Early Years Apprentice
Sunnybrow Primary School
Crook (DL15 0LT)
Closes in 27 days (Sunday 12 April 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 16 March 2026
Contents
Summary
This is an exciting opportunity for an individual with a passion for working with young children to start their career in education. The apprentice will receive high-quality, on-the-job training and will work towards achieving the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard.
- Wage
-
£14,526.20 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)
Please note the role is term time only, wage will be worked out term time only pro rata.
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday, 8am - 4pm.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 1 June 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 6 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
Aim
- To work as part of a team in order to provide an enabling environment in which all children can play, develop and learn
- To build and maintain a strong partnership with parents to enable children’s needs to be met
Main Duties:
- To promote the inclusion of all children.
- To help ensure the nursery meets Ofsted requirements at all times.
- Plan and provide a safe, secure and stimulating environment that is appropriate for all children, enabling them to reach their potential.
- Plan, prepare and carry out experiences which encourage development, creativity, coordination, independence, self-expression and learning through play.
- To ensure records are properly maintained, e.g., daily attendance register, risk assessments, accident forms etc.
- To observe children’s development and add document observations on their online learning journey’s.
- To keep completely confidential any information regarding the children, their families or other members of staff.
- Contribute to the effectiveness of team work.
- Work in partnership with parents and carers.
- Work in partnership with other early years professionals and outside agencies.
- To meet the physical needs of children by encouraging good standards of safety, personal hygiene, whilst promoting independence.
- Any other duties as required by the Nursery Management Team.
Where you'll work
Hunwick Lane
Sunnybrow
Crook
DL15 0LT
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
BISHOP AUCKLAND 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 be required to attend Bishop Auckland College one day per week to attend classes.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)
- Maths (grade 9-4 / A*-C / Level 2)
Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.
Skills
- Communication skills
- Customer care skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
Other requirements
Employment will be dependent on DBS and reference checks.
Working in a nursery environment will be hard work but very rewarding, you will be expected to be outdoors with the children in most weathers.
Please be aware you will also be trained in personal care of the children, which can include cleaning and changing nappies.
As part of the interview process you may be asked to complete a half day work trial to see how you interact with the children and staff.
You will be required to complete a Durham County Council application form as part of the recruitment process.
About this employer
We are a small, friendly primary school situated in the beautiful village of Sunnybrow, County Durham. Our motto: A place where every child has the chance to shine’ is lived and breathed by the whole-school community each and every day.
Being small is our super power and helps us in our mission; we are able to get to know our families and our wonderful children really well, so children feel safe & happy, they are nurtured and independent and more importantly, they are empowered to exceed.
We have an unwavering commitment to improving the life chances of all of our pupils through educational achievement so that they have the knowledge and cultural capital they need to succeed in life. We strive to provide an exciting, motivating and high-quality education for every child and our dedicated members of staff, with their enthusiasm for learning, make our school a very special place to come to work and learn.
After this apprenticeship
Due to school funding allocated yearly, the employer may not be able to confirm employment following the apprenticeship until the apprenticeship is approx. halfway through. All will be discussed at interview.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
BISHOP AUCKLAND COLLEGE
David Brough
david.brough@bacoll.ac.uk
01388 743164
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000021329.
Apply now
Closes in 27 days (Sunday 12 April 2026 at 11:59pm)