Early Years Educator Apprentice
HURSLEY CHILDCARE HUB LTD
Southampton (SO21 2LD)
Closes in 24 days (Friday 5 June 2026)
Posted on 12 May 2026
Contents
Summary
- To provide a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for children in the nursery.
- To implement the daily routine in the room.
- To work together as a team supporting each other for the benefit of the children.
- Wage
-
£16,640 to £26,436.80, depending on your age
National Minimum Wage
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday - Friday within the hours of 07:30 - 18:00.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Friday 12 June 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 3 months
- Positions available
-
2
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
Hursley Childcare Hub are on the lookout for a driven and enthusiastic Apprentice Early Years Educator to join their team!
Do you have previous experience working with children, or already possess your Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification? This role is ideal for someone looking to take on additional responsibilities and develop further in a nursery setting.
As a Nursery Practitioner, you will be integral in fostering a nurturing and stimulating environment for young children. Reporting to the Nursery Manager, your primary responsibilities will include providing high-quality childcare, supporting early childhood education, and effectively communicating with parents and staff. Your core skills in child development and nursery experience will be essential in creating engaging activities. Additionally, your leadership abilities will enhance team collaboration, while your relevant skills in English and driving will support effective communication and logistics. Join us in shaping the future of our children
Responsibilities:
- With your staff team, deliver a programme of exciting play opportunities and activities suitable to the age range and developmental needs of the children you are working with which will motivate their learning and integration within the nursery.
- To ensure that a caring and stimulating environment is provided for children that takes into account individual developmental needs and enables children to reach their full potential
- Keep well-informed of legislation, guidelines and policies to ensure the Children’s Act and the Early Years Foundation Stage Welfare Requirements are met at all times.
- To have a good understanding of all the nursery’s policies and procedures and ensure you adhere to them at all times.
- Support all staff and engage in the development of a strong, knowledgeable staff team.
- To be flexible within the working practices of the nursery. Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snacks, meals, cleansing of equipment, etc.
- Work alongside the manager and staff team to ensure that the philosophy behind the nursery is fulfilled.
- Ensure children are collected by someone known to the nursery.
- To ensure compliance with legislative requirements at all times.
- To ensure that the nursery conforms to and exceeds the requirements of Ofsted.
- To ensure that the nursery consistently meets the requirements set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage to a good minimum standard.
- To uphold and ensure a high standard of care in the nursery.
- To help and support students/volunteers on placement.
- To implement and maintain the company’s equality policy ensuring that children, parents and the staff team are valued and practice is positive and non-discriminatory.
- To monitor any safeguarding issues following nursery and local authority procedures.
What's involved as part of the apprenticeship?
- You will be assigned an expert Lifetime Training coach to support you throughout your apprenticeship journey, with regular face-to-face and virtual catch-ups every 4–6 weeks.
- You will work towards your Early Years Educator Level 3 apprenticeship qualification over the course of 12–18 months.
- A hands-on approach to learning and a structured training plan delivered at your place of work without the expectation of attending college.
- Dedicated time each week to focus on your learning.
The key dates are to be used as a guide only. Should the right candidate be found, this vacancy may close early.
Don't have previous experience in childcare? We are also offering a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner role which is suitable for someone just starting out in their career.
Where you'll work
Deer Park
Southampton
SO21 2LD
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
LIFETIME TRAINING GROUP 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
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
- Attention to detail
- Organisation skills
- Team working
- Patience
Other requirements
Don't have previous experience in childcare? We are also offering a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner role which is suitable for someone just starting out in their career.
About this employer
At Hursley Childcare Hub, we welcome all children and their families into our friendly, caring, stimulating setting. We really know all our individual children and their families well. Through a child led approach, our amazing team care, nurture and develop the children. All our learning and exploration takes place in our large space and forest area. We work with children throughout their early years to develop their confidence in themselves, ready for the next stages in their development. Together, with families, we aim to ensure all children are respectful and resilient and prepared for all the exciting experiences that are available to them.
https://www.hursleychildcarehub.co.uk/ampfield (opens in new tab)
After this apprenticeship
Ongoing training and development with the opportunity to grow further within the Nursery Practitioner role.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
LIFETIME TRAINING GROUP LIMITED
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000031328.
Apply now
Closes in 24 days (Friday 5 June 2026)
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.