Early Years Educator Apprenticeship

MAMA BEAR'S DAY NURSERY LTD

Dorset (DT4 7LQ)

Closes in 27 days (Friday 10 July 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 12 June 2026

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Summary

Join Mama Bear's Day Nursery at our new Weymouth nursery at Coastland College! Earn while you learn, gaining hands-on experience and a nationally recognised qualification in a supportive environment. Work alongside experienced professionals, develop essential skills, and grow your career within our expanding family of nurseries.

• Wage:

  £16,640 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

  National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

  Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  Apprentice wage increasing to £9.57 per hour once deemed competent.

• Training course: Early years educator (level 3)
• Hours: Monday to Friday shift set e.g. 07:00 – 16:00 / 09:00 – 18:00.

  40 hours a week

• Start date:

  Tuesday 1 September 2026

• Duration:

  1 year 6 months

• Positions available:

  3

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

• Supporting the care, learning and development of children in line with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).
• Working alongside experienced practitioners to plan and deliver engaging activities that promote children's development.
• Building positive relationships with children, parents and colleagues to create a welcoming and nurturing environment.
• Carrying out observations and contributing to children's learning journeys and next steps.
• Assisting with the preparation, cleanliness and organisation of nursery environments and resources.
• Supervising children's meals, routines and personal care while promoting independence and wellbeing.
• Participating in team meetings, training sessions, nursery events and parents' evenings.
• Working towards becoming a key person for a small group of children when appropriate.
• Adhering to Mama Bear's policies and procedures, including safeguarding, health and safety, equality and confidentiality.

Where you'll work

Cranford Avenue
Weymouth
Dorset
DT4 7LQ

Training

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

Training provider

WEYMOUTH 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

The apprentice will study the Early Years Educator Level 3 course within a 40-hour week. This involves 6-hours a week of devoted in-house study time to complete the qualification. The rest of the time will be spent working as an Early Years Educator, gaining the experience of working in a dedicated nursery and using this to support the knowledge and understanding gained within the course. 

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
• Customer care skills
• Team working
• Initiative
• Patience

Other requirements

You MUST be prepared to commit to your work and training for the duration of the apprenticeship. You will be required to attend an interview and assessment at Coastland College to ensure you meet the requirements for the apprenticeship. If a suitable candidate is found prior to the advertised closing date, it may close earlier, so please apply early to avoid disappointment.

About this employer

Mama Bear's Day Nursery is an award-winning family-run childcare provider with nurseries across the South West of England. Established in 2002, we are passionate about providing outstanding care and education for children from birth to five years.

We pride ourselves on creating nurturing, stimulating environments where children can flourish and where our staff feel valued, supported and encouraged to develop their careers. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expect all staff to share this commitment.

Our new venture at Coastland College offers an exciting opportunity to be part of a growing team with a fantastic reputation from the start of this new chapter.

http://www.mamabear.co.uk (opens in new tab)

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 successful candidate will complete the Level 3 Early Years Educator Apprenticeship Standard through Coastland College.

Training will include:

• Dedicated off-the-job training during working hours.
• Regular support and reviews with an assessor from Coastland College.
• Development of knowledge, skills and behaviours required to work as an Early Years Educator.
• Paediatric First Aid training.
• Preparation for the End Point Assessment.

Upon successful completion, apprentices will achieve the Level 3 Early Years Educator qualification.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

WEYMOUTH COLLEGE

Victoria Ashbolt

md@mamabear.co.uk

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000036976.

Apply now

Closes in 27 days (Friday 10 July 2026 at 11:59pm)