Early Years Apprentice

SNAPDRAGONS NURSERIES LIMITED

Bath, Bristol, Corsham, Melksham

Closes on Monday 1 June 2026

Posted on 21 April 2026

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Summary

Join Snapdragons and help children flourish every day. You’ll deliver high-quality care and inspiring learning, creating a safe, joyful space where every child feels valued. Through play, you’ll nurture wellbeing, spark curiosity, and build confident, kind individuals ready to thrive in their world.

Wage

£18,720 a year

Check minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Benefits:

 

Casual dress
Company events
Company pension
Employee discount
Health & wellbeing programme
Referral programme

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm. Option to reduce to 40 hours over 4 days once qualified.

40 hours a week

Start date

Monday 15 June 2026

Duration

3 years 4 months

Positions available

10

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

What will the apprentice do at work?

  • Support the day-to-day care of children, ensuring a safe, nurturing environment
  • Assist with planning and delivering play-based learning activities
  • Build positive relationships with children, supporting their wellbeing and development
  • Help with daily routines such as meals, toileting, and rest times
  • Observe children and contribute to learning and development records
  • Work as part of a team to maintain high standards of care and safeguarding
  • Communicate with colleagues and parents in a professional, friendly way
  • Take part in training, learning, and regular feedback to develop your skills

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:

  • 4 Grosvenor Place, Bath, BA1 6AX
  • Henley Lodge, Weston Road, Bath, BA1 2XT
  • 3 Grove Park, Redland, Bristol, BS6 6PP
  • 635A Gloucester Road, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 0BJ
  • Ellsbridge House, Bath Road, Keynsham, Bristol, BS31 1TL
  • First Field Way, Patchway, Bristol, BS34 5TN
  • The Wylands, Lower High Street, Shirehampton, Bristol, BS11 0DA
  • Broadwood Avenue, Corsham, SN13 0LX
  • Pound Pill, Corsham, SN13 9YW
  • 43 Bath Road, Atworth, Melksham, SN12 8JW

Training

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

Training provider

SNAPDRAGONS NURSERIES 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

How will the apprentice train?

You’ll learn through a blend of hands-on experience in the nursery and structured training through our purpose-built Snapdragons Training Academy.

  • Work alongside experienced practitioners and your Apprentice Mentor, learning on the job every day
  • Attend regular sessions at our dedicated Training Academy, designed to support your development in a practical, engaging way
  • Receive one-to-one coaching, feedback, and support to build your confidence and skills
  • Complete off-the-job learning time, including workshops, online learning, and reflective practice
  • Work towards your Early Years qualification with guidance from our in-house tutor

Our academy is designed to give you the best start — combining real experience with high-quality training to help you grow into a confident early year's professional. 

Requirements

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
  • Logical
  • Team working
  • Creative
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

Other requirements

  • Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
  • Minimum of 2 years references

About this employer

Snapdragons opened in January 1998 in a farmhouse in Atworth, in response to local demand for high-quality full daycare. We developed an excellent local reputation and has since expanded into Bath, Bristol and other sites in Wiltshire. We are a family-run business that can react quickly to local needs but, more importantly, can respond personally to the families that we serve. We genuinely want our nurseries to be the best and we want nursery experiences to be memorable and fun. We realise that it is vital that we earn the trust and confidence of you, the parent and that you are happy with what we do and how we do it.

https://www.snapdragonsnursery.com/ (opens in new tab)

Disability Confident

Disability Confident

A fair proportion of interviews for this apprenticeship will be offered to applicants with a disability or long-term health condition. This includes non-visible disabilities and conditions.

You can choose to be considered for an interview under the Disability Confident scheme. You’ll need to meet the essential requirements to be considered for an interview.

After this apprenticeship

  • The apprenticeship can be completed in 12-18 months
  • Once qualified the apprentice can move to deputy head of room or head of room. There is no limit and other apprentices have gone on to take up senior roles in the organisation
  • Level 5 qualifications are an option as well as Early Years Teacher

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SNAPDRAGONS NURSERIES LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000027208.

Apply now

Closes on Monday 1 June 2026

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