Early Years Apprentice - Little Forest Folk Wimbledon Village
LITTLE FOREST FOLK LTD
Wimbledon Village (SW18 3NP)
Closes on Friday 28 August 2026
Posted on 26 June 2026
Contents
Summary
Are you a passionate early years practitioner looking to develop your career in a fully outdoor forest nursery setting? Little Forest Folk Wimbledon Village have a great opportunity to train as an Early Years Educator Apprentice and gain your Level 3 whilst supporting children's learning, play and development and building key relationships.
- Wage
-
£16,744 a year
- Training course
- Early years educator (level 3)
- Hours
-
40 hours per week Monday to Friday - shifts to be agreed at offer stage.
40 hours a week
- Start date
-
Monday 31 August 2026
- Duration
-
1 year 2 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
Little Forest Folk Wimbledon Village is seeking a warm, enthusiastic Forest Nursery Educator Apprentice with a genuine passion for the outdoors, working with children and a desire to complete a Level 3 Early Years qualification. Come and join our beautiful, fully outdoor forest nurseries, where we provide 2-5-year-olds with an exemplary early years learning experience to help them become the children most likely to succeed in today’s world.
About the Role
As a Forest Nursery Apprentice, you’ll be tasked with providing a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care for the children aged 2-5 years, in our beautiful outdoor setting.
Key responsibilities include:
- Acting as a key person for a group of children
- Supporting planning, observations, and assessments
- Ensuring the safeguarding, welfare, and well-being of all children at all times
- Using your passion for the outdoors to deliver a fantastic experience for our children
- Working with your team to create an enabling environment where children can develop and learn through play
- Building strong, positive relationships with children, families, and colleagues
What We Offer:
In return for your commitment, we offer:
- £500 completion bonus and £1000 loyalty bonus after 1 year
- A day off on your birthday; everyone should spend their birthday eating cake, not at work
- Uniform allowance
- Social events throughout the year
- A fit, healthy, active job
- Discounts at our favourite outdoor retailers
- Discounted childcare
- 28 days annual leave (including bank holidays)
- Access to CPD and training via Noodle Now
Your Future with Us
- Supportive Team: You’ll join a welcoming team that values your contribution and supports your learning and development
- Build Your Network: Connect with early years professionals from day one
- High Employability: Most apprentices secure employment or continue further study after completing their training
- Career Progression: Many apprentices remain with us in permanent roles, progressing into higher-level positions
Where you'll work
THE MAGDALEN ROAD BOWLING CLUB
38 MAGDALEN ROAD
Wimbledon Village
SW18 3NP
Training
Apprenticeships include time away from working for specialist training. You’ll study to gain professional knowledge and skills.
Training provider
REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED
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
Your full role and responsibilities will be set out by your employer. They will provide you with all of the on-the-job training you need to upskill in your role, and your 20% off-the-job learning will be incorporated as part of your working day.
You will be working towards the Level 3 Early Years Educator apprenticeship standard, which includes:
- Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours
- Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Educator
- Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid or Level 3 Award in Emergency Paediatric First Aid
- Level 2 Functional Skills in maths and English (if required)
This will be delivered by your dedicated training provider, Realise.
Requirements
Desirable qualifications
GCSE in:
- English Language (grade 4)
- Mathematics (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
- Creative
- Customer care skills
- Friendly
- Initiative
- Non judgemental
- Organisation skills
- Patience
Other requirements
Enhanced DBS required and annual subscription to DSB update service.
About this employer
Little Forest Folk was established to give children the chance to grow up with a sense of awe and freedom as part of their everyday lives. Our nurseries connect children back to nature, inspiring them to live a naturally healthy lifestyle that builds resilience, confidence, independence and self-motivation – all the tools they need for a happy and successful life. We want to offer this generation the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful outdoors childhood that many of us were fortunate enough to have experienced but that children in London are sadly now missing out on.
After this apprenticeship
Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).
Secure a job when qualifications are gained, with progression potential in a fast-growing company.
Ask a question
The contact for this apprenticeship is:
REALISE LEARNING AND EMPLOYMENT LIMITED
Paul Burton
jobenquiries@justapply.co.uk
0333 444 3973
The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000039401.
Apply now
Closes on Friday 28 August 2026
After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.