Apprentice Nursery Assistant
FAIRMOUNT NURSERY LIMITED
Sheffield (S10 2LA)
Closes on Wednesday 15 July 2026
Posted on 8 June 2026
Contents
Summary
A nursery nurse apprenticeship, hands on experience working with babies and young children while gaining the recognised early years qualification.The apprenticeship combines workplace training with study, helping individuals develop the knowledge, skills, and confidence needed to work effectively within an Early Years setting.
- Wage
-
£17,680 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years practitioner (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday between the hours of 7.15am - 6.30pm. 1 hour lunch break.
42 hours 30 minutes a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 2026
- Duration
-
1 year
- 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
Apprentices will support the daily care, learning, and development of babies and young children within the nursery setting.
Duties include but not limited to:
- Assisting with play activities
- Supporting children routines
- Promoting positive behaviour
- Helping with meal and sleep times
- Maintaining a safe and stimulating environment
- Building positive relationships with children, parents and staff
Apprentices will work alongside experienced practitioners while developing their skills, knowledge and understand of early years practise.
Where you'll work
Clarkehouse Road
Sheffield
S10 2LA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
RNN GROUP
Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
- Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
- Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
- Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
- Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
- Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
- Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
- Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
- Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
- Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
- Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
- Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
- Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
- Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
- Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
- Use learning activities to support early language development.
- Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
- Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
- Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
- Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
- Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
- Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
- Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
- Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
- Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
Training schedule
- The apprentice will train through a combination of practical experience within the nursery and structured learning provided by the training provider
- They will work alongside experienced staff, receive ongoing support and mentoring, complete coursework and assignments and complete regular training
- The apprenticeship will include off the job training to develop knowledge, skills, and behaviours required for the Early Years qualification and role
More training information
Additional training includes safeguarding, paediatric first aid, food hygiene, health and safety, safe sleep, behaviour management, special education needs and disabilities and various other optional training courses
Apprentices may also attend online courses and staff training sessions to further support their professional development and understanding of Early Years practise.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE 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
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Analytical skills
- Logical
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Reliable & trustworthy
- Enthusiastic and proactive
Other requirements
- Make sure the applicant can travel to and from work and college at the times stated
- Clear DBS check - Maintain update service requirements
About this employer
Fairmount Nursery has over 20 years experience in providing high quality childcare and early education. We provide full day care for children aged 3mths - 5 years. Our Hackenthorpe branch opened in 1994 and our Clarkehouse Road branch opened in 1998.
Our Mission
Every child is unique and we believe that success and growth comes from encouragement and praise. Our goal is to create a unique, warm, safe environment which supports children's learning, building their self confidence, enabling all children to become well balanced people of the world.
After this apprenticeship
- Option to train to higher levels or take on specialist roles in the Nursery
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
RNN GROUP
Lorraine
lorraine.savage@rnngroup.ac.uk
07713 319356
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035733.
Apply now
Closes on Wednesday 15 July 2026