Apprentice Early Year Practitioner
Kirk Merrington Primary School
Spennymoor (DL16 7JB)
Closes in 22 days (Tuesday 30 June 2026 at 11:59pm)
Posted on 8 June 2026
Contents
Summary
An early years apprentice in our school supports qualified staff with the day to day running of a reception class. The core daily tasks centre on care, learning, safety, and communication.
- Wage
-
£16,224 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age
National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
Term Time only
8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Thursday.
8:30am - 4:00pm, Friday.
39 hours a week
- Start date
-
Tuesday 1 September 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
Purpose of the Role
To support the delivery of high-quality early years education and care within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) at Kirk Merrington Primary School, helping to create a safe, stimulating and inclusive environment where all children can learn and thrive. The apprentice will work towards a recognised Early Years qualification while gaining practical experience.
Key Responsibilities
- Support the planning and delivery of EYFS activities indoors and outdoors
- Work with individual children and small groups to support learning and development
- Assist with observing and recording children’s progress in line with EYFS requirements
- Support children’s personal, social and emotional development and wellbeing
- Supervise children during learning, play and routine activities (including snacks and transitions)
- Help maintain a safe, clean and organised learning environment
- Assist with preparation and tidying of classroom resources and activities
- Follow all safeguarding, health and safety, and school policies at all times
- Build positive relationships with children, staff and parents/carers
- Contribute to team meetings and training opportunities
- Complete all apprenticeship training and coursework requirements
Where you'll work
Kirk Merrington Primary school South View
Kirk Merrington
Spennymoor
DL16 7JB
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
DERWENTSIDE COLLEGE
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
All qualifications are work-based, delivered in the workplace, and do not have mandatory day-release attendance at College. There is a requirement for an employer to allow some study time for the individual to collect, research, and work on activities and care plans that contribute to the Apprenticeship within paid hours.
A blended approach to learning involving both face-to-face visits and a distance learning element; the College currently uses an E-Portfolio (Smart Assessor) and Canvas for work to be collected and completed by the learners.
More training information
The Training Consultant (T.C.'s) would be assigned to the learners and attend a monthly one-to-one with your apprentice/employee.
Requirements
Essential qualifications
GCSE in:
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
- Number skills
- Team working
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
Other requirements
An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be required.
About this employer
Located in Spennymoor our school provides a stimulating, challenging and caring environment with a broad, balanced and creative curriculum allowing everyone to develop to their full potential and be able to engage with a rapidly changing society.
A happy place where expectations are high, individuals are valued, a wide range of educational opportunities are available to all, and positive partnership between child, parent, school and community is paramount.
After this apprenticeship
Potential full time role in the school at the end of the apprenticeship, progressing to Level 5 Eary Years Lead Practitioner.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
DERWENTSIDE COLLEGE
Julia Atkinson
julia.atkinson@derwentside.ac.uk
01207 585 900
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000035822.
Apply now
Closes in 22 days (Tuesday 30 June 2026 at 11:59pm)