Level 2 Early Years Practitioner Apprentice

Northumberland County Council

Berwick-Upon-Tweed (TD15 2UA)

Closes in 13 days (Monday 1 June 2026)

Posted on 18 May 2026

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Contents

Summary

Lowick CE Primary School and Nursery are looking for an Early Years Practitioner Apprentice (term time plus 5 only) to work mainly within our nursery, 2-4 year olds. The successful candidate will be working towards gaining a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification through Northumberland Skills.

Wage

£15,392 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday to Friday full-time. Earliest start 8am, latest finish 5pm.

37 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Duration

1 year

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

You will be friendly and caring and able to communicate well with children, staff and parents. You will be capable of problem-solving and using your own initiative. We are a small school with a friendly and helpful staff who care deeply for each child in our nursery and school. Our vision is that our school and school community is playful, loving, accepting, curious and empathetic. We are looking for someone who supports our vision wholeheartedly.

Lowick CE Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting equal opportunities in line with the Equality Act and welcomes applicants from underrepresented groups.

This position is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; therefore, you are required to disclose any spent and unspent convictions as part of your application. An enhanced DBS check with the barred list will be carried out, and then the update service will be joined. Also, two suitable written, up to date, references will be required.

Purpose of the job: To work under the guidance of nursery practitioners to support access to learning for pupils and provide general support to staff in the management of pupils.

The duties and responsibilities highlighted in this job description are indicative and may vary over time and across the facility. Trainees are expected to undertake other duties and responsibilities relevant to the nature, level and extent of the post, and the post has been established on this basis.

Main duties

  • Where possible, assist with the planning, implementation and assessment of the curriculum using the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) curriculum for guidance.
  • To help to set up the classroom and/or the outdoor areas for the daily programme and to help tidy away at the end of the session.
  • Under supervision, act as a key person to a child, liaising closely and building an effective relationship with parents/carers and ensuring each child's needs are recognised and met.
  • Ensure that the physical needs of the children are met and maintain a high level of hygiene and cleanliness in the EYFS setting
  • Manage a wide range of children’s behaviour in a way that promotes their welfare and development
  • Under supervision, work in partnership with parents/carers and other family members.
  • To advise the nursery or school staff of any concerns, e.g. over children, parents or the safety of equipment, preserving confidentiality as necessary.
  • To ensure that children are kept safe and that you understand when to follow child protection procedures.
  • To support mealtimes within the setting.
  • To actively participate in team meetings, supervisor meetings and appraisal meetings.
  • To attend training courses as required and to take responsibility for your development.
  • To keep completely confidential any information regarding the children, their families or other staff, this is acquired as part of the job.
  • To be aware of and adhere to all the setting’s operational policies and procedures, e.g. health and safety, child protection, fire precautions, booking in policy for the setting, collection of children, food safety, cleanliness of the setting, etc.
  • Under guidance, ensure that adequate records are kept and updated regularly.
  • To assist in promoting the setting to current parents and the community.
  • To undertake any other reasonable duties as directed by the nursery staff, in accordance with the setting’s objectives.

Where you'll work

30 Main Street
Lowick
Berwick-Upon-Tweed
TD15 2UA

Training

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

Training provider

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNCIL

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
  • Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
  • Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.

Training schedule

This training schedule has not been finalised. Check with this employer if you’ll need to travel to a college or training location for this apprenticeship.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4)
  • Maths (grade 4)

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

Skills

  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience

About this employer

Our vision is that every member of our community is loved and cared for.  All of us are created in the image of God, we are all precious and wonderful.   Each person is nurtured to be the best they can be – thinking about the whole person. 

We seek to support and encourage each other to help us to grow with the knowledge and skills we need to go anywhere we choose in life and be fulfilled.  In this way, everyone is able to flourish and enjoy fullness of life.

https://www.lowickholyislandschools.org.uk/website/home/289238 (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

Potential full-time employment following apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

NORTHUMBERLAND COUNCIL

Amber

apprenticeships@northumberland.gov.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000032323.

Apply now

Closes in 13 days (Monday 1 June 2026)

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