# Nursery staff ratios explained

The legal minimum staff-to-child ratios for nurseries in England by age, what they mean in practice, and what to ask on a visit.

By The Toddly editorial team. Updated 14 November 2026. Page: https://toddly.co.uk/guides/nursery-staff-ratios

Ratios are the minimum number of staff a nursery must have for the number of children it is looking after. They are set in law in the Early Years Foundation Stage ([EYFS](/glossary/eyfs)) and they are one of the simplest things to ask about on a visit.

## The legal minimums in England

For nurseries, pre-schools and other group settings:

| Age of children | Minimum staff to children |
|---|---|
| Under 2 | 1 to 3 |
| 2 years old | 1 to 5 |
| 3 and over | 1 to 8, or 1 to 13 when someone with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Teacher Status or Early Years Professional Status works directly with the children |

The ratio for 2-year-olds changed from 1 to 4 to 1 to 5 in September 2023. Nurseries can still choose to keep the tighter ratio, and many do.

There are also rules about qualifications. For example, in rooms for under-2s at least one member of staff must hold an approved level 3 qualification and have experience with under-2s, at least half of the others must hold level 2, and at least half of all staff must have had training in the care of babies. Someone with a paediatric first aid certificate must be on site whenever children are present, and must go on outings. The EYFS sets out the full detail.

## What ratios mean in practice

Ratios are a floor, not a target. Two nurseries can both meet the law and feel very different:

- A nursery running exactly at the legal limit has little slack when someone is off sick or on a break.
- A nursery staffing above the minimum can give more one-to-one time, more outings and calmer transitions.

What also matters is **who** the staff are: how experienced, how long they have been there, and whether your child sees the same faces every day. Stable staff and a consistent [key person](/glossary/key-person) often make more difference to a young child than an extra adult in the room.

## Questions to ask

- What ratios do you run in each room, in practice?
- How do you cover lunch breaks, early mornings and late afternoons?
- How many qualified staff are in each room?
- How do you cover sickness and holidays: your own staff or agency staff?
- How many staff left in the last year?

A confident manager will answer with specifics. Vague answers, or reluctance to talk about turnover, are worth noting (see our [red flags guide](/guides/nursery-red-flags)).

## How ratios affect fees

Staff are by far the biggest cost for any nursery, so ratios explain much of why baby rooms are the most expensive: one adult can look after only three under-2s, compared with eight children aged 3 and over. That is also why some nurseries charge different day rates by age. Our [cost of nursery by borough](/childcare-costs) pages show typical published fees by age where we know enough of them.

## Ratios and Ofsted

Inspectors check that ratios are met and look at how well staff are deployed, for example whether they are where the children are, not clustered together. If a report card mentions staffing, read that section carefully and ask the nursery what has changed.

## Childminders and other settings

Childminders follow different limits on how many children they can look after, with lower numbers for babies. School nursery classes have their own rules depending on whether a teacher leads the class. If you are weighing up options, our guide to [nursery vs childminder vs nanny](/guides/nursery-vs-childminder-vs-nanny) compares them, and our [visit checklist](/nursery-visit-checklist) includes the ratio questions.

## Related

- [Nursery visit checklist](https://toddly.co.uk/nursery-visit-checklist)

## Frequently asked questions

### What is the ratio for 2-year-olds?

The legal minimum in group settings in England is one adult to five 2-year-olds. Many nurseries choose to staff more generously than that.

### Do ratios apply all day?

They must be met throughout the day. Ask how the nursery covers staff breaks, early mornings and late afternoons.

### Are ratios different for childminders?

Yes. Childminders have their own limits on how many children, and how many young children, they can care for at once.