Early Years Apprentice

BRIGHT STARS CHILDCARE SERVICES LTD

Harrison House, Durham Rd, Laindon, (SS15 6PH)

Closes in 28 days (Monday 25 August 2025)

Posted on 28 July 2025

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Contents

Summary

Are you a passionate early years practitioner looking to continue to develop your career in an award-winning nursery setting? Second Steps Nursery have a great opportunity to train as an Early Years Educator Apprentice and gain your level 3 whilst supporting children's learning, play and development and building key relationships.

Wage

£11,778 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

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Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday - shifts to be agreed at offer stage

30 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 2 September 2025

Duration

1 year 2 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

Second Steps Nursery is looking for a passionate and caring Nursery Apprentice who is eager to work with children and pursue a Level 3 Early Years qualification. To be considered for this Early Years Assistant role, you must have a genuine love for children and a warm, nurturing approach.

As an Apprentice Nursery Educator, you will be part of a friendly and supportive team, responsible for a group of key children, planning and completing observations, and ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of all children at all times. You’ll be expected to comply with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework and contribute to creating a safe, fun, and stimulating learning environment. Building strong relationships with children, families, and colleagues is central to this role. Based at Durham Road Nursery & Out of School Club, which has been successfully operating since 2005, we provide full day care for children aged 6 weeks to 12 years and are open year-round, Monday to Friday, from 7am to 7pm (excluding bank holidays). In return, we offer a range of benefits including private healthcare, a company pension, uniform, access to CPD through Noodle Now, 28 days of holiday (including bank holidays), and a full week off at Christmas.

Where you'll work

Harrison House, Durham Rd, Laindon,
SS15 6PH

Training

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

Training provider

REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED

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

Your full role and responsibilities will be set out by your employer. They will provide you with all of the on-the-job training you need to up-skill in your role, and your 20% off-the-job learning will be incorporated as part of your working day.

You will be working towards the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship standard, which includes:

  • Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
  • Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
  • Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid or Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid
  • Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if required)

This will be delivered by your dedicated training provider, Realise.

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE or equivalent in:

maths and english (grade 3)

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

Skills

  • Analytical Skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Communication Skills
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Logical
  • Non judgemental
  • Organisation skills
  • Patience
  • Team working

Other requirements

DBS and references required, DBS paid for by company

About this employer

We understand that children’s interests may change, but also know that if we tune into their interests and embed them into their play that they will feel included, valued, and thrive within the environment we create for children each day.

After this apprenticeship

A full-time qualified position for the right candidate on completion of the apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000334158.

Apply now

Closes in 28 days (Monday 25 August 2025)

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