Early Years Apprentice

SAPPHIRE-MINTON NURSERY LIMITED

STOKE ON TRENT (ST4 7QE)

Closes in 21 days (Friday 18 September 2026 at 11:59pm)

Posted on 27 August 2026

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Contents

Summary

As an Early Years Apprentice, you will work with practitioners to support children’s care, learning and development. You will help provide a safe, nurturing environment, assist with play activities, support routines, build relationships with children and families, and develop your skills while completing the apprenticeship.

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)

Training course
Early years educator (level 3)
Hours
Monday - Friday, daily hours to be confirmed.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 5 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 the care, learning and development of children aged 0-5.
  • Provide a safe, secure, inclusive and stimulating environment.
  • Support play-based activities and children’s daily routines.
  • Build positive relationships with children, parents, carers and colleagues.
  • Observe and support children’s development, progress and individual needs.
  • Assist with children’s daily routines, including meals, personal care and sleep routines.
  • Follow safeguarding, health and safety and nursery policies and procedures.

Where you'll work

HERBERT MINTON BUILDING
79 LONDON ROAD
STOKE ON TRENT
ST4 7QE

Training

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

Training provider

STOKE ON TRENT 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

Training will take place online and in the workplace. 

You may also need to complete Functional Skills in English or Maths dependant on your GCSE grades.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade 4 or above)
  • Maths (grade 4 or above)

Share if you have other relevant qualifications and industry experience. The apprenticeship can be adjusted to reflect what you already know.

Skills

  • Attention to detail
  • Organisation skills
  • Customer care skills
  • Problem solving skills
  • Team working
  • Positive attitude
  • Willingness to learn
  • Resillience
  • Passionate

Other requirements

You will be required to pass a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

About this employer

Sapphire Minton Nursery is a new early years setting in Stoke-on-Trent, providing a safe, welcoming and nurturing environment for young children. The nursery supports children’s learning and development through play-based activities, daily routines and individualised support, helping children build confidence, independence and positive relationships.

After this apprenticeship

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

There may be an opportunity for a permanent position on successful completion of your apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

STOKE ON TRENT COLLEGE

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000050145.

Apply now

Closes in 21 days (Friday 18 September 2026 at 11:59pm)