Apprentice Early Years Practitioner
Millie's House Nursery, Working Mums Nursery, Castle Day Care, Cranbrook Nursery
Guildford, Horley, London, New Malden
Closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026
Posted on 24 February 2026
Contents
Summary
As an Apprentice Early Years Practitioner, you will work as part of the nursery team to provide a safe, caring, stimulating, and inclusive environment for all children. You will gain hands-on experience while studying towards your Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification with Hawk Training.
- Wage
-
£18,096 a year
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
40 hours per week, worked on a shift basis between 7:30am and 6:15pm
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Thursday 30 April 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 2 months
- Positions available
-
30
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
Supporting Children’s Learning and Development
- Assist in delivering high-quality care and early education for children aged 0- 5 years
- Support children’s learning through planned activities and spontaneous play
- Promote children’s personal, social, and emotional development and wellbeing
- Contribute to planning, observations, and assessments in line with the EYFS framework
- Encourage children’s curiosity, creativity, and independence through play-based learning
- Maintain an inclusive approach, ensuring all children feel valued and supported
- Health, Safety, and Safeguarding
- Follow all safeguarding and child protection procedures at all times
- Ensure the nursery environment is safe, clean, and well maintained
- Report any concerns immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Manager
- Adhere to all health and safety policies, including hygiene, supervision, and accident reporting
- Participate in regular training to maintain compliance with statutory requirements
- Professional Conduct and Teamwork
- Work positively and collaboratively as part of the Castle Daycare team
- Follow all company policies and procedures, including confidentiality and data protection
- Attend staff meetings, training, and company events as required (including occasional evenings or weekends)
- Represent Childcare and Learning group Brands professionally at all times, acting as a role model for children and families
- Wear the correct uniform and maintain high standards of presentation in line with company policy
- Apprenticeship Learning and Development
- Complete all Hawk Training modules and assessments within the agreed timeframe (approximately 18–19 months)
- Make full use of the 20% “off-the-job” training time for study, assignments, and tutor meetings
- Attend all training workshops, online learning sessions, and tutor meetings as scheduled
- Participate in regular progress reviews with your line manager and Hawk Training assessor
- Reflect on your practice and seek feedback to continually improve your skills
- Administrative and Operational Duties
- Maintain accurate and confidential records of children’s development, attendance, and wellbeing
- Support the daily routines of the nursery, including mealtimes, rest periods, and outdoor play
- Assist in preparing resources, setting up activities, and cleaning up after sessions
- Comply with company requirements for documentation, health and safety checks, and record keeping
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:
- 14 South Hill, Guildford, GU1 3SY
- Ivy Cottage, Balcombe Road, Horley, RH6 9SW
- 284 Upper Richmond Road West, London, SW14 7JE
- 88-90 Fulham Palace Road, London, W6 9PL
- Sheepcote Lane, London, SW11 5BW
- 1 Cambridge Avenue, New Malden, KT3 4JY
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
HAWK MANAGEMENT (UK) 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 apprenticeship will be delivered at your workplace in a blended way with monthly tutoring, online learning, observations and flexible support to ensure you are well equipped to complete your apprenticeship
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE 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
- Organisation skills
- Customer care skills
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
References upon request.
About this employer
Under Childcare and Learning we have 4 brands of nurseries that have been supporting children for the past 20 years. The locations of the vacancies have up to 5 nurseries within that location therefore the role could be at any one of those locations.
Company benefits
Christmas Party for all staff.
20 Days annual leave plus bank holidays, Nurseries are close for a period over christmas that you will need use your annual leave for.
After this apprenticeship
- Once you have completed your Level 3 with us we want to support your career growth within our group of settings
- This could be stepping into Room Leader, Deputy manager or specialising in SEN or Behaviour specialist
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
HAWK MANAGEMENT (UK) LIMITED
Sam Gallagher
sam@snugrecruitment.co.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000017533.
Apply now
Closes on Tuesday 31 March 2026