Early Years Apprentice

LITTLE ACORNS PRE-SCHOOL

IPSWICH (IP4 4JD)

Closes on Tuesday 30 June 2026

Posted on 26 May 2026

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Contents

Summary

An exciting opportunity to work with children aged between 2-4 years while also learning about their development needs and how best to support them during the most crucial years of their lives.

Wage

£13,728 to £21,810.36, depending on your age

National Minimum Wage

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Between 27 and 33 hours a week. The days and hours will depend on college study day and the number of children each session.

Training course
Early years practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Typically working four days a week between the hours of 7:45am – 4:30pm with a 30-minute lunch break. Some shifts begin at 7:45am, others at 8:45am. Shifts finish at either 4:00pm or 4:30pm.

33 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 1 September 2026

Duration

1 year 3 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

Duties and Responsibilities:

  • Work as part of a team effectively delivering the EYFS and ensure that individual needs and interests of all children are met
  • Setting up activities, furniture, and equipment prior to all sessions
  • Contribute ideas for planning in both indoor and outdoor areas of the pre-school
  • Understand and implement the pre-school’s policies and procedures demonstrating a high priority to safeguarding
  • Assist children with personal care, including changing nappies, assisting with potty training and other associated welfare duties
  • Prepare and serve food and drinks for the children, encouraging good nutrition, social eating and independence
  • Be a key person to a small group of children, providing emotional support to help them settle in
  • Attend mandatory training and any other training recognised by the management team

Where you'll work

140 SIDEGATE LANE
IPSWICH
IP4 4JD

Training

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

Training provider

SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE

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

  • Early Years Practitioner Standard
  • English and Maths (if required) Level 2

Requirements

Desirable qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English or Equivalent (grade C/4)
  • Maths or Equivalent (grade C/4)

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
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Patience
  • Time Management
  • Approachable
  • Conscientious
  • Reliable
  • Flexible

Other requirements

An Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required.

This position requires a lot of confidence, the successful applicant will be communicating with parents on a daily basis, be reading to groups of children and leading activities. Every day brings new challenges and new rewards.

You will be expected to:

  • Have a warm and positive approach to children
  • Ability to develop good working relationships with parents and other service providers
  • Ability to co-operate and adhere to health and safety policy, practices and instructions
  • Flexibility including the ability to cope with changing needs and demands
  • Have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children
  • Commitment to diversity and equal opportunities

About this employer

Little Acorns Pre-school is a registered charity run by a voluntary committee. We provide spaces for children between the ages of 2 – 4 years.  We are a nurturing setting that takes inspiration from the curiosity approach and Reggio Emilia. Our rooms are homely with neutral colours and are rich in natural and authentic resources that encourage children's exploration, imagination and a connection to the world around them. We are adaptable and flexible to children's needs.

We are situated within the school field and have a lovely outdoor space in which we encourage children to explore and use their imaginations. We have access to some school facilities which supports transition into reception. We have our own entrance on Sidegate Lane.

https://littleacorns-ipswich.org.uk/ (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 prospect of a full-time position at Little Acorns pre-school and the opportunity to progress to other job roles. 

The prospect of continuing into further education with support from the business. 

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

SUFFOLK NEW COLLEGE

Natasha Stead

apprenticeshipapplication@suffolk.ac.uk

01473 382600

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000033422.

Apply now

Closes on Tuesday 30 June 2026