Early Years Practitioner Apprentice

YMCA SOUTH DEVON

PAIGNTON (TQ4 6NX)

Closes in 20 days (Thursday 11 September 2025 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 21 August 2025

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Summary

We are looking for an apprentice to join us at our busy nursery. We are a happy team of Early Years professionals who are passionate about providing excellent childcare, in a home from home environment. We promote outdoor learning, so a love of nature and a pair of wellies are essential!

Wage

£14,722.50 to £23,809.50, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Hourly pay - £9.15 - £12.21 (age/experience dependent). Starting pay is higher than apprentice rate, and will increase dependent on achievement, work ethic etc.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
On a rota basis - 7.30am-3.30pm, 9am-4.30pm or 10.30am-6pm

37 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Wednesday 24 September 2025

Duration

1 year 9 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

Main responsibilities

  • To deliver a high standard of learning, development and care for children aged 0-5yrs
  • To ensure that the nursery is a safe environment for children, staff and others
  • To develop partnership with parents/carers to increase involvement in their child’s development
  • To be responsible for any tasks delegated by the Deputy Manager/Nursery Manager
  • To complete all academic aspects of the apprenticeship

Main duties/daily tasks

  • To provide a safe, caring, stimulating educational environment, both indoors and outdoors, at all times.
  • To assist with meeting the personal, social and emotional needs of individual children
  • To provide adult interaction with children in the nursery 
  • Contribute to ideas regarding implementation of policies and procedures such as Early Years Foundation Stage
  • To plan activities which ensure each child is working towards the early learning outcomes 
  • Under supervision provide all aspects of care for children including washing, changing, and feeding 
  • Contribute to good standards of hygiene and cleanliness in the nursery
  • To respect the confidentiality of information received
  • To ensure records are properly maintained, e.g. daily attendance register, accident and incident forms.
  • To understand and work to nursery policies and procedures, including how to deal with child protection issues appropriately and how to respond to incidents, accidents, complaints and emergencies.
  • To attend all training relevant to the role and deemed appropriate by the manager/ training provider including parent’s evenings and monthly out of hours staff meetings
  • To attend team planning sessions and participate in sharing ideas

Where you'll work

DARTMOUTH ROAD
PAIGNTON
TQ4 6NX

Training

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

Training provider

SOUTH DEVON 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

You will attend South Devon College one day per week.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • 4 GCSE'S (grade 3/D or above)
  • English (grade 4/C)
  • Maths (grade 4/C)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience

Other requirements

Passing a DBS check and you may be outside with the children a lot.

About this employer

YMCA South Devon, a registered charity, which runs Muddy Wellies Nursery

http://www.ymcasouthdevon.org.uk (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Potential of full time employement for the right candidate.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SOUTH DEVON COLLEGE

Maria Goodwin

01803 551578

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000338420.

Apply now

Closes in 20 days (Thursday 11 September 2025 at 11:59pm)

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