Nursery Assistant - Childcare Apprenticeship

OLIVE TREE MONTESSORI LTD

Slough (SL2 1NP)

Closes in 22 days (Thursday 30 April 2026)

Posted on 8 April 2026


Summary

In celebration of fifteen years of service we are looking for candidates that are passionate about working with children and their families. You will be allocated a mentor from the nursery to support you throughout the course. We are a term time pre school based inside the Manor Park Community Centre in Slough.

Wage

£16,432 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)

The annual salary will be pro rata due to term time vacancy.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, 8.00am - 4.00pm. Term time.

39 hours 30 minutes a week

Start date

Monday 18 May 2026

Duration

1 year 6 months

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

  • Provide a high standard of care for children aged between two to five years
  • Being a good role model for children
  • Providing support to other staff members in the team
  • Assist the nursery staff with the daily routine in the nursery
  • Personal care needs for children
  • Adhere to the Policies & Procedures of the nursery and compliance with the Children Act, Health and Safety legislation and within the guidelines of Ofsted and the Early Years Foundation Stage

Where you'll work

Olive Tree Montessori
Manor Park Community Centre
Villiers Road
Slough
SL2 1NP

Training

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

Training provider

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK 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

The successful candidate will engage in a work-based learning programme, to work towards the Early Years Educator, a level three early years qualification

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English Language (grade 4)
  • English Literature (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

Other in:

Childcare (grade 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
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Non judgemental
  • Physical fitness

Other requirements

  • Enthusiasm and passion for working with young children

About this employer

We are a nursery whose educational techniques are essentially inspired by the Montessori method of educational development. This approach complements the Islamic doctrine of ‘fitra’ to the extent that they both believe in a natural spiritual disposition within children, which needs to be guided and nurtured. We operate during term time only from 08:00 - 16:00 and have nursery places for children aged between two and five years old.

http://www.olivetreemontessori.com (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

  • Once level three qualified, the candidate will be considered for a permanent position within the team and for further development

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

BEST PRACTICE NETWORK LIMITED

jobs@olivetreemontessori.com

07746074073

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000025252.

Apply now

Closes in 22 days (Thursday 30 April 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.