Apprentice Early Years Educator

FAIRYTALE FOREST DAY NURSERY LTD

PULBOROUGH (RH20 1NL)

Closes in 14 days (Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 25 August 2026

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Summary

Fairytale Forest Day Nursery is a beautiful, independent, family-owned nursery set in the heart of the South Downs that believes deeply in learning through creative play and have a wonderful opportunity for an Apprentice Early Years Educator to join them and study for an Early Years Educator Level 3 Apprenticeship.

Wage

£16,926 a year

Minimum wage rates (opens in new tab)

Hours are a minimum of 30 per week. If required, this could increase to a maximum of 40 hours per week with a maximum salary of £27,040, which would be discussed with the successful applicant at interview.

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Minimum 30 hours per week, working 3 shifts of 8.00am - 6.00pm to a maximum 40 hours per week over 4 shifts of 8.00am - 6.00pm. To include 6 hours of study per week.

30 hours a week

Start date

Tuesday 27 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

What you will gain:

  • The chance to work within a Steiner influenced nursery where learning through play, creativity and the power of a thoughtfully designed environment is at the forefront of every day.
  • The chance to work in rural setting surrounded by nature and animals.
  • The opportunity to earn while you learn with an organisation who wholly supports and reflects the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage framework and the Every Child Matters Agenda, which ensures every individual child and their family is at the centre of all learning and development.

Key Responsibilities included but not limited to:

  • To ensure the provision of a high-quality environment to meet the needs of individual children from differing cultures and religious backgrounds, and stages of development.
  • The preparation and completion of activities to suit the child's stage of development.
  • To contribute to a programme of activities suitable to the age range of children in your area in conjunction with other staff.
  • Work alongside the Manager and staff team to ensure that the vision, philosophy and objectives behind Fairytale Forest Day Nursery are fulfilled.
  • Assist with planning a programme of activities, suitable for the age range of the children, following the guidelines for the implementation of the EYFS.
  • To ensure that safeguarding, health and safety and security measures are constantly maintained.
  • To provide the highest standards of quality care and education.
  • To ensure that health and safety and security measures are constantly maintained.
  • To be aware of and act in accordance with current legislation, policy and procedures.
  • To keep a proper record of achievement file on your key children, for parents.
  • Foresee the needs of Special Needs children and give physical, emotional, intellectual guidance as appropriate and work alongside parents of special needs children to give full integration in the Nursery.
  • Support all staff and engage in a good staff team.
  • To attend all out of working hours activities, e.g. training, staff meetings, parents’ evenings, events etc.
  • To be flexible within working practices of nursery.
  • Be prepared to help where needed, including to undertake certain domestic jobs within the nursery, e.g. preparation of snack meals, cleansing of equipment, putting out bins, doing the laundry, etc.

Who you will be:

  • Someone who will provide comfort and warmth to all children.
  • Someone who is conscientious and capable of providing effective supervision of the children ensuring a high standard of physical, emotional, social and intellectual care, remaining positive and caring in all interactions with the children
  • Someone who is observant and will take a shared responsibility for health, safety and cleanliness throughout the nursery.
  • Someone who will act as an ambassador for Fairytale Forest Day Nursery both within the nursery and in the wider community
  • Someone who already has a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification and is looking to progress in their career
  • Someone who has their own transport and can easily and flexibly travel to the rural location of the nursery

Where you'll work

THE OLD FORGE
BURY GATE
BURY
PULBOROUGH
RH20 1NL

Training

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

Training provider

CHICHESTER COLLEGE GROUP

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)
  • Math (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
  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Team working
  • Non judgemental
  • Patience
  • Caring and Kind Nature
  • Positive Personality
  • Willingness to learn
  • Dedicated
  • Friendly
  • Reliable
  • Punctual

Other requirements

What you need to know:

  • This is 18-month apprenticeship including end point assessment.
  • To apply for a Level 3 you will already need to have the Level 2 qualification.
  • To apply you must have lived in the UK for a minimum of 3 years before the start date of the apprenticeship learning and have authorisation to work in the UK.
  • You cannot apply if you already have a qualification equal to or higher than the apprenticeship standard being studied.
  • You can apply if you have a higher qualification than the apprenticeship standard in an unrelated subject.
  • You should live in the area local to the employer and the college campus offering the apprenticeship.
  • This is a combination of work and learning so you will need to commit to the learning and stay at the employers until the apprenticeship is successfully completed.
  • Having your own transport will be essential due to the rural location of the nursery as there is no public transport in close proximity.

About this employer

Fairytale Forest Day Nursery is Located in Bury, a quaint countryside West Sussex village between Pulborough and Arundel. We are just off the A29 serving great links to Chichester, Littlehampton, Storrington and surrounding areas. The building itself is a converted former Farm Shop, and we are truly fortunate to benefit from such a vast and beautiful outdoor area for children to play in and explore!

 

Fairytale Forest places great emphasis on children's individual learning and development as dictated by the Early Years Foundation Stage and creates this through use of innovative, natural resources and custom designed indoor and outdoor natural environments. At Fairytale Forest they believe that a welcoming, homely atmosphere is paramount, providing a secure, caring and stimulating environment where children are treated as individuals and feel respected, valued and confident.

https://www.fairytale-forest.co.uk/ (opens in new tab)

Company benefits

Company Benefits include: Employee Discount, Referral Programme, Ongoing Development Opportunities, Enhanced Private Medical Insurance, Pension Scheme, Company Events, Free on-site parking, Attendance Incentive Scheme (Additional Holiday or Financial).

After this apprenticeship

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

Upon successful completion of the apprenticeship there will be potential to become a fully fledged member of the team with opportunities to develop with supported training and coaching.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

CHICHESTER COLLEGE GROUP

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000049545.

Apply now

Closes in 14 days (Tuesday 8 September 2026 at 11:59pm)