 in Wales. For children aged 3 and over it is usually 1:8, or 1:13 in England when a graduate-qualified practitioner works directly with the children between 8am and 4pm.
What is the nursery ratio for 2 year olds in England?
Since 4 September 2023 the EYFS ratio for 2-year-olds in group settings in England is 1:5. Before that it was 1:4. At least one member of staff must hold a full and relevant Level 3 qualification, and at least half of the other staff must hold Level 2.
What is the ratio for under 2s in a nursery?
It is 1 adult to 3 children (1:3) everywhere in the UK. In England at least one member of staff must hold Level 3, at least half of the other staff must hold Level 2, and at least half of all staff must have had training specifically in caring for babies.
What is the 1:13 ratio in early years?
In England, children aged 3 and over can be cared for at 1:13 when a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status or another approved Level 6 qualification works directly with them between 8am and 4pm. At least one other member of staff must hold Level 3. Outside those hours 1:8 applies.
Do apprentices and students count in nursery ratios?
In England, apprentices aged 16 or over and students on long-term placements can be counted in ratios if the manager is satisfied they are competent and responsible. Under the EYFS they can also count at the qualification level below the one they are studying for. Staff aged under 17 who do not meet these conditions do not count and must be supervised at all times.
Does the nursery manager count in the staff ratio?
Only while they are working directly with children. Time spent on management, admin, meetings with parents or in the office does not count towards ratios.
Do staff on breaks count in nursery ratios?
No. Ratios count only staff who are available to care for children at that moment. Plan breaks, lunch cover and handovers so every room stays in ratio throughout the day.
Can a nursery calculate ratios across the whole building?
Ratios must be met for the children staff are actually caring for. A room with extra staff cannot make up for a room that is short, so plan staffing room by room and check it again whenever children or staff move between rooms.
Do sleeping children count in the ratio?
Yes. Sleeping children still count towards ratios and must be checked regularly. A member of staff watching a sleep room is in ratio for those children.
How many children can a childminder look after in England?
A childminder in England can care for up to 6 children under 8, including their own. No more than 3 can be young children (up to 1 September after their 5th birthday), and normally only 1 can be under 1. Exceptions apply for siblings and the childminder’s own children.
Are ratios different for children with SEND?
The statutory ratios stay the same, but providers must deploy enough staff to meet every child’s needs. Children with special educational needs or disabilities may need extra support, which can be funded through inclusion or SEN funding.
What happens if a nursery is out of ratio?
Not meeting ratios breaks the statutory requirements. Correct it straight away, record what happened and why, and review your staffing plan. Repeated or serious breaches can lead to enforcement action from Ofsted, the Care Inspectorate, Care Inspectorate Wales or the Health and Social Care Trust.