Level 3 Early Years Apprentice

Childcare Happy Days

Croydon (CR0 4PL)

Closes on Sunday 14 December 2025

Posted on 14 October 2025


Summary

Fantastic opportunity for 3 apprentices to gain an Early Years Educator Level 3 qualification. Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0 - 5.

Wage

£15,704 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday, no weekends. Shifts to be confirmed.

40 hours a week

Start date

Sunday 28 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

Working in a childcare setting with children ranging from ages 0 - 5. You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma Early Years.

Your apprenticeship will last for 13 months.

This apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment and punctuality for you to be successful.

Duties will include:

  • Providing an excellent range of activities that ensures that the child learns whilst having fun
  • Supporting children’s learning and development, including supporting planning and observations
  • Preparing and maintaining the environment and resources for the children

Where you'll work

20
Aldwick Road
Croydon
CR0 4PL

Training

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

Training provider

SWIFT ACI

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

Level 3 Advanced Diploma Early Years Educator:

  • You will be working towards an Advanced Diploma Early Years
    Your apprenticeship will last for 14 months, where you will be supported by a dedicated assessor throughout your apprenticeship, as well as a mentor and other staff within the nursery
  • This apprenticeship requires dedication, commitment & punctuality for you to be successful
  • This apprenticeship will open doors to a variety of future roles & career paths within the childcare sector
  • Training will take place in the workplace
  • You will need to attend online training with your assessor for 1 day a week for the first 8 weeks of your 14-month apprenticeship, for your classroom-based learning, and you will be working within the nursery for the rest of the time with the support of your dedicated childcare assessor
  • You will complete a qualification in paediatric first aid

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

GCSE or equivalent Maths and English (grade 4/c or FS L2)

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

Skills

  • IT skills
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

About this employer

Childcare Happy Days is a small homely nursery who pride themselves in exceptional care tailored to nurture individuality. They are open 51 weeks a year excluding bank holidays and christmas from 8:00am to 6:00pm

https://www.childcarehappydays.com/about-us/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Developing into a Level 3 practitioner, with the potential of a full-time position upon successful completion. Other prospects could include applying for:

  • Room Leader positions
  • Possible management training
  • Springboard into primary education
  • Paediatric nursing
  • Continuous development in current nursery setting

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SWIFT ACI

Hannah Shorney

hls@swiftcc.co.uk

02034751326

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC1000346455.

Apply now

Closes on Sunday 14 December 2025

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