Early Years Apprentice

Summary

Your key role will be to provide support to Early Years practitioners in our provision for 0-4 year olds within the nursery.

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 educator (level 3)

Hours

Working Monday to Friday, between 8.00am and 6.00pm.

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

Training and Development

Attend tutorials and complete all assignments set
Be responsible for self-improvement, participate in all training opportunities, coaching, working with a mentor, performance management, including training days

Support children

Assist children’s development, physical management and personal care needs for children including basic First Aid
Work with children to encourage greater independence and self-confidence
Establish constructive relationships with parents and carers, promoting school policies
Establish rapport and respectful, trusting relationships with pupils, acting as a role model and setting high expectations
Supervise and provide support for pupils, including those with special needs, ensuring access to learning resources
Promote inclusion and acceptance of all pupils
Support the implementation of Support Plans, Behaviour Plans, personal care programmes, curriculum planning and assessment
Evaluate learning and provide feedback as needed

Support nursery practitioners

Follow instructions of staff with planning, delivery and evaluation of differentiated and varied learning activities
Promote good child behaviour, dealing promptly with conflicts in line with protocols and policies
Contribute towards resourcing teaching, developing and making resources as necessary
Listen to children read, read and tell stories to children
Work with pupils on programmes linked to local and national curriculum and learning strategies, recording achievement and progress
Monitor pupil response to learning activities and achievement as directed
Provide detailed feedback to teachers on pupils as requested
Learn to undertake pupil record keeping as requested
Assist with the collation of pupil reports as requested by the teacher
Maintain a purposeful, orderly and supportive environment
Clear away resources and materials after lessons
Prepare, maintain and use equipment/resources required to meet the lesson plans/learning activity and assist pupils in their use
Undertake routine administrative tasks

Support the setting

Be aware of and comply with policies relating to child protection, health & safety, confidentiality, safeguarding and data protection, reporting all concerns to a nominated person
Contribute to the overall work, smooth running and ethos of the school
Appreciate and support the role of other people in the team
Attend and participate in meetings
Participate in the school’s Performance Management process
Accompany teaching staff and pupils on visits, trips and out-of-school activities

Experience and knowledge

Commit to develop an excellent understanding of development and learning, including children with a range of educational needs
Commit to gain understanding of relevant policies, codes of practice and awareness of relevant legislation for your role, understand national/EYFS curriculum and other relevant learning programmes/strategies

Personal attributes

Motivate and encourage children to meet targets for learning and/or behaviour
Build effective relationships with families liaising sensitively and effectively with them, recognising your role in pupil learning
Work constructively as part of a team, understand classroom roles and responsibilities and your own position within
Be a good role model
Emotional resilience in working with a range of challenging
situations
Demonstrate patience with firmness
Demonstrate commitment to the values and ethos of the school

Where you'll work

158 CARMEL ROAD NORTH
DARLINGTON
DL3 8RH

Training

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

College or training organisation

DARLINGTON COLLEGE

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

Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard
Location – Danesmoor House Day Nursery
Working 5 days per week inclusive of 1 day release for study at Darlington College

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

Maths and English (grade 4/C)

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
IT skills
Attention to detail
Organisation skills
Customer care skills
Administrative skills
Initiative
Flexibility

Other requirements

Please note that in line with UK apprenticeship regulations, you must have a valid and eligible residency status and the right to work in England. This should cover the entire expected term of learning and residency should be held for a minimum of 3 years, exceptions may apply please see apprenticeship funding rules for full guidance. Experience of working with children aged 5 and below would be an advantage. This position is subject to Enhanced DBS and qualification checks.

About this company

Located in a large Victorian villa in the Westend of Darlington our nursery is a warm, friendly, and welcoming environment for babies and children from six weeks old until the age of 11. We offer wrap around school provision for both the Federation of Abbey School and Federation of Mowden Schools. We have a large secure outside play space within the secluded grounds of the nursery and a separate woodland area creating the perfect environment for children to learn, explore and play.

https://danesmoorhousedaynursery.com/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

There may be an opportunity to secure a long term position after
successful completion of the apprenticeship

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

DARLINGTON COLLEGE

Nagina Patrai

npatrai@darlington.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000330689.

Apply now

Closes in 28 days (Wednesday 6 August 2025 at 11:59pm)

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