Early Years Apprentice

Summary

As a Nursery Practitioner, you play a vital role in providing a safe, nurturing, and engaging environment for children aged 0-5 years. Responsible for supporting their learning and development, ensuring their well-being, and adhering to all policies, procedures, and legal requirements.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Salary is dependant on experience.

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Hours

Monday - Thursday, 8.00am - 6.00pm

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 23 June 2025

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

Deliver High-Quality Learning & Development
Observations & Assessments
Identify and support children with additional needs (SEN) in collaboration with the SENCO
Support Individual needs. Adapt activities to individual learning styles and developmental needs
Create an Enabling Environment
Actively engage with children throughout the day, ensuring they feel secure
Use positive reinforcement to encourage good behaviour and development
Maintain a warm, welcoming environment where children feel valued
Child Safety & Supervision
Personal Care & Hygiene (nappy changes, toileting)
Monitor children at mealtimes, preventing choking and allergic reactions
Maintain high standards of infection control, hand hygiene, and food safety
Support children in developing independent self-care skills (e.g., handwashing, dressing)
Outdoor & Trip Supervision
Build & Maintain Relationships with parents, offering daily feedback
Set up the room and prepare activities for the day
Tidy & clean the room, following cleaning schedules
Record Keeping & Compliance
Adhering to Policies & Procedures
Participate in CPD (e.g., NoodleNow training) and attend all required staff meetings
Support and train new staff and apprentices, sharing best practices
Work effectively as part of a team, ensuring smooth daily operations
Communicate professionally and positively with colleagues, managers, and external visitors
Take part in staff meetings, planning sessions, and nursery events

Where you'll work

The Grange
15 High Street
Hoddesdon
EN11 8SX

Training

Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.

College or training organisation

HERTFORD REGIONAL COLLEGE

Your 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.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 work setting and during off site visits.relating to both children and staff
Demonstrate skills and understanding for the prevention and control of infection, including hand washing, food preparation and hygiene, dealing with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
Use equipment, furniture and materials safely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and setting’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 settings by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy and balanced 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/complimentary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty/toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
Communicate with all children in ways that will be understood, including 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 communication methods to exchange information with children and adults.
Work with colleagues to identify and plan enabling environments, activities (both indoors and outdoors), play opportunities and educational programmes (both adult led and child initiated) 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, sharing results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory framework and setting’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 assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing (the graduated approach) 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, mentoring and/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 and/or carers and recognise their role in the baby’s/child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the baby’s/child’s care, play, learning and development.
Demonstrate how to share information with parents/carers about the importance of healthy balanced diets, looking after teeth and being physically active.
Support babies and young children through a range of transitions.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 work setting and during off site visits.relating to both children and staff
Demonstrate skills and understanding for the prevention and control of infection, including hand washing, food preparation and hygiene, dealing with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
Use equipment, furniture and materials safely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and setting’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 settings by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy and balanced 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/complimentary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty/toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
Communicate with all children in ways that will be understood, including 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 communication methods to exchange information with children and adults.
Work with colleagues to identify and plan enabling environments, activities (both indoors and outdoors), play opportunities and educational programmes (both adult led and child initiated) 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, sharing results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory framework and setting’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 assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing (the graduated approach) 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, mentoring and/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 and/or carers and recognise their role in the baby’s/child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
Encourage parents and/or carers to take an active role in the baby’s/child’s care, play, learning and development.
Demonstrate how to share information with parents/carers about the importance of healthy balanced diets, looking after teeth and being physically active.

Your training plan

Working towards completing Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprenticeship Standard
Work based learning with regular teaching session with the Assessor

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 1-9)
Maths (grade 1-9)

Let the company know about other relevant qualifications and industry experience you have. They can adjust the apprenticeship to reflect what you already know.

Skills

Communication skills
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Team working
Creative
Initiative
Patience
Enthusiastic
Reliable

Other requirements

Shift patterns may differ in accordance to business needs.

About this company

A family run nursery in a charming Nursery building that feels like home. Because of the continuity of our staff and the thoughtful stimulation they provide, our children are active, curious and confident in forming relationships, which sets them up for a lifetime of learning.

https://www.cedarparknursery.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

There will be opportunities for progression and a permanent position subject to performance

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

HERTFORD REGIONAL COLLEGE

The Apprenticeship Team

apprenticeship@hrc.ac.uk

01992411572

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000320275.

Apply now

Closes in 23 days (Friday 6 June 2025 at 11:59pm)

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