Early Years Educator apprentice

Portobello Primary School

Chester Le Street (DH3 2LY)

Closes in 21 days (Wednesday 1 July 2026)

Posted on 9 June 2026

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Summary

Support teachers to deliver fun, engaging learning, helping children develop through play and creativity. You’ll gain hands-on experience working with pupils in a safe, supportive environment.

• Wage:

  £13,348.52 a year

  Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

• Training course: Early years educator (level 3)
• Hours: Monday - Friday, Shifts to be confirmed. Term time only.

  32 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

• Support children’s learning through play, creativity and hands-on experiences
• Follow EYFS principles to deliver engaging, high-quality activities
• Provide a safe, caring and inclusive environment
• Support children’s personal, social, language and physical development
• Help plan activities as part of a team, indoors and outdoors
• Build positive relationships with children, staff and parents
• Observe and track children’s progress
• Promote positive behaviour, confidence and curiosity
• Ensure safeguarding, health & safety and policies are followed
• Provide personal care when needed and support individual pupil needs

Your contractual hours are based on an average of 32 hours per week across the full year (52 weeks)
Your actual working weeks will be 39 weeks (term time only)
During these weeks, you will work 37.08 hours per week to reflect your annual contracted hours

Where you'll work

Tantallon
Birtley
Chester Le Street
DH3 2LY

Training

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

Training provider

GATESHEAD COUNCIL

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

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

• Communication skills
• IT skills
• Attention to detail
• Organisation skills
• Team working

About this employer

Portobello Primary School is a one form entry primary school in the heart of Birtley

https://www.portobelloprimaryschool.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

After this apprenticeship

• Progression for the right candidate

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

GATESHEAD COUNCIL

Oliver Leach

oliverleach@gateshead.gov.uk

0191 433 5613

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036002.

Apply now

Closes in 21 days (Wednesday 1 July 2026)

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