Playworker Apprentice
NEXT STEP TRAINING LTD
London (3 available locations)
Closes in 29 days (Thursday 30 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 30 September 2025
Contents
Summary
Being an apprentice at NextStep Training means earning while you learn, gaining hands-on experience and industry-recognised qualifications. You'll receive expert training, personalised support, and a clear pathway to career progression. Enjoy discounted travel, exclusive discounts at over 350 retailers and reduced council tax.
- Wage
-
£9,815 to £15,873, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)
Pay will increase after the first 12 months.
- Training course
- Playworker (level 2)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday.
Morning shift: 7:30am until 8:30am.
Afternoon shift: 2:30pm until 6:30pm.
25 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 10 November 2025
- Duration
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1 year
- Positions available
-
3
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
- Supervise and support children during breakfast club and after-school play sessions.
- Help set up, deliver, and clear away engaging play activities both indoors and outdoors.
- Encourage children’s participation in creative, imaginative, and physical play that supports social, emotional, and physical development.
- Promote positive behaviour, inclusion, and respect among children.
- Ensure children are safe and well cared for, following safeguarding and health & safety procedures.
- Work collaboratively with school staff, parents, and carers to support the children’s needs.
- Contribute ideas to planning and evaluating play activities as part of the team.
- Undertake training and complete all requirements of the Level 2 Playwork Apprenticeship.
- Carry out additional duties as required by the Playleader or school management.
Where you'll work
You can select which locations you want to apply for in your application on Find an apprenticeship.
This apprenticeship is available in these locations:
- 257 Barry Road, London, SE22 0JT
- 201 Lordship Lane, London, SE22 8HA
- 192 Tollgate Road, London, E6 5YA
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
NEXTSTEP TRAINING LIMITED
Training course
Playworker (level 2)
Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)
What you'll learn
Course contents
- Observe and reflect on play behaviours.
- Communicate sensitively using relevant language and behaviour.
- Promote diversity and inclusion in Playwork practice.
- Identify ways to remove barriers which can prevent some children and young people playing.
- Undertake reflective observations to improve own practice and the quality of the provision for children and young people.
- Contribute to play audits.
- Promote the value and benefits of play for all children and young people.
- Assist with planning, creating and identifying loose parts to encourage and inspire sustainable practices, including recycling, reusing, reducing and repairing.
- Recognise the benefits of risk taking in play and contribute to dynamic risk-benefit assessment.
- Recognise that children and young people communicate with a range of different types of behaviour and may need Playworker support.
- Support children and young people to understand and manage their emotions, feelings and actions.
- Manage interactions with parents/caregivers professionally.
- Recognise the importance of respecting professional boundaries when lone working or conducting intimate care with children and young people and using social media with children, young people and families.
- Contribute to health and safety checks.
- Follow emergency incidents or common illness/infections policies and procedures, administering first aid and completing records when required.
- Use active listening and communication techniques when interacting with children and young people playing, identifying any potential concerns if they occur.
- Contribute to recording and reporting procedures as required by the play setting.
- Contribute to administrative and financial record keeping.
- Promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle, ensuring specific dietary and cultural needs are met.
- Maintain a clean environment according to local and national policies and procedures.
- Contribute to ensuring security arrangements are followed, such as children’s arrival and departures from the setting.
- Work as part of a team to support and supervise children and young people on off-site trips, complying with formal risk assessment of venues visited.
- Apply Playwork approaches in own role, incorporating new and emerging themes.
- Reflect on own practice to create a personal development plan with supervisor.
- Recognise the boundaries of own self and other Playworkers’ interaction with children, and when it is necessary to report incidents to the appropriate safeguarding lead and Local Authority Designated Officer – LADO if appropriate when a Playworkers’ behaviour towards a child may pose a risk of harm.
- Apply the play work approach depending on the individual need.
- Observe and reflect on play behaviours.
- Communicate sensitively using relevant language and behaviour.
- Promote diversity and inclusion in Playwork practice.
- Identify ways to remove barriers which can prevent some children and young people playing.
- Undertake reflective observations to improve own practice and the quality of the provision for children and young people.
- Contribute to play audits.
- Promote the value and benefits of play for all children and young people.
- Assist with planning, creating and identifying loose parts to encourage and inspire sustainable practices, including recycling, reusing, reducing and repairing.
- Recognise the benefits of risk taking in play and contribute to dynamic risk-benefit assessment.
- Recognise that children and young people communicate with a range of different types of behaviour and may need Playworker support.
- Support children and young people to understand and manage their emotions, feelings and actions.
- Manage interactions with parents/caregivers professionally.
- Recognise the importance of respecting professional boundaries when lone working or conducting intimate care with children and young people and using social media with children, young people and families.
- Contribute to health and safety checks.
- Follow emergency incidents or common illness/infections policies and procedures, administering first aid and completing records when required.
- Use active listening and communication techniques when interacting with children and young people playing, identifying any potential concerns if they occur.
- Contribute to recording and reporting procedures as required by the play setting.
- Contribute to administrative and financial record keeping.
- Promote healthy eating and an active lifestyle, ensuring specific dietary and cultural needs are met.
- Maintain a clean environment according to local and national policies and procedures.
- Contribute to ensuring security arrangements are followed, such as children’s arrival and departures from the setting.
- Work as part of a team to support and supervise children and young people on off-site trips, complying with formal risk assessment of venues visited.
- Apply Playwork approaches in own role, incorporating new and emerging themes.
- Reflect on own practice to create a personal development plan with supervisor.
- Recognise the boundaries of own self and other Playworkers’ interaction with children, and when it is necessary to report incidents to the appropriate safeguarding lead and Local Authority Designated Officer – LADO if appropriate when a Playworkers’ behaviour towards a child may pose a risk of harm.
- Apply the play work approach depending on the individual need.
Training schedule
As an apprentice, you'll receive regular training alongside your job to help you develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviours needed for your role. At least 20% of your working hours will be dedicated to off-the-job training, which includes study time, workshops, and learning activities. You'll be working to complete the Playworker level 2 apprenticeship standard, which will include any required Functional Skills in English and maths.
Training is delivered either online or in person at our training centre in Hackney, offering flexibility to suit your needs. You'll be supported by experienced tutors and assessors throughout your apprenticeship, ensuring you stay on track and successfully complete your qualification.
Requirements
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
Other requirements
You will need to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
About this employer
Next Step Training Ltd is an apprenticeship and skills training provider, funded by the Department for Education, delivering apprenticeships in London and across England. We have been in operation since 2012 and during this time have built an established reputation as a reliable and employer-led training provider. We work together with employers and individual learners to design and deliver training programmes that meets both learners and their employers’ needs. Our goal of is to empower as many individuals as possible to reach their full potential, helping them on their journey to find meaningful career that is rewarding. We help to empower businesses with industry-expert staff so they can provide the very best learning experience to their workforce to perform better.
After this apprenticeship
Progression Pathways After Playworker Level 2:
1. Further Training & Qualifications
- Level 3 Diploma in Playwork → To deepen skills and qualify for more senior playworker or supervisory roles.
- Level 3 Early Years Educator (EYE) → If they’d like to move into nursery or early years classroom settings.
- Specialist short courses → e.g. safeguarding, paediatric first aid, special educational needs (SEN support).
2. Career Progression in Playwork/Schools
- Playworker (qualified, non-apprentice role) – working independently in breakfast/after-school clubs or holiday schemes.
- Senior Playworker / Team Leader – supporting staff, leading activities, ensuring safeguarding standards.
- Out of School Club Supervisor/Manager – managing wraparound care provision.
3. Wider Education/Childcare Pathways
- Move into roles in primary schools as a teaching assistant (with further qualifications).
- Progress towards Level 4/5 in Playwork or Early Years (e.g. Early Years Lead Practitioner Level 5 apprenticeship).
- Consider pathways into youth work, sports coaching, or community education.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
NEXTSTEP TRAINING LIMITED
laura@nextsteptrainingltd.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000344423.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Thursday 30 October 2025 at 11:59pm)
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