What Do Nursery Staff Wear? A Guide to Early Years Uniforms

What nursery staff wear varies from setting to setting, but the pattern is consistent: a polo shirt or tunic as the main garment, a tabard or apron over the top for messy activities and a warm, waterproof layer for outdoor play. There's no national uniform for early years, so each nursery sets its own.

This guide walks through each garment, why settings choose it and what tends to work best in practice.

Is There a Standard Nursery Uniform?

No. Unlike healthcare, where colour codes often identify roles across a whole Trust, early years settings choose their own uniform and their own colours.

However, the uniform has to identify staff to parents, withstand daily hot washing, and allow an adult to move around; reach down on the ground, lift a child and perform a range of other movements.

Practical Uniform Options

While polos and sweatshirts are often a practical choice for nursery teams, some settings may prefer a more traditional uniform style. Tunics can be a useful option for nurseries looking for a smart, easy-care garment, particularly where staff need plenty of freedom to move throughout the day.

Available in a range of styles and colours, tunics can be paired with trousers or leggings and are designed to withstand regular washing. Pockets also provide useful storage for small everyday essentials such as tissues or pens.

For nurseries that prefer this style of uniform, browse our tunics and tops collection, with options suitable for early years and healthcare settings.

Tabards and Aprons

A tabard or apron is perfect for messy activities like a morning of painting, water play and lunch. It goes on for the activity and comes off afterwards, which keeps the garment underneath in service far longer.

Wipe-clean and waterproof styles suit water play and mealtimes. Browse our workwear accessories for tabards and aprons.

Sweatshirts and Outdoor Layers

Outdoor play happens in most weather, so a warm mid-layer and a waterproof outer layer are part of the uniform rather than an extra. Soft, warm fleeces and softshell jackets are the usual choice because they layer over a polo without restricting movement. Sweatshirts are another practical option, providing an extra layer of warmth for cooler days while being comfortable enough for everyday nursery activities. They can also be personalised with the nursery's logo, helping to create a smart and consistent look across the team.

Settings running forest school or extended outdoor sessions tend to issue heavier waterproofs and keep spares on site.

Trousers and Footwear

Trousers are often left to staff within a colour rule, usually navy or black, with the practical requirement that they're comfortable to kneel and sit in.

Footwear is closed-toe and flat, with a sole that grips on wet floors. Staff are on their feet, on the floor and outside across a single shift, so comfort over a long day matters more than anything else.

Branding and Identification

Most settings embroider their logo on the chest of polos and tunics, and some add first names or room titles so parents and children can identify staff by name.

That identification is the main reason early years settings uniform their teams at all. Explore our workwear embroidery service to see how branding is applied.

Choosing a Uniform for Your Setting

If you're putting a uniform together, start from the rooms and the routine: who works with which age group, how much of the day is outdoors and how often garments are washed. Those three answers will point you to the right garments. Browse our nursery and early years uniforms to see the full range in one place, or get in touch and we will talk it through with you.