Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprentice at Little Explorers Day Nursery and Preschool, Taunton

Summary

We are looking for a nursery apprentice to come and join our team at Little Explorers. We have apprenticeship vacancies available in all of our rooms and would give the successful applicant the opportunity to try each room before making a decision on their preference.

Wage

£14,918.80 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)

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Hours

38 hours per week, days and times to be agreed.

38 hours a week

Start date

Monday 11 August 2025

Duration

1 year 3 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

Your day to day duties would involve:

Having a group of key children and planning activities for them to support their learning and development
Following children’s routines, personal care for children such as changing nappies
Talking to parents and creating a positive parent partnership
Working across all rooms to support their learning and development to reflect in their coursework. Support staff in other rooms during holidays or sickness

We follow a robust 12 week training course for all new employees to ensure you feel confident in your role this will include shadowing other staff, online training portals and staff portal to access nursery policies.

You will be allocated a mentor who can support you during your apprenticeship.

This role may be closed early if a sufficient number of applications are received.

Where you'll work

Little Explorers Day Nursery and Pre-School
Lisieux Way
Taunton
TA1 2LB

Training

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

College or training organisation

SOMERSET SKILLS & LEARNING CIC

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

Early Years Practitioner Level 2 Apprenticeship Standard

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

English (grade 4)
maths (grade 4)

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
Team working
Initiative
Non judgemental
Patience

Other requirements

Successful candidates will be subject to a DBS check. Please consider how you will travel to the place of work, particularly if you rely on public transport.

About this company

At Little Explorers we are a family run business initially starting as a childminders in 2013, then in September 2022 we opened our own nursery expanding. However starting off as a child minders has really emphasised to us how important it is to create a home from home environment for the children where they are at the priority of everything we do.

http://www.littleexplorerstaunton.co.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Following on from completion of apprenticeship the company will then look into opportunities for a permanent role within the nursery.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SOMERSET SKILLS & LEARNING CIC

SS&L the training provider

enquiries@sslcourses.co.uk

0330 332 7997

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000327046.

Apply now

Closes on Friday 1 August 2025

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