Early Years Apprenticeship

Mini Minds

NEWQUAY (TR7 2JP)

Closes in 21 days (Monday 7 September 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 17 August 2026

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Summary

Mini Minds are offering an exciting opportunity to join their team as an Early Years Educator apprentice! Gain the knowledge, skills and behaviours to kickstart your career in this rewarding industry. 

• Wage:

  £12,480 for your first year, then could increase depending on your age

  National Minimum Wage rate for apprentices

  Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

  To be discussed at interview.

• Training course: Early years educator (level 3)
• Hours: 3-days per week (3 x 8-hour days) 1-day at college. The role will be based at Mini Minds in Newquay, with one day release for college. Working days are active and varied and will include regular outings.

  30 hours a week

• Start date:

  Thursday 1 October 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 and development through play, following the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS)
• Assist in daily outings and experiences
• Help safely supervise young children both within the setting and when out in the community, supporting appropriate risk awareness and safeguarding procedures
• Support children's personal care and daily routines, including meals and snacks, nappy changing, toileting, handwashing, dressing and sleep/rest routines
• Help plan, prepare and deliver engaging age-appropriate activities based on children's interests, needs and stages of development
• Observe children's learning and development and contribute to observations, records and next steps under the guidance of the team
• Build warm, professional relationships with children and communicate positively with parents, carers and colleagues
• Be prepared for a physically active role involving substantial time outdoors, walking, carrying children's equipment and regularly pushing a double buggy

Where you'll work

59 SWEET BRIAR CRESCENT
NEWQUAY
TR7 2JP

Training

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

Training provider

CORNWALL 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

• Early Years Educator Level 3
• Training will include paediatric first aid qualification

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

• English (grade 3/ D)
• Maths (grade 4 / C)

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
• Customer care skills
• Problem solving skills
• Administrative skills
• Logical
• Team working
• Creative
• Initiative
• Non judgemental
• Patience
• Physical fitness

Other requirements

• Passing a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Applicants must be comfortable spending substantial periods walking outdoors and regularly pushing double buggies containing young children. Appropriate clothing and footwear for all weathers will be important

About this employer

Mini Minds is a home-based childminding setting in Newquay providing high quality early years care and education in a nurturing, child-centred environment. We care for young children in a small, close-knit setting and work closely with parents and carers to understand each child's individual needs, interests and development.

A key part of our approach is learning in the outdoors. We are out and about with the children every day and visit parks, beaches, boating lake, zoo, library and green space areas around Newquay. We aim to give children varied real-world experiences that build independence, confidence, curiosity and a love of learning through outdoor play.

We work as a small team and are looking for someone to assist with daily activities, help meet the children’s physical needs, build positive relationships with children and staff alike and gain hands on experience within a highly experienced team.

After this apprenticeship

Your earnings can increase over time with an apprenticeship. Find out about potential future pay (opens in new tab).

On successful completion, the apprentice will be qualified to work at Level 3 within an early years setting. There may be an opportunity to progress into a permanent assistant role within Mini Minds, subject to business needs and performance. The qualification can also support progression into more senior early years roles and further professional development or study within childcare and education.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CORNWALL COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000048134.

Apply now

Closes in 21 days (Monday 7 September 2026 at 11:59pm)