Nursery Assistant Apprentice

WATERMEAD NURSERIES LTD

LOUGHBOROUGH (LE11 3TN)

Closes in 30 days (Friday 22 August 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 22 July 2025

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Summary

We are looking for an apprentice to deliver exciting play and activities that support children's learning and development. Create a caring, stimulating environment where every child can reach their full potential. And stay informed of legislation, policies, and guidelines while being flexible in nursery practices.

Wage

£18,252 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Salaries are reviewed annually and on achievement of qualification

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Working 4 days a week between Monday and Friday, 7.45am - 6.00pm.

39 hours a week

Start date

Monday 1 September 2025

Duration

1 year 9 months

Positions available

2

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

  • To ensure that a caring and stimulating environment is provided for children that takes into account individual developmental needs and enables children to reach their full potential
  • Ensure the Children’s Act and the Early Years Foundation Stage Welfare Requirements are met at all times
  • To be flexible within working practices of nursery
  • To conduct daily H&S checks and record findings (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Complete risk assessments as required (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Produce planning, deliver amazing, supervised experiences, and evaluate indoor activities (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Produce planning, deliver amazing, supervised experiences, and evaluate outdoor activities (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Complete 2 individual observations per key child per month
  • Complete baseline assessments (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Complete accident forms are completed immediately following appropriate treatment (supported by qualified Level 3 if required)
  • Carry our cleaning and hygiene routines to a high standard

Where you'll work

2 WATERMEAD LANE
LOUGHBOROUGH
LE11 3TN

Training

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

Training provider

LOUGHBOROUGH COLLEGE

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.

Training schedule

  • Qualification - Level 3 Apprenticeships Standard in Early Years Educator
  • Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce
  • Level 2 Functional Skills English and maths (if required)
  • Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid
  • Delivery Method
  • Onsite delivery in the work place

https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/early-years-educator-v1-2

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

English and Maths (grade 4/C or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • IT skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Reliable
  • Caring

Other requirements

Loughborough College reserves the right to withdraw this vacancy before the end date, following consultation with the employer. Working within the early years sector is most definitely a chosen vocation and to ensure that you are a good fit for Watermead and that Watermead is a good fit for you our interview and selection process involves you spending some time within one of our base rooms to ensure you are making an informed decision if offered a position.

About this employer

Welcome to Watermead Day Nursery and Pre-School As parents ourselves, we have high expectations when it comes to professional childcare. This is reflected in the attention to detail we have taken in developing and nurturing Watermead Day Nursery from its conception over 14 years ago, into an Ofsted OUTSTANDING setting, and something feedback confirms. Watermead offers unquestionably the best childcare for babies (0 Years) through to pre-school (5 years) to the residents of Loughborough and beyond. It is also the only setting in the region inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy of childcare. Key to this philosophy is the understanding of the important roles imagination and discovery play in early childhood learning. ​ Watermead offers a secure, safe environment, across two adjacent settings situated on a quiet residential street. Both settings are protected by CCTV in every room and access to both sites is restricted by a bio-metric finger print entry system – The only one employed by a nursery within the region. ​ Children in our care can develop skills and experience activities that will have a direct impact on their future. They can experience the great outdoors through our Forest School, learn to play sports with our resident physical education coach, be stimulated in Kimble’s Music and Movement classes and even develop their artistic skills through use of one of our two dedicated ateliers (art rooms). Everything we do is there to provide a stimulus rich environment where little minds can grow and we are constantly introducing and developing new ways of doing this based on feedback from the curriculum, parents and the children too.

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

Company benefits

Awards & Social Events, Time for Support, Professional Development, Flexible Working, Culture, Childcare Discount, Staff Wellness, Company Pension, Free drinks and meals, Team of the month payment, Birthday Bonus, Employee Referral Programme.

After this apprenticeship

Progression opportunities include: 

  • Nursery Innovator
  • Nursery Developer
  • SEND Support
  • Deliverer of Enhanced Provision

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

LOUGHBOROUGH COLLEGE

Jessica Commons

apprenticeships@loucoll.ac.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000333203.

Apply now

Closes in 30 days (Friday 22 August 2025 at 11:59pm)

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