Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

SWAN MEADOW PRIVATE DAY NURSERY LTD

Oldham (OL3 5TW)

Closes in 12 days (Friday 1 May 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 14 April 2026

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Summary

Within this job role, you will be working alongside highly qualified practitioners offering a truly unique childcare service. You will be given a mentor who will dedicate their time to developing your skills with regards to following policy and procedure, tracking children’s learning and development and ensuring outcomes for all children.

Wage

£17,472 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 - Friday, 42 hours per week. Shift hours to be confirmed.

42 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 5 May 2026

Duration

1 year 9 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

  • Once competent/confident (DBS checked) carry out the personal care of children and complete observations and assessments
  • To communicate sensitively and professionally with parents/carers and children at all times, and follow instructions from your supervisor/manager
  • To ensure that families and children from all social and cultural groups feel valued and secure
  • To implement the Equality and Diversity policy by ensuring learning experiences are diverse to meet the needs of individual children and that play materials and play situations available to the children embrace diversity
  • To ensure that the room is safe at all times and the Health and Safety Policy is implemented
  • To make the nursery welcoming and inclusive for all children and parents/carers
  • To ensure that all accidents and incidents are recorded and be aware of the First Aid procedure used in the Nursery
  • To be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the children

Where you'll work

Swan Meadow Cottage Nursery
Slackcote Lane
Delph
Oldham
OL3 5TW

Training

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

Training provider

THE OLDHAM 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

L3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade Grade 9-4/A*-C or equivalent)
  • Maths (grade Grade 9-4/A*-C or equivalent)

Other in:

Early Years Practitioner Level 2 (grade Pass)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Presentation skills
  • Number skills
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Patience

Other requirements

You will be expected to be flexible with the working hours to ensure ratios are maintained. During the year you will be expected to participate in additional events outside of the normal working hours, for example, parent’s evening and open days. 

There is a degree of lifting and carrying that you will need to be able to carry out. 

This nursery is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. You will be required undertake an enhanced DBS. 

Please do not contact the employer direct. If your application is successful, you will be contacted by The Oldham College.

About this employer

At Swan Meadow Nursery, we ensure the children have an excellent start to life by offering them a wide range of experiences. We provide a nurturing and stimulating environment where your children can explore, imagine, create and learn. We have built a superb new facility that provides a warm and caring environment for the children.

https://www.swanmeadownurseries.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Permanent employment.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE OLDHAM COLLEGE

Andrea Kearns

andrea.kearns@oldham.ac.uk

0161 785 4072

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000026401.

Apply now

Closes in 12 days (Friday 1 May 2026 at 11:59pm)