CV for kindergarten teachers and assistants in Norway

What kindergartens look for

Kindergarten teachers are often pedagogical leaders. They lead the work with play and learning in their group, guide the other staff and make sure the Kindergarten Act and the Framework Plan for Kindergartens are followed. Assistants and child and youth workers are close to the children all day and are just as important for making the children feel safe. Employers therefore want to know which age groups you know, how you work with parents and colleagues, and what you have contributed to your group.

Many municipalities and kindergarten chains use applicant tracking systems that sort applications by words from the ad. Use the same words where they match what you have done, and have a look at our guide to an ATS-friendly CV. These are words that often appear in Norwegian kindergarten ads, translated:

• The Framework Plan, play and learning, care and formative development.
• Language development and language environment, multilingual children.
• Secure attachment, settling in and the youngest children.
• Inclusion, a safe and good kindergarten environment and early intervention.
• Cooperation with parents and parent meetings.
• Pedagogical leadership, guiding assistants, planning and documentation.
• Cooperation with the educational psychological service (PPT), the child health clinic and child welfare services.
• Good spoken and written Norwegian.

Requirements for education, Norwegian and police certificate

Under the Kindergarten Act, pedagogical leaders must be trained as kindergarten teachers. Another three year pedagogical degree at university college level with further education in early childhood pedagogy counts as equivalent. So write your degree with its full title, institution and year, for example “Bachelor in Kindergarten Teacher Education, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, 2022”. Kindergartens must have at least one pedagogical leader per seven children under three and per fourteen children over three, so an approved degree is one of the first things employers look for.

There is no formal education requirement for kindergarten assistants, but many take a trade certificate as a child and youth worker to formalise their experience. If you have one, make it clear. There is also vocational college education in childhood and youth work for people working in kindergartens, and if you have started, you can list it with the expected completion date.

The Kindergarten Act also sets Norwegian language requirements. If your first language is not Norwegian or Sami, the main rule is that you must have passed a Norwegian test at A2 level in writing and B1 in reading, listening and speaking to be employed. Heads of kindergartens and pedagogical leaders with foreign qualifications must document Norwegian at B2 level, for example with the Bergen test (Bergenstesten). Put the test and level on your CV so the employer does not have to wonder.

Everyone employed on a permanent or temporary basis in a kindergarten must present a police certificate, even for short temporary jobs, and it must be submitted and assessed before you start. You do not attach it to the application. The kindergarten will ask for it when you are offered the job.

Example summary

The summary should say which role you are applying for, what experience you have and what you are particularly good at in your work with children. Keep it to three to five sentences. See also our guide to writing a CV summary. Here are two made up examples:

• Example, kindergarten teacher: “Kindergarten teacher with five years of experience as a pedagogical leader in groups for both toddlers and older children. Has led the settling in of more than 30 children and worked systematically on the language environment for multilingual children. Guides three assistants day to day and is responsible for parent meetings and pedagogical documentation. Looking for a position as pedagogical leader in a kindergarten that focuses on language and play.”
• Example, kindergarten assistant: “Child and youth worker with a trade certificate and four years of experience from a municipal kindergarten, the last two with the youngest children. Confident with settling in, nappy changing and daily routines, and used to leading group time and outdoor play. Trained in augmentative and alternative communication (ASK) and signing to support speech, and uses it daily with a child with delayed language development. Looking for a permanent position in a kindergarten.”

Bullet points under work experience: weak and strong

Write the job title, kindergarten, group and age range, dates and the size of the position as a percentage of full time. Then add three to five points with strong verbs in the past tense. Kindergarten work is hard to measure in numbers, but you can show scope and what improved: how many children, which measures and what parents or colleagues noticed. Never include names or details that could identify a child. The examples are made up:

• Weak: “Responsible for the group.” Strong: “Led a group of 14 children aged three to six and three staff, and planned monthly plans and projects based on the Framework Plan.”
• Weak: “Worked with language.” Strong: “Introduced daily language groups with picture books and conversation for six multilingual children, and followed up with parents every month. After six months, all six used more Norwegian words in play and group time.”
• Weak: “Settling in.” Strong: “Planned and carried out parent involved settling in for nine one year olds, and held a start up meeting with every family.”
• Weak: “Helped children with needs.” Strong: “Worked with the educational psychological service and parents on measures for a child with social interaction difficulties, and adapted play so the child joined the group several times a day.”
• Weak: “Outdoor play.” Strong: “Took responsibility for the outdoor area and set up regular stations for motor skills and role play, which led to fewer conflicts during outdoor time.”

Skills, courses and common mistakes

List skills that show how you work, and courses that are relevant to kindergartens. Municipalities often offer courses and programmes for kindergarten staff, and they are worth including.

• Pedagogy: play and learning, language work, observation and pedagogical documentation.
• Communication: augmentative and alternative communication, signing to support speech and work with multilingual children.
• Courses and programmes: for example ICDP, The Incredible Years, first aid for children and courses on the kindergarten environment and bullying.
• Digital tools: systems for parent contact and documentation, such as Vigilo, Kidplan or Visma Flyt Barnehage.
• Common mistake: calling yourself a kindergarten teacher without the degree. If you work as a pedagogical leader under a temporary exemption, say so.
• Common mistake: leaving out the age group. “Kindergarten, 2019 to 2024” says little.
• Common mistake: writing only about care and forgetting planning, cooperation with parents and work with other services.

Advice for new graduates and experienced staff

As a newly qualified kindergarten teacher, your degree and placements should be high up on your CV. Say where you did your placements, which age group, and what you planned and carried out yourself. If you worked as an assistant alongside your studies, that is valuable experience that shows you know everyday life in a kindergarten. See also our guide to a CV for new graduates.

If you have worked as an assistant for many years and have just completed a kindergarten teacher degree, for example a work based programme, your summary should say so clearly: many years of experience in kindergartens, now with a pedagogical degree. That is a strong combination.

With long experience as a pedagogical leader, highlight leadership and development work: guiding staff and students, projects and professional development. If you apply to be head of a kindergarten, staff responsibility, finances and cooperation with the owner should be clear. If you want to move into schools later, see our guide to a teacher CV. And before you negotiate pay, you can check the figures with the salary check.

The application, and a check before you send

A cover letter to a kindergarten should show why you want to work there in particular. Read the kindergarten's website and annual plan, and link an example from your own experience to what they focus on. See our example cover letter for structure and tone.

If you want to know how strong your CV is before you send it, CV score in Selja gives an honest review of the whole CV, and the first one is free. With the ATS score you can see which words from the ad are missing.