Early Years Apprentice
CHILDSPLAY DAY NURSERY (PENISTONE) LIMITED
SHEFFIELD (S36 9AW)
Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 April 2026
Contents
Summary
Childs Play Nursery in Penistone is looking to recruit a caring, enthusiastic Apprentice Early Years Educator (Level 3) to join our friendly and supportive team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone passionate about working with young children and beginning a rewarding career in Early Years.
- Wage
-
£12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Must be able to work between 7.30am and 6.00pm, Monday to Friday, on a rota basis.
30 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 19 May 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 months
- Positions available
-
1
Work
Most of your apprenticeship is spent working. You’ll learn on the job by getting hands-on experience.
What you'll do at work
- Support the care, learning and development of children aged 0–5 years
- Assist with planning and delivering engaging, age-appropriate activities
- Help create a safe, stimulating and inclusive environment
Work positively as part of a team to meet children’s individual needs - Build warm, professional relationships with children, parents and colleagues
- Follow nursery policies, safeguarding procedures and health & safety guidelines
Where you'll work
THE OLD BARN
GRAVELS FARM
SHOLE HILL LANE
SHEFFIELD
S36 9AW
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BARNSLEY COLLEGE
Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
- Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
- Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
- Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
- Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
- Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
- Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
- Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
- Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
- Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
- Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
- Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
- Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
- Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
- Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
- Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
- Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
- Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
- Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
- Recognise when a child or a colleague is in danger or at risk of abuse and act to protect them in line with safeguarding policy and procedure.
- Apply legislation, policy and procedure to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of children in the setting (for example, food safety, diets, starting solid food, allergies, COSHH, and accidents, injuries, and emergencies).
- Apply the principles of risk assessment and risk management within documentation and practice.
- Teach children to develop skills to manage risk and maintain their own and others safety.
- Use a range of communication methods, including technology, with other professionals to meet the individual needs of the child.
- Develop and maintain effective professional, collaborative relationships with others involved in the education and care of the child.
- Undertake the role and responsibilities of key person.
- Recognise and apply theories of attachment to develop effective relationships with children.
- Provide sensitive and respectful personal care for children from birth to 5 years.
- Advocate for all children’s needs, including children which require SEND or EAL support.
- Promote and facilitate children’s interpersonal communication to develop their social interactions and relationships.
- Support children to develop a positive sense of their own identity and culture.
- Support children to understand and respond to their emotions and make considered choices about their behaviours.
- Assess the responsiveness of the environment for effective child-centred experiences in line with curriculum requirements.
- Create inclusive, child-centred, dynamic, innovative, and evolving physical environments both indoors and outdoors.
- Create inclusive and supportive emotional environment that enables the child to feel safe, secure, respected and experience a sense of wellbeing; maintaining and prioritising the individual child’s voice.
- Apply strategies that support children’s ability to manage change, transition, and significant events.
- Analyse observation evidence to assess and plan holistic individual learning based on a comprehensive understanding of the child’s needs and interests.
- Facilitate and support child-centred opportunities and experiences based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Provide adult led opportunities and experience based on the setting's curriculum and pedagogy.
- Use reflection to develop themselves both professionally and personally.
Training schedule
- Delivery to be completed on site and off the job training either at Barnsley College or your place of work
- Student to complete an Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 4)
- Maths (grade 4)
BTEC in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
DBS check is essential
About this employer
Our family-run business opened its doors in 1994 with the ethos 'Where learning is fun.' By staying true to our core values, we have become the childcare provider of choice in the Penistone area and beyond.
After this apprenticeship
- Possible progression opportuinites
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BARNSLEY COLLEGE
Amanda ogley
apprenticeships@barnsley.ac.uk
01226216166
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000026888.
Apply now
Closes in 11 days (Tuesday 28 April 2026 at 11:59pm)