How to become a Playworker

Official title: Playworkers

Also called: Playworker, Play leader, Play ranger, Play worker, Infant helper, Play assistant, Playscheme worker, School club leader, Play centre assistant, After school assistant, Play leader's assistant, Breakfast club assistant

Playworkers deliver and facilitate play opportunities for children in a range of formal and informal settings including play schemes, free play locations, and in pre- and after-school activities.

Main tasks

• Supervises children’s games and encourages the development of physical, social and language skills
• Provides play areas and prepares materials for a wide range of children’s activities
• Encourages children’s independence, self-confidence and social interaction
• Organises and supervises children on excursions
• Organises and supervises children’s activities in accordance with Health and Safety regulations, deals accordingly with injuries and emergencies
• Puts away equipment and cleans premises after use
• Liaises with parents, carers and colleagues and keeps appropriate records

How to become one

Entry may not depend upon academic qualifications, although some employers will expect candidates to possess or be working towards a relevant qualification. NVQs/SVQs in Child Care and Education are available at levels 2 and 3. A DBS check is mandatory.

Pay · Outlook

• Median full-time pay: £24,227 a year
• About 26,600 people work in this job now, and about 29,100 are projected by 2035. (+9.6%)

Related jobs

• Early education and childcare assistants
• Teaching assistants
• Educational support assistants
• Childminders
• Nannies and au pairs

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Questions people ask

How do I become a Playworker?

Entry may not depend upon academic qualifications, although some employers will expect candidates to possess or be working towards a relevant qualification. NVQs/SVQs in Child Care and Education are available at levels 2 and 3. A DBS check is mandatory.

How much does a Playworker earn in the UK?

Median full-time pay is £24,227 a year (Office for National Statistics).

Is a Playworker a growing career in the UK?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 10% by 2035, from about 26,600 to about 29,100 people (Department for Education).

Do you need a degree to become a Playworker?

Usually not. Only 20% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources

• Office for National Statistics: Annual Population Survey: employment by occupation (April 2025 to March 2026), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: SOC 2020 Volume 1: structure and descriptions (2026-08-27 edition), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Department for Education: Skills Imperative 2035: employment projections by occupation (2021 to 2035 (Warwick IER / Cambridge Econometrics)), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
• Office for National Statistics: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Table 14 (2025 provisional), OGL v3.0, retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03