Early Years Apprentice - Headstart Upton
HEADSTART (CHESTER) LIMITED
Upton (CH1 2HX)
Closes on Friday 28 November 2025
Posted on 10 October 2025
Contents
Summary
Looking to grow your career in early years education? Join Headstart Upton as an Early Years Educator Apprentice! Train towards your Level 3 qualification while supporting children’s learning, play, and development in an award-winning nursery that values your passion and potential.
- Wage
-
£13,741 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
35 hours per week. Monday to Friday - shifts to be agreed at offer stage.
35 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 December 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
Headstart Upton is looking for a Nursery Apprentice who has a passion to work with children and would like to undertake a level 3 qualification. To be considered for the Early Years Apprentice role, you must have a love of children and a genuine warmth towards them!
Our Nursery Apprentices are part of our team who are capable individuals with a responsibility for caring for children and maintaining a high-quality, stimulating learning environment. They are warm and responsive, working flexibly and effectively as part of a team to ensure the smooth running of the nursery.
• Promote positive relationships in the setting.
• Promote the health, safety and well-being of the children.
• Support the children’s development, learning and play.
• Support key persons carrying out all related responsibilities in building relationships with a group of children and their families; once confident, be responsible for a small cohort of children within the room with the support of the staff and management.
• Contribute to the effectiveness of teamwork.
• To be a role model and be able to showcase high-quality practice with regard to individual and group work with children.
• To take responsibility alongside the Nursery Management Team for the safety, security and well-being of all children, staff and visitors at all times.
• To ensure that safeguarding procedures are followed in line with Local Authority and Company procedures.
• To support the Nursery Management Team in supporting the nursery to reach an ‘outstanding’ grade with Ofsted.
• To embrace, understand and promote The Cheshire Day Nursery Group and to understand the role you play as part of the team to provide high levels of care and education.
Where you'll work
32 Heath Road
Upton
CH1 2HX
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
Essential qualifications
GCSE or equivalent in:
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication Skills
- Creative
- Patience
- Team working
Other requirements
60% Staff discount for child care fees, uniform provided, pay care benefits, £500 bonus for completing level 3 and £1000 bonus following 12 months after completion. onsite parking, close to the train station and on a bus route, DBS will be completed.
About this employer
Our nurseries are safe, nurturing environments where children can thrive – supported by dedicated professionals who bring learning to life.
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 VAC1000345963.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 28 November 2025
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