Early Years Practitioner Apprentice

THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD UNION OF STUDENTS NURSERY

Sheffield (2 available locations)

Closes on Monday 28 July 2025

Posted on 25 June 2025

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Summary

We are an inclusive, caring team of educators who are passionate about the early years, valuing the physical and emotional well-being of all the children in our care. We are looking for an enthusiastic individual, with the same passion, to join our team of professionals to complete their Early Years Apprenticeship in a nurturing environment.

Wage

£17,598 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Range: Actual salary based on working hours - £17,598/£19,553 (£9/£10 p/h).

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday: Between the hours of 8 am and 6 pm.

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

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

In order to be considered for this role, you must be enrolled on a Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship, or completed your L2 Early Years Prectioner course/apprenticeship, possess a positive “can do” attitude with a willingness to work flexibly and demonstrate a clear interest and enthusiasm for child-led early years education. Ideally, you should also have some experience of working with young children who are multilingual, have English as an additional Language (EAL) or children with Special Educational Needs or Disabilities (SEND).

To be successful in this role you will:

  • Be enthusiastic about early years and learning through play.
  • Support children’s learning and development through effective observation and quality, ‘in-the-moment’ teaching.
  • Plan exciting opportunities for children with a variety of learning styles and needs, including children with ASD.
  • Have a good understanding of the EYFS, child development and safeguarding requirements.
  • Be a friend, a playmate, a safe and trusted person for the children.
  • Be approachable and professional in your partnerships.
  • Be collaborative, flexible and empathetic as part of a team approach.

This position involves working across the full age range of 6 months to 5 years, requiring the successful candidate to be adaptable and confident.

Where you'll work

This apprenticeship is available in these locations:

  • University of Sheffield, Students Union, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TG
  • 93 Brunswick Street, Sheffield, S10 2FL

Training

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

College or training organisation

SHEFFIELD COLLEGE, THE

Your 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.

Your training plan

Venue: The Sheffield College: City Campus, Granville Road, Sheffield, S2 2RL.

Attendance: Day release.

 

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade A* - C/9 - 4 or equivalent)

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
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

This post is a fixed-term position for the duration of your apprenticeship. Please click here for the full job description and person specification. Please click here to read our candidate pack for application hints and tips.

About this company

We exist to represent, support and enhance the lives of our members. We’ve done so since 1906. We are an independent charity and work closely with the University to achieve a world-class student experience. We’ve got a fantastic modern building featuring cafes, two shops, four bars, an advice centre, an activities and sports zone, where students can join over 400 sports clubs and societies. There’s something different happening in the SU every day: from club nights to film screenings, live music, theatrical performances and fascinating talks. We offer a relaxed space for students to take time out. We also have a nursery and offer childcare. We’ve been rated the best Students’ Union in the UK by the Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey for ten years running! Creating a more diverse team: Sheffield Students’ Union is committed to creating a fairer, more equal, more inclusive, more diverse and liberated workforce. Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic staff members are currently under-represented at Sheffield Students' Union What we are currently doing to create an inclusive workplace - ● Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working group and staff network ● Flexible working arrangements ● Inclusive policies and procedures We want to support you to do your best during the application process, so please do get in touch at su-people@sheffield.ac.uk with any questions you may have. Additionally, if you have a disability, mental health condition or any other additional needs (such as dyslexia, autism or anxiety), please do let us know so we can tailor the process to suit you.

https://su.sheffield.ac.uk/advice-and-support/nursery (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

30 days annual leave per year + Bank holidays, In-house/external training/CPD opportunities. Considerate/supportive management. Cycle to work scheme/cycle hub Generous workplace pension scheme. Well-being Programme.

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

To be discussed and agreed.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD UNION OF STUDENTS NURSERY

Lisa J. Wildey

nursery@sheffield.ac.uk

01142228690

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000327971.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 28 July 2025

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