Early Years Apprentice (36468)

OVER THE RAINBOW DAY CARE LIMITED

Manchester (M40 8WN)

Closes in 29 days (Friday 2 October 2026)

Posted on 2 September 2026


Summary

Over The Rainbow Day Care offers a fantastic opportunity for an early years apprentice to join their new nursery in Newton Heath, Manchester. They are looking for a caring, motivated and passionate person who is eager to offer high quality childcare.

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 practitioner (level 2)
Hours
Monday - Friday, shifts between 7.30am - 6.00pm.

30 hours a week

Start date

Monday 12 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

A normal day would include:

  • Caring for children
  • Preparing and maintaining environments to meet children's needs
  • Planning and supporting children's play, learning and development
  • Adhering to all safeguarding, health and safety practices
  • Preparing snacks and helping with feeding and cleaning
  • Working as part of a team
  • Developing and maintaining good relationships with parents, carers, families and staff members
  • Developing the key person role in supporting a group of children
  • Promoting equal opportunities for all and ensuring all children, families and staff are respected and valued

Progression and Qualifications:

The successful applicants will be supported through a recognised Level 2 Qualification in Childcare, with the opportunity to move on to the level 3 once complete. We strive to ensure that our staff receive ongoing training and annual appraisals. We offer a career path with long term growth and stability.

Future Prospects:

This vacancy is for a permanent position (for at least the duration of the Apprenticeship) with the possibility of continuous full time employment at Over The Rainbow Day Care upon the successful completion of the apprenticeship programme.

How you will be supported:

Full training and support will be provided by The Growth Company to help you achieve your apprenticeship and reach your full potential in your role.

What will happen next:

New applicants to The Growth Company who meet any basic entry requirements of the role will be contacted within two working days to be invited to meet a member of our team.

You will then have the opportunity to find out:

  • More about this vacancy and any others you are suitable for
  • Any training you need to complete
  • What the next steps will be

How you could get there:

If you would be catching public transport for this role, visit the Journey Planner on www.tfgm.com to see how you would get there and how long it would take.

Where you'll work

Wilsons Park
Monsall Road
Manchester
M40 8WN

Training

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

Training provider

THE GROWTH COMPANY LIMITED

Training course

Early years practitioner (level 2)

Understanding apprenticeship levels (opens in new tab)

What you'll learn

Course contents
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
  • Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.
  • Support babies and young children through a range of transitions and significant events. e.g moving onto school, moving house or the birth of a sibling.
  • Recognise when a child is in danger, at risk of serious harm or abuse and explain the procedures to be followed to protect them. Types of abuse including: domestic, neglect , physical, emotional, and sexual abuse.
  • Identify risks and hazards in the provision and during off site visits relating to both children and staff and visitors and follow reporting procedures.
  • Use prevention and control of infection techniques for hand washing and food preparation and hygiene, deal with spillages safely, safe disposal of waste, using correct personal protective equipment.
  • Use equipment, furniture and materials safely and securely, following the manufacturers’ instructions and provision’s requirements.
  • Encourage children to be aware of personal safety and the safety of others and develop personal hygiene practices (including oral hygiene).
  • Promote health and wellbeing in the provision by encouraging babies and young children to consume healthy, balanced and nutritious meals, snacks and drinks appropriate for their age and be physically active through planned and spontaneous activity throughout the day, both indoors and outdoors.
  • Carry out respectful care routines appropriate to the development, stage, dignity and needs of the child, including eating (feeding and weaning or complementary feeding), nappy changing procedures, potty or toilet training, care of skin, teeth and hair and rest and sleep provision.
  • Communicate with all children, including those for whom English is an additional language and those with additional needs, in ways that will be understood. This includes verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Extend children’s development and learning through verbal and non-verbal communication.
  • Encourage babies and young children to use a range of communication methods.
  • Use a range of appropriate communication methods to share information with children, parents or carers and other professionals.
  • Work with colleagues to identify and plan educational programmes to support children’s holistic development through a range of play, creativity, social development and learning.
  • Implement and review activities to support children’s play, creativity, social development and learning and clear up after activities.
  • Observe children, assess, plan and record the outcomes, share results accurately and confidentially in line with expected statutory and the provision’s requirements.
  • Use learning activities to support early language development.
  • Support children’s early interest and development in mark making, writing, reading and being read to.
  • Support children’s interest and development in mathematical learning including numbers, number patterns, counting, sorting and matching.
  • Support the graduated approach for the assessment, planning, implementation and reviewing of each baby’s and young child's individual plan for their care and participation.
  • Work in ways that value and respect the developmental needs and stages of babies and children.
  • Use feedback and mentoring or supervision to identify and support areas for development, goals and career opportunities.
  • Work co-operatively with colleagues, other professionals and agencies to meet the needs of babies and young children and enable them to progress.
  • Work alongside parents or carers and recognise their role in the baby or child’s health, well-being, learning and development.
  • Encourage parents or carers to take an active role in the baby's or child’s care, play, learning and development.
  • Demonstrate how to share information with parents or carers about the importance of healthy, balanced and nutritious diets for their child, looking after teeth and being physically active.

Training schedule

Full apprenticeship training provided, working towards an Intermediate Level Apprenticeship gaining a Level 2 Early Years Practitioner qualification.

Requirements

Essential qualifications

GCSE in:

  • English (grade A*-C/9-4)
  • Maths (grade A*-C/9-4)

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

Skills

  • Communication skills
  • Team working
  • Initiative
  • Pro-active
  • Adaptable
  • Caring
  • Reliable
  • Patient
  • Punctual
  • Hardworking

About this employer

Over the Rainbow Day Care opened on 4th January 2021. We are a beautiful, brand-new and forward-thinking nursery where children are truly at the heart of everything we do! At Over The Rainbow Day Care children are encouraged to make choices and use their imaginations, curiosity and wonder to create and explore our stimulating and child-centred nursery provision that offers a safe and nurturing home from home learning environment for all of our children.

After this apprenticeship

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

Possible progression within the company and progression onto the next level apprenticeship.

Ask a question

The contact for this apprenticeship is:

THE GROWTH COMPANY LIMITED

The reference code for this apprenticeship is VAC2000051313.

Apply now

Closes in 29 days (Friday 2 October 2026)

After signing in, you’ll apply for this apprenticeship on the company's website.