Apprentice Early Years Practitioner
Little Explorers Nursery
Derbyshire (DE7 6DN)
Closes in 29 days (Friday 12 June 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 14 May 2026
Contents
Summary
Begin a rewarding career supporting children’s learning and development in a caring, nurturing, and engaging environment! This exciting opportunity is ideal for someone who is enthusiastic and passionate about helping young children grow in confidence and independence through both indoor and outdoor learning experiences.
- Wage
-
£15,451 a year
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Monday to Friday – Various shifts with time allocated too for off-the-job hours.
37 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 6 July 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
As an Early Years Apprentice at Little Explorers, you will support the day-to-day care, learning, and development of children within a safe, welcoming, and stimulating environment. You will work closely with experienced practitioners to help deliver fun and engaging activities both indoors and outdoors, encouraging children to explore, play, and develop confidence through hands-on learning experiences.
A typical day may include welcoming children and families into the setting, supporting free play and planned activities, helping with snack and mealtimes, reading stories, singing songs, and encouraging creativity through arts, crafts, and sensory play. Outdoor learning is an important part of the role, so you will also help children explore nature, develop physical skills, and build curiosity through outdoor games and activities in all weather conditions.
You will assist with observing children’s progress, maintaining a clean and safe environment, and building positive relationships with children, parents, and colleagues. Throughout the apprenticeship, you will receive ongoing training and support to help you develop your childcare knowledge, practical skills, and understanding of child development and safeguarding.
Where you'll work
Broomfield Hall Campus
Morley
Ilkeston
Derbyshire
DE7 6DN
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DCG
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
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
- English (grade C/4 or above)
- Maths (grade C/4 or above)
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
- Problem solving skills
- Team working
- Creative
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Patience
- Physical fitness
- Caring
- Passion for learning
Other requirements
As a Forest School Nursery, applicants will need to have a love of the outdoors as this is where children spend most of their days. If we are interested in taking your application further, you will receive an email from a derby college email address (@derby-college.ac.uk). Please make sure that you check your inbox as well as your spam/junk folders, so you do not miss out on the opportunity to apply.
About this employer
Little Explorers Forest School is a unique 54-place nursery, set in the 450 acre picturesque grounds of the historic Broomfield Hall, on Derby College's land based campus in Morley.
We provide high-quality care for children aged from three months to five years. Ofsted rate us as ‘Outstanding’ in all aspects of our work.
Little Explorers believe that all children have the right to quality care and education in a safe, well-organised and attractive environment. This is reflected through the diverse range of indoor and outdoor experiences offered to our Little Explorers, supported by a team of qualified, experienced and highly motivated staff.
https://littleforestexplorers.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)
Company benefits
- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme
- Free onsite parking
- TOTUM discount card (aka NUS/Student Discount Card) / discounted Tastecard
- Continuous development and progression opportunities
After this apprenticeship
This apprenticeship can lead to a permanent Early Years Practitioner role with opportunities to progress into senior childcare positions, room leadership, or further qualifications in early years education and childcare.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DCG
Chloe Westhead
chloe.westhead@derby-college.ac.uk
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000031696.
Apply now
Closes in 29 days (Friday 12 June 2026 at 11:59pm)